Washington

💡 Please review the general information in addition to the details related to passport application! 

✅ Applying for an Initial Passport/ID Card:

• For a child under 12 years old
• For a child aged 12 and older, as well as adults

✅ Renewing a Passport/ID Card:

• For a child under 12 years old
• For a child aged 12 and older, as well as adults

✅ Receiving a passport via DHL Courier

✅ Information about fingerprint-free passport valid for 1 year

 

✅ GENERAL INFORMATION

While abroad, you can apply for an Estonian passport and ID card through:

💻 Through the E-Service Portal (the easiest and most affordable method)

📬 By mail directly to the Police and Border Guard Board (send the application with supporting documents to: Police and Border Guard Board, Pärnu mnt 139, Tallinn 15060, Estonia).

🛂 At the embassy or during a consular mission.

 

💳 Information on state fees for applications via self-service or by mail is available here.

💡 If collecting your document at the Embassy or through an honorary consul, an additional fee of €20 applies.

📌 You can apply for new documents via e-service portal or by mail if fingerprint submission is not required:

• If you gave fingerprints less than six years ago. You can check the validity of your fingerprints via the e-service portal of the Police and Border Guard Board.
• If applying for a passport for a child under 12.
• If applying for an ID-card for a person 70 years or older

⚠️ If the Estonian Population Register lacks information on the parent-child relationship, you cannot apply via self-service.

💡 If you are 70 years or older, you do not need to submit fingerprints when applying for an ID card, even if your previous fingerprints are no longer valid.

📌 To order a passport or ID card through an Embassy, you must schedule an appointment and apply in person if:

• You are applying for an initial Estonian passport and ID-card.
• More than six years have passed since your last fingerprint submission, and new fingerprints are required. You can check fingerprint validity via the self-service portal of the Police and Border Guard Board .
• You are applying for a document for a child aged 12 or older who has not submitted fingerprints at all or in the past six years.
• You wish to authorize someone else to collect the document on your behalf. The authorization must be submitted along with the application.

💡Any documents issued in the United States (e.g., birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc.) must be authenticated with an apostille from the Secretary of State of the relevant U.S. state. An apostille certifies the authenticity of the document issuer’s signature and seal.

💡 Applications submitted at an Embassy are sent to the Police and Border Guard Board for processing. The Embassy does not process passport or ID card applications. If additional information or documents are needed, the Police and Border Guard Board will contact the applicant directly.

You can check the status of your Estonian passport or ID card application on the Police and Border Guard Board website.

✅ Receiving a Passport via DHL Courier

In the U.S., you can receive your passport via DHL courier service. This option is not available for ID cards, which must be collected from an Embassy or honorary consul. The DHL option must be selected during the passport application process. If your application is approved, you will receive detailed courier service instructions via email.

⚠️ Other courier services besides DHL cannot be used!

To receive your Estonian passport, you must present a valid Estonian or U.S. identity document to the courier. The passport is delivered only in person, and you must sign for it.

⚠️ You cannot authorize another person to collect your passport from the DHL courier!

If you choose courier delivery, enter “DHL; USA; postal code” in the “Pick-up location” field on your application form. No specific address is required at this stage, as it will be added when arranging the courier service. This service requires payment, which is made when arranging delivery. The approximate cost in the U.S. is $75, depending on the exchange rate.

✅ Fingerprint-Free Passport Valid for 1 Year

As an exception, you may apply for a passport without fingerprint data if:

• You have previously been issued an Estonian passport or ID card, and
• You are in a foreign country where there is no Estonian representation, or accessing one is disproportionately difficult.

💡 A fingerprint-free passport valid for one year can only be applied for by mail or through the self-service portal. A written explanation or supporting document must be provided to justify the need for a fingerprint-free passport and why a regular passport application is not possible.