Settling In

1. D-Visa application in Estonian Embassy

All exchange and degree students from outside of the European Union should apply for a long-stay D-visa in order to enter Estonia for studies. D-visa gives you the right to enter Estonia and stay here long enough to receive a residence permit. D-visa may be issued with a period of stay up to 365 days. If your study period exceeds 1 year you should apply for a temporary residence permit as well; for that, see the next section.

You should apply for a D-visa at the closest Estonian Embassy in your country or abroad.

You can pre-fill the D-visa application form online here. 

See the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website for more information and a list of documents.

D-visa allows you to enter Estonia and stay here for a year. But if you are a degree student and will stay in Estonia for more than one year, you will also need a Temporary Residence Permit. 

2. D-Visa application in Estonia

Prior to submitting D-visa applications at a Police and Border Guard Board Service Point, the applicants need to fill out the form online and bring it to the service point. D-visa appointments need to be booked online.

Instructions for filling the form:

1. Open the form 
2. Select D-visa
3. Choose language
4. Insert the e-mail address and required symbols
5. Fill out the form according to the instructions
6. Print and sign the form (it will be sent to your e-mail as well)
7. Bring the signed form and necessary documents to the service point for the D-Visa application (it is recommended to book an appointment)

1. Applying for TRP

All Bachelor/Master/Ph.D. students from outside of the European Union must apply for a temporary residence permit immediately after arriving in Estonia at the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board (PBGB) office.

Information is also available on the Police and Border Guard Board website.

You must reserve a time at the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board office. Reservations can be done by phone at +372 612 3000 or through the PBGB webpage. Appointments can be booked up to three months in advance.

You will need the following documents:

• An application for a temporary residence permit to be filled in on-screen and printed out (please see the instructions here)
• Data of close relatives and family members reflecting the data of all close family members
• A document certifying the payment of state fee
• An identity document
• 1 color photo of 40x50 mm, can be taken at the service point

• Confirmation of Enrollment letter (invitation by an educational institution or student organization). This document is sent directly to the Police and Border Guard Board by the University.

2. Registering a place of residence

After you have received your TRP, you must register your place of residence.

This can be done by submitting the notice of residence online, by post, or onsite at the Tallinn District Administration register offices, following these instructions.

The locations and opening hours of your District Administration register office can be found here. The notice of residence must be submitted to the district office of your place of residence.

3. Legal requirements for keeping TRP

TRP is issued for students covering full-time curriculum (Aliens Act 2010 §162(2)). In case the student fails to follow a full-time curriculum or takes academic leave, the TRP will be canceled.

Covering the full-time curriculum means completing at least 75% of the study load (45 ECTS) by the end of each academic year (Universities Act §23).  

4. Expiry and extension

When your TRP expires or you graduate, you have the right to stay in Estonia for an additional 270 days. This is not applicable if the TRP is canceled.

Extension of residence permit beyond the nominal time is only possible in case of  exceptional study-related circumstances. After the expiry of the TRP, you have a legal basis to stay in Estonia for an additional 270 days (9 months) to finish your studies and make further arrangements. During this, you are also allowed to work and can ask the PBGB to issue a passport sticker for traveling. Should you not be able to graduate within the additional 9 months, you are instructed to apply for a new D-Visa as a current student.

If it is necessary to apply for a one-time extension of your TRP, you have to fulfill the following conditions:

1. You must continue as a full-time student. Your dean's office will check this and issue a relevant certificate.

2. You must apply for an extension at least 2 months prior to the expiry of the current residence permit.

First, you should send the full-time studies certificate to the International Admissions Office and request from them the form about the grounds for an extension that needs to be completed. The Admissions Office will then assess the basis for extension and inform you of the following steps. 

If the basis is sufficient, the next step is to submit an application for an extension of a temporary residence permit in person at an Estonian Police and Border Guard Board office at least two months prior to the expiry of the current residence permit. The requirements for extending TRP for studies can be found on the PBGB website. 

You must reserve a time at the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board office. Reservation can be made by phone at +372 612 3000 or through the PBGB webpage. If your fingerprints were taken within the last 6 years and you have a valid residence card, you can also have your residence permit extended by e-mail.

1. Registering a place of residence

EU students who come to Estonia for more than 3 months must register their place of residence in Estonia within a period of one month from your arrival. Before applying for an ID card, you must request an Estonian ID code by registering your place of residence.

Please see options for submitting the notice of residence online, by post, and onsite HERE. 

Please see the locations and opening hours of District Administration Offices on the Districts of Tallinn page.

2. Applying for an Estonian ID card

After registering the place of stay with the City District Administration Office, the next step is to apply for an ID card at an Estonian Police and Border Guard service point. 

You must reserve a time at the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board office. Reservation can be done by phone at +372 612 3000 or through the PBGB webpage.

You will need the following documents:

• An application form
• An identification document
• 1 color photo of 40x50 mm

• A document certifying the payment of the state fee

It is possible to take the photo and pay the state fee at the service point. You can see more information on the Police and Border Guard Board website.

If you are an EU citizen, you should apply for the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from the social service authorities in your home country before arriving in Estonia. Please bring your EHIC card or its replacement certificate with you to prove your eligibility for Estonian healthcare.

NOTE! TalTech highly recommends obtaining additional health insurance for EHIC. It only covers necessary health care, and it is not free of charge.

EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance. It does not cover any private healthcare, dental care, or costs, such as a return flight to your home country or lost/stolen property. 

If you have any specific questions regarding insurance matters, feel free to contact KindlustusEst via e-mail at info@kindlustusest.ee.

A student who has been granted a temporary residence permit for study is not covered by the Estonian Health Insurance Fund (Tervisekassa). Estonian Health Insurance Fund coverage becomes available to you only when you are employed in Estonia or have the right of permanent residence or a long-term residence permit.

This means that you are obliged to have an insurance contract guaranteeing that any costs related to your medical treatment as a result of illness or injury during your stay in Estonia will be covered. You are free to choose a suitable insurance provider, however, the requirements of the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board should be followed. The health insurance contract must be valid in Estonia during the whole study period.

Please note that travel insurance and health insurance are not the same. Travel insurance is accepted for a visa, however, health insurance is required for the temporary residence permit.

If you have any specific questions regarding insurance matters, feel free to contact KindlustusEst via e-mail at info@kindlustusest.ee.

Everyone living in Estonia with a valid residence permit has the right to a family physician. A family physician is the first contact of a person with health concerns in the health care system who gives advice concerning the prevention of diseases, takes preventive measures, gives referrals to medical specialists if needed, issues health certificates, and certificates of incapacity for work as well as prescriptions. 

Kindly be advised that you do not always need to sign up for a specific family physician to seek medical advice. You may also turn to private clinics which provide a range of family physicians, but also specialists, willing to help you immediately. A selection of private clinics is presented below, click on the name of the clinic to get redirected to their website:

• Valvekliinik
• Salu
• Fertilitas 
• Meliva
• Confido 

Finding a family physician
However, we recommend signing up with a family physician as soon as possible as finding a suitable practice may take time. In case you encounter difficulties in finding a suitable family physician, you may contact Health Insurance Fund (Tervisekassa) for help: +372 669 6630 or e-mail info@tervisekassa.ee.

24/7 Advisory Line | Online Consultation

If you are not able to reach your family physician but seek medical advice, you can also call the family physician counseling line by calling 1220. English speaking specialist is available every day from 15:00-17:00. Otherwise, the advice is provided in Estonian and Russian. When calling from abroad, dial +372 634 6630.

You can also get medical advice via video consultations with English-speaking doctors at MinuDoc.

In the case of emergency treatment, a person may go to the emergency room or call an ambulance. The emergency phone number 112 is always accessible from all over Estonia and is free of charge. 

Please turn to the 24/7 emergency room only in case you cannot get help from a family physician, in the evenings or at weekends in an emergency situation.

Here is an overview of health symptoms to decide whether to stay at home, go to a family physician, or when there is a need for emergency care,  you should turn to ER.

The emergency room is not far from the TalTech campus. The address is J. Sütiste tee 19.
NOTE! Please remember to take your health insurance with you.

A person needs a referral from the family physician to visit a medical specialist in Estonia.

No referral is needed to visit a psychiatrist, gynaecologist, ophthalmologist, dermatologist, dentist or infection specialist (for HIV/AIDS treatment).

Dental Care is not covered by the Health Insurance Fund in Estonia. You will have to pay for any services yourself.

The nearest dentist for TalTech students is:
Hambaravi “Hamma” 
Address: Akadeemia tee 20, 3rd floor
Telephone for registration: (+372) 656 1460 or (+372) 553 6605.

The only dentistry, which is open every day in case of toothache is Tallinn Dental Clinic.
Address: Toompuiestee 4, Tallinn
Customer Service: +372 612 1200

Pharmacists can assist with simple medical problems and help you choose the right medicine to provide fast relief for simpler symptoms. With more serious symptoms, please turn to a family physician.

The medications sold in pharmacies are divided into two categories - over-the-counter and prescription medications. There is no restriction set in place for buying over-the-counter medications, such as painkillers or vitamins. For prescription medication (e.g. antibiotics), you need a prescription from a doctor. 

Two of the pharmacies in Tallinn are open 24/7. They are located in:

• Tõnismägi 5 (City Centre)
• Vikerlase 19 (Lasnamägi)