Estonia · permanent residence & citizenship
The path from a temporary residence permit to long-term ("permanent") residence and then to Estonian citizenship: the conditions at each step, how long it takes, and exactly where the A2, B1 and Constitution exams fit in.
- 1Temporary residence permit (TRP) — for work, study, business, family or settling permanently. Issued for up to 5 years and renewable.
- 2Long-term resident's residence permit (the EU long-term / "permanent" status) — after 5 years living in Estonia on a TRP, with B1 Estonian and a stable income. It does not expire (the card is renewed).
- 3Estonian citizenship by naturalisation — after 8 years of residence (the last 5 permanent), with B1 Estonian, the Constitution and Citizenship Act exam, a stable income, loyalty to the state and the oath.
EU / EEA / Swiss citizens and their family members follow a different track: they register their residence rather than apply for a permit, and gain the right of permanent residence after 5 years of legal residence — with no language requirement. politsei.ee
A TRP is granted on a specific ground — employment, study, enterprise, a family member, or settling permanently in Estonia — and is normally valid for up to 5 years. It is the base you build the next two steps on.
- The "settle permanently" TRP requires you to have met the integration requirement and to know Estonian at least at level A2. politsei.ee
- If you have lived in Estonia for 5 years on an employment TRP issued since 16 July 2018, an A2 exam pass is required when you extend it or apply for a new permit.
- Time spent in Estonia on a TRP counts toward the 5 years for the long-term permit and the 8 years for citizenship. Time on a short-stay visa or visa-free stay does not.
Prepare for A2 on ExamsPoint
Practise all four parts of the A2 exam with mock papers in the official format, then use the A2 guide for registration and exam-day detail.
This is what most people mean by an Estonian "permanent residence permit". For third-country nationals it is the long-term resident's residence permit under the Aliens Act. Main conditions: politsei.ee
- You have lived in Estonia permanently on the basis of a TRP for at least 5 years immediately before applying (short absences are allowed within limits).
- You hold a valid temporary residence permit at the time you apply.
- You have a permanent legal income that supports you and your family in Estonia.
- You have a registered place of residence in the population register and health insurance.
- You meet the integration requirement — Estonian at least at level B1, proven with a state language certificate (unless exempt, e.g. education acquired in Estonian).
- You are not a danger to public order or national security.
Validity
The status is permanent; the residence-permit card is reissued periodically (photo/fingerprints).
Decision time
PPA decides within about 2 months of a complete application.
Can be lost
If you leave the EU for 12 consecutive months, or Estonia for 6 consecutive years, or on public-order grounds.
Keep it valid
Keep your residence registered and your card renewed; tell PPA if you move abroad long-term.
Prepare for B1 on ExamsPoint
B1 is the bar for the long-term permit and for citizenship. Drill every section with exam-format mock papers, then read the B1 guide.
An adult (15+) may apply to become an Estonian citizen if all of the following are met (Citizenship Act §6): riigiteataja.ee
- Residence: you have lived in Estonia on the basis of a long-term / permanent residence permit or permanent right of residence for at least 8 years, of which the last 5 years permanently (settled, with your life centred in Estonia).
- You hold a valid long-term residence permit or permanent right of residence.
- Estonian language at level B1, proven by the state language exam — unless you are exempt (education acquired in Estonian; applicants aged 65+ take only the oral part; adapted conditions for certain disabilities). politsei.ee
- Knowledge of the Constitution and the Citizenship Act, proven by the separate exam. Guide · free mock exam.
- A permanent legal income and a registered place of residence.
- You are loyal to the Estonian state and take the oath: “In applying for Estonian citizenship I swear to be loyal to the constitutional order of Estonia.”
- You are released from your previous citizenship, or prove you will be released from it.
When citizenship is refused
- Citizenship is not granted to someone who does not observe the constitutional order, has acted against the Estonian state and its security, has served as a career member of a foreign state's armed forces (or been discharged from one into the reserve), has worked in a foreign intelligence or security service, has been repeatedly punished for intentional crimes, or has committed a crime for which imprisonment was imposed and the record is not expunged (Citizenship Act §21).
Dual citizenship
Estonia does not allow it for naturalised citizens — you must give up your previous citizenship. A person who is an Estonian citizen by birth cannot be deprived of it, even with another citizenship.
Children under 15
A minor acquires citizenship together with a parent, or (born to long-term-resident parents) through a simplified application by the parents.
State fee
A small state fee applies to the citizenship application; check the current amount with PPA.
Decision
PPA prepares the file; the Government of the Republic makes the decision. Expect roughly several months to about a year in total.
- A child acquires Estonian citizenship by birth if at least one parent is an Estonian citizen at the time of the child's birth — regardless of where the child is born.
- A child born in Estonia whose parents are stateless and have lived in Estonia legally for at least 5 years acquires Estonian citizenship (by naturalisation on a simplified basis via the parents). politsei.ee
- Citizenship acquired by birth is never lost through the exam route and never expires.
| Exam | Needed for | Cost | Practise |
|---|---|---|---|
| A2 language | "Settle permanently" TRP; employment permit after 5 years | Free | guide · mocks |
| B1 language | Long-term residence permit; citizenship | Free | guide · mocks |
| Constitution & Citizenship Act | Citizenship only | Free | guide · free mock |
All three state exams are free of charge and are registered through the Examinations Information System (EIS) at eis.harno.ee. Certificates are electronic and retrievable from eesti.ee.
The practical route for a non-EU applicant. Steps and timings below are adapted from the KeeleAvastus PR & Citizenship guide; confirm every detail with PPA before you act.
- 1Meet the 5-year residency requirement. You have lived in Estonia for at least 5 consecutive years on a valid temporary residence permit. Short absences are allowed — up to about 10 months in total and no more than 4 months in a single year.
- 2Pass the B1 Estonian exam (roughly 1–2 years of study). Registered and sat through Harno / EIS, free of charge. Exemptions: education acquired in Estonian, or certain disabilities. Practise B1 · B1 guide.
- 3Gather the documents (1–2 days). If you work in Estonia you often need only your valid passport and TRP card. Otherwise: proof of 5-year residence, income / employment proof, health insurance, B1 certificate, accommodation proof and 2 passport photos.
- 4Submit the application at PPA — online via eesti.ee or in person at a PPA service point (book an appointment first). State fee ≈ €225. PPA instructions
- 5Review and possible interview (about 2–4 months). PPA may ask for an interview or extra documents — respond quickly to avoid delays.
- 6Collect your long-term resident's residence permit card in person at a PPA office (2–4 weeks after approval). This is the EU long-term residence permit.
The full process when your current country requires you to formally renounce your citizenship. If you are stateless, or your country releases you automatically, several of the steps below do not apply — ask PPA. Adapted from the KeeleAvastus PR & Citizenship guide.
- 1Meet the 8-year residency requirement. At least 8 years in Estonia on a residence permit or right of residence, of which the last 5 years permanently. Short absences within legal limits.
- 2Submit the application at PPA in person — you cannot apply online. State fee ≈ €185, appointment booked in advance. If you are in the Population Register, work in Estonia and have already passed the B1 and Constitution ("civics") exams, you generally need only your valid passport, residence-permit card and the completed form. PPA instructions
- 3Wait for the conditional letter (about 2 months). PPA processes the file and forwards it to the Ministry of the Interior; a conditional approval letter is posted to your registered address. It is not a final grant. Keep your address current in eesti.ee.
- 4Translate and notarise the conditional letter (1–2 days). A certified notary provides an official translation (into your home language or English) and notarises it — both are needed. Find one via notar.ee.
- 5Apply to renounce your current citizenship at your home embassy (time varies widely by country). Bring the notarised translation; the embassy acknowledges your application.
- 6Receive the embassy acknowledgement letter confirming you have formally applied. Keep the original.
- 7Legalise the embassy letter at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (apostille / certification, 1–4 days). vm.ee
- 8Give the legalised letter to your PPA case handler as evidence that you have started the renunciation process.
- 9Presidential decision — the Government prepares it and the President of the Republic makes the final decision (about 2 months).
- 10Receive the conditional citizenship grant from PPA. Still conditional — it takes full effect only once your final renunciation certificate is delivered.
- 11Receive the final renunciation certificate from your home country (weeks to months). Follow up with the embassy regularly.
- 12Legalise the final renunciation certificate at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1–2 weeks).
- 13Submit the legalised final certificate to your PPA case handler — the last document required.
- 14Citizenship is fully activated (within about 2 weeks). Apply for your Estonian passport and ID-card at PPA.
Rough total
Around one year end to end for a straightforward case; longer if your home country is slow to release you.
Cost snapshot
LTR permit fee ≈ €225; citizenship application fee ≈ €185; plus notary, translation and legalisation fees. Confirm current amounts with PPA.
The state-run Settle in Estonia programme and the Integration Foundation offer free advice, free Estonian courses and adaptation training for new residents.
- You get an Estonian passport and ID-card and become an EU citizen.
- You can vote and stand in Riigikogu and European Parliament elections.
- No more residence-permit renewals; your right to live in Estonia is unconditional.
- You keep Estonian citizenship for life; a citizen by naturalisation can lose it only in narrow cases in the Citizenship Act (e.g. entering foreign state service or armed forces, or obtaining it by fraud).
Official (authoritative)
- Police and Border Guard Board (PPA): long-term resident's permit · EU citizen's permanent right of residence · citizenship for adults · citizenship for minors
- Legal texts (Riigi Teataja): Aliens Act · Citizenship Act
- Exams: Harno / EIS — eis.harno.ee
- Documents & process: eesti.ee · notar.ee (notaries) · vm.ee (legalisation / apostille)
- Support: Settle in Estonia · Integration Foundation
On ExamsPoint (internal)
- Exam guides: A2 · B1 · Constitution & Citizenship Act
- Free practice: A2 mock exams · B1 mock exams · Constitution mock exam
Third-party walkthrough
- KeeleAvastus: PR & Citizenship step-by-step guide — the practical step sequence and timings on this page are adapted from it. It is a private study site, not an official source.
ExamsPoint is an independent study service, not an official source. Residence and citizenship rules, processing times and fees are set by the Estonian authorities and change from time to time — always confirm the current requirements for your situation on politsei.ee before you rely on this page.