Temporary Restriction on Crossing of State Border by Citizens of Russian Federation

Due to the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine, the crossing of the external border by citizens of the Russian Federation holding a valid short-stay visa for the purpose of entering Estonia is to be temporarily restricted, and the restrictive measures adopted by the Council of the European Union are to be applied.

[RT III, 23.01.2026, 3 – entry into force 25.01.2026]

For the purpose of entering Estonia, the state border is allowed to be crossed by a citizen of the Russian Federation

1) who is visiting their direct descendant or ascendant or their spouse who is residing in Estonia and who is an Estonian citizen or holds an Estonian long-term residence permit;

2) who is visiting an Estonian citizen or a person holding an Estonian long-term residence permit residing in Estonia with whom they are raising a common underage child;

3) who is a member of diplomatic or consular personnel of Russia, or a member of the administrative and technical staff or of the service staff of diplomatic missions or consular posts of Russia, or their family member, a holder of a valid residence permit, including a diplomatic ID, or a valid visa issued by another State, based on that residence permit or visa, and who has been granted relevant authorisation in the application of paragraph 1 of Article 5w of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine (OJ L 229, 31.7.2014, pp 1–11);

[RT III, 23.01.2026, 3 – entry into force 25.01.2026]

4) who is briefly visiting a diplomatic mission or a consular post located in the European Union, the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation for the purpose of providing technical or professional support;

5) who is directly involved in international carriage of goods and passengers, including a crew member and a ship’s crew member servicing an international means of transport and a person performing repairs or warranty or maintenance work on such a means of transport;

6) who is a person with a right of free movement under European Union law;

7) who is in immediate transit through the territory of Estonia for reaching their country of residence;

8) who holds a valid short-stay visa issued by Estonia and whose short-term employment is registered;

9) who holds a valid short-stay visa issued by Estonia for study purposes; or

10) whose arrival in Estonia is necessary for humanitarian reasons.

For a person specified in subclause 3 of clause 2 to travel to or transit through the territory of Estonia, the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Tallinn is to file a digitally signed request with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at least five working days before the date of entry in Estonia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs seeks the opinion of the appropriate administrative authority on the request. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides a response to the request or a refusal to the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Tallinn no later than 24 hours before the date of entry in Estonia.

[RT III, 23.01.2026, 3 – entry into force 25.01.2026]

This Order takes effect on 19 September 2022.