Border Management

Our aim is to ensure the Estonian border as the external border of the European Union is guarded and protected and it is sufficient to ensure security. Illegal border crossings, illegal border operations, trafficking in human beings, and smuggling are prevented. At the Estonian border, passenger-friendly border control is ensured, which meets the requirements of the Schengen common visa area.

THE STATE BORDER OF THE REPUBLIC OF ESTONIA IS 1,448.6 KM LONG

Border crossing points on the Estonian-Russian border

NARVA border crossing point

  • Narva land border crossing point
  • Narva rrailway border crossing point
  • Narva pedestrian border crossing point

SOUTHEASTERN border crossing point

  • Koidula border crossing point
  • Koidula railway border crossing point
  • Luhamaa border crossing point

Construction of border infrastructure

The Estonian-Russian border is 338.6 km long and 135 km of it is located in difficult terrain and forested area, 76 km is the Narva River and 127 km is in Lake Peipsi.

Border infrastructure is planned to be built on the land border (southeastern border) over a total of 115 km. Part of the border is on water bodies and no infrastructure will be built there because the water body itself acts as a natural barrier. Most of the southeastern border is located in difficult terrain and forested areas.

The construction of the border is part of a whole where the infrastructure, security equipment and the work of the border guards as a whole give the desired result – the protection of our border. After the construction of the eastern border, the entire external border will be 100% technically guarded.

EFFECTIVE BORDER CONTROL IS ENSURED BY PHYSICAL BARRIERS, SURVEILLANCE AND SECURITY EQUIPMENT AND PEOPLE

The border is guarded by technical surveillance equipment and patrols. In places where it may be easier to cross the border, delay rated fencing or other physical barriers are used.

Developments in the construction of the land border started in 2015 and real construction activities in summer 2020. Construction activity started where the probability of illegal border crossing is the highest.

As of November 2021, 63 km are covered with construction contracts and 25 km of delay rated fencing have been completed.

Until the border construction is completed the temporary barriers are installed in the places where the risk of illegal border crossing is higher.

The construction of land border infrastructure is divided into five stages.

  • Construction work on the first border section (23.5 km) started in summer 2020. The works will be carried out according to the schedule and the deadline for completion is spring 2023.
  • In May 2021, a construction contract was signed for the construction of the second border section (39.5 km), where the deadline for completion of the works is spring 2025.
  • The procurement for the design of the 3rd and 4th phases has also been announced, the contracts for which are planned to be concluded by the end of 2021.

THE GOAL IS TO COMPLETE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE LAND BORDER IN 2025.

The budget of the construction of Eastern Border

  • 2015: 75 millions €
  • 2017/18: 188 millions €
  • 2021: 88 millions € + value added tax

Last updated: 26.11.2021