Citizenship

In the area of migration and citizenship, the Ministry of the Interior shapes and implements the policy of temporary stay and settlement in Estonia, the citizenship policy, the adaptation policy and the asylum policy.

The objectives of the Ministry of the Interior in the area of migration and citizenship:

  • Facilitating the immigration of people who contribute to the development of the Estonian state and society and shaping the legal and organisational solutions for managing purposeful migration;
  • Developing a support system for the adaptation of new immigrants in cooperation with the private, third and public sectors, to ensure introductory support services that allow immigrants to better connect to Estonian society and to create the preconditions for their successful future independent functioning;
  • Creating the conditions for receiving people who have been granted international protection and ensuring services that support their adaptation depending on their cultural, religious, and language background, gender identity, and other specifics;
  • A balanced citizenship policy which is based on the Constitution and the generally recognised principles of international law and ensures the preservation of the nation-state as well as public order and national security.

Rights and obligations of Estonian citizens

Citizenship is a legal relationship between a person and a state, which entails rights and obligations for both parties. Along with Estonian citizenship, every citizen of Estonia also holds a citizenship of the European Union.

The rights of Estonian citizens:

  • Voting at the elections of the Riigikogu and in referendums, when they have attained 18 years of age and have not been declared devoid of active legal capacity by a court;

  • Being a member of political parties;

  • Running for the Riigikogu when they are at least 21 years of age;

  • Running for presidency when they are citizens by birth and at least 40 years of age.

No Estonian citizen can be expelled from Estonia or prevented from settling in Estonia. While abroad, citizens are entitled to the diplomatic protection of the Estonian state.

Estonian citizens also have all the rights of a citizen of the European Union, including visa-free travel in the European Union and many other countries, the right to work without a work permit anywhere in the European Union, more favourable study opportunities in the European Union, etc.

The obligations of Estonian citizens:

  • To be loyal to constitutional order and protect the independence of Estonia (loyalty obligation);

  • Male Estonian citizens have the obligation to serve in the Defence Forces from 16 to 60 years of age (national defence obligation);

  • To comply with the constitutional order of Estonia (citizens of other countries and people without citizenship who stay in Estonia are also obligated to comply with the constitutional order of Estonia).

Citizenship is determined and documents are issued by the Police and Border Guard Board.

In order to ensure the statehood of Estonia and the cohesion of the population, it is important to continue activities that encourage the activity of people of undetermined citizenship and their decision in applying for citizenship. Various measures have been implemented to increase the interest of people of undetermined citizenship in applying for Estonian citizenship, including increasing the awareness of the terms and conditions of acquiring Estonian citizenship and the necessity of citizenship. Since 2016, Estonian citizenship is granted to children born in Estonia from the moment of their birth, if their parents are not the citizens of any country and have lawfully lived in Estonia for at least five years at the time of the child’s birth.

  • According to the Population Register, more than 72,400 people of undetermined citizenship were living in Estonia in 2019.
  • In 2017, Estonian citizenship was granted to 873 people, 590 of whom were of undetermined citizenship, 281 of Russian citizenship and 30 of Ukrainian citizenship. Since regaining its independence, Estonia has granted and restored citizenship to more than 160,000 people.

Citizenship

Being an Estonian citizen means a legal relationship which entails rights and obligations for both citizens and the state.

Acquiring, gaining, restoring and losing Estonian citizenship:

  • Estonian citizenship is acquired at birth by children with at least one parent who is a citizen of Estonia at the time of the child’s birth.
  • Estonian citizenship is granted by way of naturalisation and restored to people who have lost Estonian citizenship as a minor.
  • Estonian citizenship is lost by being released from Estonian citizenship, being deprived of Estonian citizenship or accepting the citizenship of another country. 

Language study agreements

We offer people who have lived in Estonia for at least five years the opportunity to learn the Estonian language.

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Last updated: 28.06.2023