Strarting from 1st of October 2017 minor children, who are born in Estonia or move to Estonia immediately after birth, of parents with a valid residence permit, receive an automatic residence permit according to their parents residence permit. In this case, parents do not need to apply for a child’s residence permit. In order to receive an automatic residence permit the child’s birth or birth data needs to be registered in the Estonian Population Register. More detailed information about entering child’s birth data to the Population Register can be received from the local government agency.
In order to receive a residence permit card you must hand in an application to the Police and Border Guard Board. Children under the age of 15 are not required to hold a residence permit card. It is possible to apply for a residence permit card also to children under the age of 15.
If you need to travel with your child and gross borders, then you must apply for a residence permit card beforehand.
You can find more information about applying for a residence permit card from here.
If the family is just settling to Estonia and during the birth of the child, parent did not hold a valid Estonian residence permit, you must submit a residence permit application for the minor child as well. For submitting an application, please address in person a foreign representation of the Republic of Estonia. An alien who has a legal basis for staying in Estonia, may submit the application at the Service Office. For submitting the application in the Service Office you need to make a reservation. An application for a child under 15 years of age shall be submitted by his/her legal representative (e.g. parent, guardian).
Required documents
- Application forms, to be filled in on screen and printed out. Instructions for filling in the application form. By signing the application you confirm that the copy appended to the application complies with the original document, it does not contain false data and it has not been forged.
- An application for temporary residence permit, when temporary residence permit is applied for
- an application for the extension of temporary residence permit, when the extension of temporary residence permit is applied for
- invitation by parent. If an application for a residence permit is submitted by the parent for the purposes of settling with whom the residence permit is applied for, providing an invitation is not required
- data of close relative and family members, when temporary residence permit is applied for and upon extension of residence permit, if the data has changed
- a child's birth certificate, if the birth was registered abroad, not in Estonia, except if extension of temporary residence permit is applied for
- a child’s identity document, if he/she has one
- if the parent's name in the child's birth certificate differs from the name in the parent's identity document, please submit a document certifying the change of the name of the parent (e.g. certificate of marriage), if the name was changed in a foreign country, not in Estonia
- an identity document of the legal representative
- 1 digital colour photo
- a document certifying the payment of the state fee
- the signed consent which is certified notarially or officially at a foreign representation of the Republic of Estonia, of a parent, who is not moving to Estonia or is permanently residing in a foreign country, for his or her minor child settling in Estonia (the consent must be valid at least two months after the granted), except if the parent who is not moving to Estonia submits the application for residence permit on behalf of his or her minor child or is present at the Service Office upon submission of the application and grants his or her written consent upon the submission of the application
Requirements for the documents issued abroad can be found here.
Decision on granting or refusal of residence permit
Granting or refusal of temporary residence permit shall be decided within 2 months from the acceptance of the application. Residence permit may be granted for up to 5 years and extended for up to 10 years at a time.
In case of granting a residence permit, a residence card shall be issued to the applicant in person within 30 days at the foreign representation of the Republic of Estonia or at the Service Office stated on the application form. Arrival of the residence card in a foreign representation may take more time.
Residence card for a minor under 15 years of age shall be issued to his/her legal representative.
Extension of temporary residence permit
Child’s temporary residence permit will be extended automatically when parent’s residence permit is extended or new residence permit granted.
A legal basis for stay in Estonia after the expiry of the residence permit
If the residence permit of an alien expires upon the lapse of the period of validity, the stay in Estonia shall be legal for the 90 days following the expiry date of the period of validity of the residence permit. You may read more about the legal bases for stay in Estonia from here.
