Long-stay (D) visa
What is long-stay (D) visa?
Who can apply for long-stay (D) visa in Estonian representations in US?
Where it is possible to apply for long-stay (D) visa for travelling to Estonia?
Documents to be submitted upon application for long stay (D) visa
Lodging a visa application and capturing biometric identifiers in visa centers VFS Global
Visa fee
Exceptions (Working Holiday Visa)
Examining of the long-stay (D) visa application and returning passport
Entry requirements
Contesting refusal to issue a visa
Complaints
Additional information for citizens of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation
What is long-stay (D) visa?
A long stay (D) visa is meant for staying in Estonia for more than 90 days in 180 day period. Long stay (D) visa may be issued for the period of stay of up to 365 days within twelve consecutive months and it allows to stay in the whole Schengen Area up to 90 days in any 180 day period. In case of consecutive long-stay visas, the whole period of stay shall not be longer than 548 days within 730 consecutive days.
Who can apply for long-stay (D) visa in Estonian representations in US?
- Citizens and residents of US. Resident status can be confirmed either by valid US residence permit (Green Card) or valid resident visa type A, E, F (with form I-20), G, H, I, J (with form J1) , L, O, R. The US residence permit or visa should be valid at least three months beyond the intended departure from Schengen area.
- Residents of other countries provided that there isn’t Estonian representation, which is handling visa applications in the country where applicant resides. Residents of such countries can apply for Estonian long stay (D) visa in any visa center of VFS Global in US. List on Estonian representations which are handling visa applications can be found here.
Where in US it is possible to apply for Estonian long-term (D) visa?
Visa application should be lodged at visa centers of VFS Global in US. Please find the appropriate visa center to visit on the VFS Global website.
Detailed information about applying for an Estonian long-term (D) visa is available below.
Documents to be submitted upon application for Estonian long-term (D) visa
All applicants must present:
- travel document (passport). Travel document must be issued within last 10 years, must be valid at least three months beyond the intended departure from Estonia area and must include at least two free pages intended for affixing visas;
- applicants who aren’t US citizens, but reside in US: valid US residence permit or resident visa type A, E, F, G, H, I, J, L, O, R. F visa holders must present together with visa also the form I-20 with valid travel endorsement. J visa holders must additionally present form DS-2019 (J1) with valid travel endorsement. Attention! Green card, visa and additional forms must be presented in original together with a copy.
- other applicants: proof of residence in the country which does not have Estonian representation handling visa application. No proof is required if applicant is a citizen of this country.
- Estonian long-term (D) visa application form. Form must be filled in on this webpage, printed, dated and signed;
- one color photo 3.5 x 4.5 cm (1.4” x 1.8”). Photo must meet ICAO requirements and should not be older than six months. Photo must be glued on the visa application from (not stapled!);
- travel medical insurance which guarantees payment of any costs related to applicant’s medical treatment due to illness or injury during the validity of the visa, in the case of a multiple-stay visa until the expiry of the period of the first planned stay. As a rule, travel medical insurance must be valid for the whole period of requested visa. If applicant will be covered with Estonian health insurance (Haigekassa) after arrival to Estonia, travel medical insurance must cover only the period until Estonian health insurance (Haigekassa) insurance becomes valid. For example – if person applies visa for short-term employment, travel medical insurance must cover travel period and additionally first 14 days of working;
- proof of financial means. Applicant must prove that he or she has sufficient financial means according to the purpose of stay:
| Purpose of the trip | Applicant | Spouse | Minor child |
| Studies | 800 euros per month | 2100 euros per month | not applicable |
| Doctoral studies (PhD) | 800 euros per month | 640 euros per month | not applicable |
| Short term employment | 1,200 euros one-time | not applicable | not applicable |
| Short term employment in Start-up company | 800 euros one-time | 640 euros one-time | not applicable |
| Seasonal work | 800 euros one-time | 640 euros one-time | not applicable |
| Start-up business | 800 euros per month | 640 euros per month | not applicable |
| Teleworking (digital nomad visa) | 4,500 euros per month | not applicable | not applicable |
| For all other applicants | 70 euros per day (2,100 euros per month) | 70 euros per day (2,100 euros per month) | 70 euros per day (2,100 euros per month) |
Additionally applicants must present documents related to purpose of stay:
- Studies
- confirmation of the educational institution about admission of the applicant;
- exchange student presents also confirmation from local educational institution, where applicant studies;
- students participating in international program (i.e. Erasmus) present also confirmation from the local coordinator of the program.
- Short-term employment
- printout of the confirmation of the registration of the short-term employment.
- Start-up business
- printout of the decision of the Startup Committee (you can read more about Startup Committee here).
- Moving to close relative (visiting family or friends):
- document proving family relations (birth or marriage certificate, original and copy);
- if applicant is an adult child who due to his or her health status or disability is unable to cope independently – documents proving his or her health status or disability (original and copy).
- Visa for teleworking (digital nomad visa)
- documents proving that the applicant’s work does not depend on location and he/she can use telecommunication technology for performing his/her duties as telework;
- documents proving that the applicant continues
- working for an employer registered in a foreign country with whom he/she has a contractual relationship or
- business activities for a company registered in a foreign country in which he/she has holdings or
- providing services mainly to customers whose place of business is in a foreign country and with whom he/she has a contractual relationship;
- documents proving the applicant’s legal income during six months before the submission of the application and showing the size, regularity and sources of the income. Currently the monthly income threshold is 4,500 euros;
- description of studies and job history (CV).
The following documents can be used as a proof of facts mentioned in first two points above:
-
- a written explanation by the applicant regarding the intention to use the visa for teleworking;
- a written confirmation by the employer stating that it is possible for the applicant to perform their work duties in the form of teleworking;
- an employment contract or another contract under the law of obligations;
- a certificate issued by a competent authority of the applicant’s country of location in proof of the payment of state taxes, local taxes or social security contributions mandatory in the applicant’s country of location;
- a certificate issued by a competent authority of the company’s country of registered office, indicating the name, registered office and area of activity of the company, the applicant’s holdings in the company and details of the legal representatives of the company;
- a certificate issued by a competent authority of the company’s country of registered office in proof of the payment of state taxes, local taxes or social security contributions mandatory in the company’s country of registered office and on the absence of tax arrears;
- any other documents.
Lodging a visa application and capturing biometric identifiers in visa centers of VFS Global
Visa application must be lodged personally, visa application of minor (below 18) is lodged by parent or guardian. Application can be lodged up to six months before start of the trip to Estonia and must be applied not later than 30 days before start of the trip.
Appointment must be acquired for lodging application in the visa center (appointments can be acquired on webpage https://visa.vfsglobal.com/usa/en/est).
At the time of submission of the application, 10 fingerprints of the applicant will be collected. However, where fingerprints have been collected as part of an earlier application less than 59 months before the date of the new application, you do not have to provide your fingerprints.
Applicants below 12 and following applicants are waived for requirement to give fingerprints: persons for whom fingerprinting is physically impossible, head of states and members of national government and members of their official delegation and sovereigns and senior members of royal family when they are invited by Member States’ governments or by international organizations.
Visa fee
In visa centers in US the visa fee is paid in US dollars, for information about amount of the fee in US dollars please visit this webpage.
Visa fee for examining long-term (D) visa application is 100 Euros. Visa fee for children 6-11 years is 40 Euros. Children under 6 years does not pay visa fee.
Following applicants are exempted from paying the visa fee:
- children below six;
- a family member of an Estonian citizen or an EU/ EEA citizen who meet the requirements in Directive 2004/38/EU. Please note that the directive shall apply to all Union citizens who move or reside in a Member State other than that of which they are national, and to their family members who accompany or join them;
- persons invited by Parliament or the Estonian Government;
- anyone who, by virtue of an international convention, is entitled to a visa free of charge;
- holders of diplomatic and service passports.
Visa fee can be paid in US Dollars by bank card or in Euros by bank transfer to the bank account of Estonian Ministry of Finance. For more information please visit this webpage.
Exceptions
Working Holiday visa for the citizens of Australia and New Zealand
Under the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of Estonia and the Governments of Australia and New Zealand visas are being issued, granting the right to work to 18-30 year old Australian and New Zealand citizens, who may stay in Estonia for up to a year. The work done within that period has to contribute to the main purpose of stay in the country, namely to recreation in Estonia; and those using the opportunity must not work for the same employer longer than three months. The citizens of Australia and New Zealand willing to benefit from the application of those Agreements have to apply for D type visa at the Estonian representation which is handling visa applications.
More information: Australia; New Zealand.
Working Holiday visa for the citizens of Canada
Under the Bilateral Youth Mobility Agreement between Canada and Estonia visas are being issued, granting the right to work to 18-35 year old Canadian citizens, who may stay in Estonia for up to a year. The citizens of Canada willing to benefit from the application of this Agreement have to apply for D type visa at the Estonian representation which is handling visa applications.
More information: Youth mobility agreement.
Examining of the long-term (D) visa application and returning the passport
Long-term (D) visa applications is examined within 30 days from the day application was lodged at the Embassy. Applicant can collect his or her passport from the VFS Global visa center.
Entry requirements
Mere possession of a visa does not confer an automatic right of entry. The holders of visa are requested to present proof that they fulfil the entry conditions at the external border, as provided in the Schengen Border Code. Border guards, for instance, may ask to present return tickets, hotel reservation or the information of the invitee, travel insurance, proof of sufficient means of subsistence. For more information, see also questions about crossing the border on the website of the Police and Border Guard Board.
Contesting refusal to issue a visa
Applicant, who was refused to issue a visa, may file an appeal. Appeal can be filed within 30 days as of the date of notification of the decision. Please find the application of contesting.
Attention! Deadline of filing an appeal should not be restored! For more information about process of appeal please visit website of Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In Estonian Embassy in Washington appeal may be filed by mail. Please don’t send us your passport! If Embassy needs your passport, we will inform you about it additionally.
Attention! If appeal is filed by mail, the date of arrival of the application is working day following the day when appeal reached the Embassy or the date when state fee has arrived to the bank account of the Ministry of Finance in Estonia, if it is later.
State fee for examining the appeal (80 Euros) can be paid by check or in Euros to the account of Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For more information please visit this website.
Application to contest decision of refusal to issue visa is examined within 15 days.
Complaints
Visa applicants may submit complaints about the conduct of the Embassy’s staff, the external service provider or the visa application process.
A complaint can be submitted to the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by e-mail: [email protected].
Additional information for citizens of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation
Citizens of the Russian Federation
On 11 August 2022, the Government of the Republic of Estonia approved a sanction imposing a restriction on citizens of the Russian Federation applying for an Estonian visa. The visa restriction applies to all types of visas and purposes of travel, except for those Russian citizens who are:
- visiting a spouse, who is an Estonian citizen residing in Estonia or a person residing in Estonian on the basis of Estonian long-term residence permit;
- visiting a relative in the direct descending or ascending line who is an Estonian citizen residing in Estonia or a person residing in Estonia on the basis of Estonian long-term residence permit;
- visiting an Estonian citizen residing in Estonia or a person residing in Estonia on the basis of Estonian long-term residence permit and with whom they raise a minor child;
- employees of a diplomatic mission or consular post in Estonia and their family members;
- directly involved in the international carriage of goods and passengers;
- persons enjoying the right of free movement under European Union law (EU citizens family members) and
- whose entry into Estonia is necessary for humanitarian reasons (e.g. funerals).
The sanction will come into effect on 18 August, which means that only Russian citizens listed above can apply for a visa from that date. Russian citizens, who want to apply for a visa as an exception, must together with their application present documents proving that they are eligible for one or several exceptions.
Citizens of the Republic of Belarus
On April 8th, the Government of the Republic of Estonia issued regulation which imposes international sanctions to citizens of the Republic of Belarus who are applying for a visa for employment or entrepreneurship (including Startup entrepreneurship and Remote working). According to this regulation no visas for employment or for entrepreneurship for citizens of the Republic of Belarus are issued until further notice.