An Estonian citizen’s passport is a travel document issued to a citizen of Estonia by the Republic of Estonia, an ID card is an identity document with digital functionality.
Please note that for submitting an Estonian passport and ID-card application at the Embassy you must register in advance by the internet.
APPLYING BY POST
It is possible to apply for a renewed passport by post or at the self-service portal in case a person has already received an Estonian document containing fingerprints and less than 6 years have passed since applicant gave fingerprints for the document. To check validity of fingerprints (biometrics) please visit self-service portal or the webpage of the Police and Border Guard Board. NB! Validity of fingerprints captured in Estonian Foreign Representations in between document applications can be checked only at the self-service portal of the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board! Also a document for children under age 12 and ID-card for applicant who is 70 or older can be applied for directly at the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board by post.
The application form and additional documents should be sent directly to the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board:
Police and Border Guard Board
Pärnu mnt 139
15060 Tallinn
APPLYING AT THE EMBASSY
You should apply at the Embassy if
The following documents must be presented for an initial document:
All documents issued in the United States (eg. birth- & marriage certificates, etc.) should be authenticated with an Apostille by the State Secretary within the state where they were issued. The Apostille is a document certifying the authenticity of the official signature on the document, the capacity in which the person signing the document acted, and the identity of any stamp or seal affixed to the document. Information on obtaining the Apostille is available here
– The Republic of Estonia ID card and travel document/passport, military certificate, school/university diploma confirming Estonian citizenship, proof of employment at Estonian government agency (available at Estonian National Archives);
– Birth, marriage, death and other vital statistics documents which can be ordered through the Embassy;
Upon the expiration of an Estonian document, one should also apply in person at the Embassy if more than 6 years has passed since collecting of applicant’s fingerprints. For a renewal passport, the following documents should be submitted:
All documents issued in the United States (eg. birth- & marriage certificates, etc.) should be authenticated with an Apostille by the State Secretary within the state where they were issued. The Apostille is a document certifying the authenticity of the official signature on the document, the capacity in which the person signing the document acted, and the identity of any stamp or seal affixed to the document. Information on obtaining the Apostille is available here
The passport can be collected by an applicant in person or by an authorized representative assigned by an applicant at the time of applying for the document, in the Service Office or in the foreign representation of the Republic of Estonia indicated in the application form. Children under age 15 are represented by their parents.
Receiving your passport via DHL courier
In the USA, it is possible to receive the passport through a DHL courier service. The ID-card, however, cannot be delivered by courier and must be collected from the Embassy or Honorary Consul. The option for DHL delivery can be selected during the passport application process only. Upon a positive decision on passport issuance, detailed instructions on arranging the courier service are emailed to the individual. No other courier services besides DHL are available.
To receive the Estonian passport, the recipient must present a valid Estonian or US identification document to the courier. The passport is handed over in person, which you must sign for. It is not possible to authorize another person to receive your passport.
The choice of the delivery by a courier can be made during self-service or at the embassy when submitting a document application. In the “Pick-up location” field on the application form, specify “DHL; USA; postal code” as the pickup location. Detailed contact address is not required on the form and will be added during the later courier service arrangement. The service is chargeable, and the fee is paid during the courier service arrangement. In the USA, the service cost is approximately $75, depending on the exchange rate between the euro and the dollar.
The Embassy does not process applications for Estonian passports and ID-cards. Applications submitted at the Embassy will be forwarded for processing to the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board. Status of the application can be checked on the webpage of the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board.
A passport without fingerprints and with a term of validity of 1 year
As an exception, it is possible to apply for a passport without fingerprint images, if:
NB! You can apply as an exception for a passport without fingerprint image valid for one year ONLY by post or at the self-service portal
Please submit a written explanation or other evidence concerning the reason for the necessity to issue a passport without fingerprint images, together with an explanation of why it is not possible for you to apply for a passport according to ordinary procedures.