EstoniaCitizenship

Citizenship by naturalisation in Estonia

The programme allows adult holders of a long-term resident's residence permit or of the right of permanent residence to obtain Estonian citizenship. The candidate must have lived in Estonia for the set period, pass examinations in the language and in the basics of the state system, and demonstrate loyalty to the state and permanent lawful income. The decision to grant citizenship is taken by the Government of the Republic of Estonia on the basis of an opinion from the security authorities. The procedure involves checking that all the requirements are met, including actual residence in the country.

Source: Politsei- ja Piirivalveamet (politsei.ee)

Who can apply

Naturalisation is available to various categories of people depending on their current status in Estonia.

Mandatory conditions

Hold a long-term resident's residence permit or the right of permanent residence
Have lived in Estonia for at least eight years on the basis of a residence permit or the right of residence
Of those eight years, live permanently in Estonia for at least five years

Knowledge and income requirements

Pass the examination in the Estonian language or prove education in Estonian
Pass the examination on the Constitution and the Citizenship Act
Have permanent lawful income at the time the application is filed

Additional requirements

Have a registered place of residence in the Estonian population register
Demonstrate loyalty to the Estonian State
Be an adult at the time the application is filed

When the programme is not a fit

The person already holds Estonian citizenship

Renewal of documents (passport, ID card)

The person wishes to restore lost Estonian citizenship

The programme for the restoration of citizenship

The person has been in Estonia for less than the set period

Waiting until the required period of residence has elapsed

What it costs

State fee for the naturalisation applicationA one-off payment when the application is filed with the Police and Border Guard Board	150 EUR

Paid separately

Examinations on the language and the Constitution — Held by the Estonian Education and Youth Board (Harno); the cost is set separately by that organisation
Document translation services — If translations are required, they are paid for separately to the translator

Documents to gather

The following documents have to be prepared to file the application:

A completed applicant's form (the form for adults)
A document confirming a lawful source of income
A digital photograph meeting the set requirements
A payment document confirming payment of the state fee of 150 euros
A document confirming release from any other citizenship or the status of a person of undetermined citizenship
A certificate of having passed the examination on the Constitution and the Citizenship Act

How the process runs

Naturalisation consists of several stages, from preparation to a positive decision.

1
Prepare the documents and take the examinations
Several months depending on how ready you are
The applicant prepares all the documents required and takes two examinations: in the Estonian language (if they have no education in Estonian) and on the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia and the Citizenship Act. The examinations are organised by the Estonian Education and Youth Board.
2
File the application and pay the fee
A one-off procedure
The applicant files the complete set of documents at a local Police and Border Guard Board office and pays the state fee of 150 euros.
3
Review by the security authorities and referral to the Government
Up to 6 months
After the application has been filed, the authorities carry out document and security checks and then pass the material to the Government of the Republic of Estonia for the final decision on granting citizenship.
4
Receive the decision and obtain an ID card or passport
After a positive decision
After the Government's decision the applicant receives a certificate of citizenship and may obtain a passport or ID card of the Republic of Estonia.

Timelines and rights

Residence

A registered address of residence in the Estonian population register and loyalty to the Estonian State are required.

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to citizenship

You must have lived in Estonia for at least eight years before filing the application on the basis of a residence permit or the right of residence, of which at least five years on a permanent basis.

Frequently asked questions about Citizenship by naturalisation

Do I have to take the Estonian language examination?

The Estonian language examination is not required if you obtained basic, secondary or higher education in Estonian. In all other cases the examination is compulsory and is organised by the Estonian Education and Youth Board.

What period of residence in Estonia is required?

You must have lived in Estonia for at least eight years on the basis of a residence permit or the right of residence, of which at least five years permanently. This means that five years must be continuous or almost continuous residence.

How long does it take to review a naturalisation application?

Once the complete set of documents has been filed, the Government reviews the application within up to six months. The exact time may vary depending on the extent of the checks and the workload of the authorities.

How much does it cost to file a naturalisation application?

The state fee for filing an application for naturalisation is 150 euros. This amount is paid once, when the documents are filed with the Police and Border Guard Board.

Other ways to move to Estonia

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Estonia.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.