What you should do
Coronavirus
You should follow the advice of the Estonian Government and your local authority. You can also read our Estonian travel advice for our latest guidance.
For information on getting a COVID-19 vaccine as a UK national in Estonia see our coronavirus travel advice.
Stay up to date
You should:
Attend a citizen outreach meeting
The British Embassy holds events across Estonia for UK nationals. Attend one of our citizens’ outreach meetings to keep up to date on working and living in Estonia.
You can also:
The Withdrawal Agreement
If you were legally resident in Estonia before 1 January 2021, your rights will be protected by the Withdrawal Agreement.
You should check that you are correctly registered and should get a new residence document to evidence your rights.
We will update this guidance as soon as more information becomes available.
You should also read our guidance on living in Europe.
Visas and residency
Check the entry requirements for Estonia and read the Estonian government’s guidance on residence permits.
You can contact Estonian Migration advisers for support and advice on settling in Estonia.
Make sure you are registered on the Estonian Population Register.
If you already were living in Estonia since before 1 January 2021
Your Estonian ID card remains valid in Estonia until it expires. To prove your status your rights under the Withdrawal Agreement, for example, when travelling to other EU member states or crossing the EU border, you can exchange your ID card for a residence permit card (‘elamisloakaart’). You should do this by 30 June 2021.
Read the Estonian Ministry of Interior’s information on how to apply for a residence permit card.
Healthcare
You must register for healthcare as a resident in Estonia, as well as registering, where necessary, with a health insurer. Find out how the health care insurance system in Estonia works. Read the Estonian health insurance fund and Estonian official state portal.
You can use your Estonian ID card or Residence Permit card to get prescriptions.
Read our guidance on who can access healthcare in Estonia and make sure you are correctly registered for your circumstances.
State healthcare: S1
You may be entitled to state healthcare paid for by the UK if you live in Estonia and you:
- are receiving a UK State Pension
- are receiving some other ‘exportable benefits’
- are a frontier worker who lives in Estonia and commutes to work in the UK
- have been sent to Estonia temporarily by your UK employer
Read our guidance on using an S1 form in Estonia to ensure you are correctly registered for healthcare.
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)
If you are resident in Estonia, you must not use your UK-issued EHIC or GHIC for healthcare in Estonia, unless you are a student or a detached (posted) worker. Current EHICs will remain valid until the expiry date on the card.
If you are living in Estonia, you may be eligible for a new UK-issued EHIC or GHIC if you’re:
- a UK student in Estonia
- a UK State Pensioner with a registered S1
- a frontier worker with a registered S1
The card you receive will depend on when you moved to Estonia.
Apply now for a new UK EHIC or GHIC.
An EHIC or GHIC is not a replacement for comprehensive travel insurance.
For more information read our guidance on healthcare when travelling in Europe and advice on foreign travel insurance.
You should also read guidance on:
Passports and travel
You should carry your Estonian ID card or residence permit, as well as your valid passport when you travel. If you have applied for your residence permit but have not received it, you can carry your certificate of application.
If you have not yet applied for a residence card, you should carry evidence that you are resident in Estonia. This could include a tenancy agreement or a utility bill in your name, dating from 2020.
If you cannot show that you are resident in Estonia, you may be asked additional questions at the border to enter the Schengen area, and your passport may be stamped on entry and exit. This will not affect your rights in Estonia.
Passports
Check your passport is valid for travel before you book your trip. You can apply for or renew your British passport from Estonia.
You must have at least 6 months left on an adult or child passport to travel to most countries in Europe (not including Ireland). This requirement does not apply if you are in scope of the Withdrawal Agreement.
If you renewed your current passport before the previous one expired, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. Any extra months on your passport over 10 years may not count towards the 6 months needed.
Renew your passport before booking your travel if you do not have enough time left on your passport.
As a non-EEA national, different border checks will apply when travelling to other EU or Schengen area countries. You may have to use separate lanes from EU, EEA and Swiss citizens when queueing. You may also need to show a return or onward ticket.
Entry requirements
You can travel to other Schengen area countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa for purposes such as tourism.
To stay longer than 90 days in any 180-day period, to work or study, or for business travel, you must meet the entry requirements set out by the country you are travelling to. This could mean applying for a visa or work permit.
Periods of time authorised by a visa or permit will not count towards your 90-day visa-free limit.
Different rules will apply to EU countries that are not part of the Schengen Area. Check each country’s travel advice page for information on entry requirements.
Travel to the UK and Ireland has not changed.
Driving in Estonia
If you are resident in Estonia, you should exchange your UK licence for an Estonian one. You need to exchange your licence by 31 December 2021 or within 12 months of arriving in Estonia.
Contact the Estonian Road Administration to find out what you need to do.
For information on driving, read the guidance on:
Driving in the UK with an Estonian licence
You can use your Estonia licence in the UK for short visits, or exchange it for a UK licence without taking a test. We will update these pages if there are any changes to the rules, as soon as information is available.
Bringing a UK registered vehicle to Estonia
Read our guidance on taking a vehicle out of the UK. You must read the Estonian Road Administration information on vehicle registration in Estonia
You should read the EU’s guidance on car registration and taxes in Estonia. You may be exempt from some of these taxes. If so you will need certificates of exemption.
Working in Estonia
If you were legally resident in Estonia before 1 January 2021, you have the right to work, as long as you remain legally resident.
If you are planning to come to Estonia to work, you may need a visa.
Read the Department for International Trade’s guidance on working or providing services in Estonia and sign up for their updates; and the Estonian police and border guard guidance on working in Estonia.
To apply for a job you may need to provide a:
If you require a record of your employment history in Estonia contact the Estonian Ministry of Social Affairs.
Frontier workers
If you live in Estonia and were regularly commuting to work in another EU or EFTA country, before 1 January 2021 you may need a permit to show you are a frontier worker. Check you are correctly registered for residency in Estonia.
Education and professional qualifications
You will be eligible for broadly the same support as Estonian nationals, as long as you were legally resident in Estonia before 1 January 2021. Check you are correctly registered for residency.
Read our guidance on:
Moving to Estonia to study
If you are planning to study in Estonia, make sure you meet all visa requirements before you travel.
Contact the relevant higher education provider in Estonia to check what fees you may have to pay.
For more information read studying in the European Union.
Professional qualifications
Read the Department for International Trade’s guidance on how to get your qualification recognised in Estonia and sign up for their updates.
Money and tax
The UK has a double taxation agreement with Estonia to ensure you do not pay tax on the same income in both countries.
Existing double taxation arrangements for UK nationals living in Estonia have not changed following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
You should read the guidance on:
You should get professional advice on paying tax in Estonia. Find an English-speaking lawyer in Estonia.
National Insurance
Find out if you need to pay National Insurance in the UK or social security contributions in Estonia.
Banking
Whether UK banks can provide services to customers living in the EEA is a matter of local law and regulation. Your bank or finance provider should contact you if they need to make any changes to your product or the way they provide it. If you have any concerns about whether you might be affected, contact your provider or seek independent financial advice.
Read the Money and Pension Service guidance on banking, insurance and financial services changes for more information on cross-border banking.
Pensions
Read our guidance on entitlement to UK benefits and pensions while you are living in Estonia.
You will need to tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.
If you retire in Estonia, you can claim:
Read the Money and Pension Service guidance on pension and retirement changes for more information on cross-border pensions.
Life certificates for UK State Pensions
If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you need to respond as soon as possible. Your payments may be suspended if you don’t.
Benefits
Read our guidance on entitlement to UK benefits and pensions while you are living in Estonia.
You will need to tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.
Check which UK benefits you can claim while abroad and how to claim them.
Many income-related benefits such as Pension Credit and Housing Benefit can’t be paid if you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks.
You can request proof of the time you’ve worked in the UK from HMRC if you are asked for this.
Estonian benefits
Find out about Estonian benefits and allowances from the Estonian State Portal.
Voting
If you have permanent or long-term residency in Estonia (obtained after five consecutive years of temporary residence), you can vote in local municipal elections.
You cannot vote in national elections or European Parliament elections.
You may be able to vote in some UK elections. You can:
Births, deaths and getting married
If your child is born in Estonia, you will need to register the birth abroad.
If someone dies in Estonia you can:
Find out how you can get married abroad.
Find out about notarial and documentary services for UK nationals in Estonia.
You may need:
Pets
If you have a pet passport issued by Estonia or another EU member state, you can use it to travel with your pet to Great Britain and elsewhere in the EU.
A GB-issued EU pet passport is not valid for travel to the EU or Northern Ireland. You should speak to your vet before you travel to get the necessary pet travel documents and ensure you’re compliant with the EU Pet Travel Regulations.
Read guidance on:
Check the rules of the country you’re travelling to for any additional restrictions or requirements before you travel.
Emergencies
You can dial the European emergency number on 112 in Estonia. If calling from outside Estonia about an emergency in Estonia, you can dial (+372) 6000 112 to reach Estonian Response Centre
If you’re the victim of crime, have been arrested, or are affected by a crisis abroad, contact the British Embassy Tallinn
Accommodation and buying property
Read our guidance on buying a property abroad.
Returning to the UK
Tell the UK and Estonian authorities if you are returning to the UK permanently. To help prove you are now living in the UK, you should deregister with your:
To move your pension to the UK, contact the International Pension Centre.
If you get healthcare in Estonia through the S1 form, you must contact the Overseas Healthcare Team on +44 (0)191 218 1999 to make sure your S1 is cancelled at the right time.
Read the guidance on returning to the UK permanently which includes information on, amongst other things, tax, access to services and bringing family members.
Disclaimer
Please note that this information is provided as a guide only. Definitive information should be obtained from the Estonian authorities. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information.
