Estonia is known as the jewel of Europe and it is famed for its beautiful forests and amazing mountains. There are more and more expats settling into Estonia, however English is not widely spoken and it’s advisable to have some grasp of Estonian or Russian if you choose to move there. We’ve compiled an indepth guide to make your move to Estonia an easy one.
- Expat Clubs
- Schools
- Local News Sources
- Country Information
- Resident and Work visa information
- How to get a driving license
- Where to live and about the accomodation types
- Healthcare information including Hospitals and Insurance
International Women's Club Tallinn
An international group of women coming together to make new friends; learn about the country and city we are living in; and giving back to the local community by doing charity work.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/iwct.ee
Website: www.iwct.ee
Indian Embassy Finland
The Indian embassy often hosts events and coffee mornings for the Indian expatriates in Finland and Estonia. You can find info for these events on their Facebook page.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/EmbassyOfIndiaToFinlandAndEstonia/info
Website: www.indianembassy.fi
Estonia Cloud Computing Group
This group brings together people that are active in cloud computing business in Estonia. Start-uppers and enterprises, both business and tech people alike are welcome to join and participate in sharing their know-how and experience at offering X-as-a-service, especially for exporting purposes.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/estoniancloud/
International School of Estonia
The primary school community at ISE is like a big busy family. Caring, sharing and encouragement have made it a place where learning happens, independence and cultural understanding grows. ISE offers education for children aged 3 to 19. Its Curriculum is based on the programs of the International Baccalaureate Organization and taught in the English language.
Curriculum: IB
Address: Juhkentali 18, 10132 Tallinn
Tel: +372 666 4380
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.ise.edu.ee
Britanica
Britanica is non-governmental, non-profit organization committed to providing safe and enjoyable learning experience. We want our students to communicate confidently in English, become independent learners and understand the world around them.
Curriculum: Cambridge curriculum
Address: Kalevipoja 10, 13625
Tel: +372 58130403
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.britanica.ee
Tartu International School
TIS is a private school that offers modern and high-quality basic school education with English as the language of instruction for students from age 6 to 15. TIS promotes learning and international understanding without any political or religious aims and shall, thereby, serve the national and international communities of the Tartu area. TIS follows the School Curriculum that has been composed so that it would meet the educational needs of the school´s international student body, and is accredited by the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research.
Curriculum: Follows its own curriculum
Address: Veski 1, Tartu, 51005, Estonia
Tel: +372 742 4241
Email: [email protected]
Website: istartu.ee
City Paper
City Paper first rolled off the presses in 1991, a month before the Baltics regained independence. At the time, it was one of the regions only privately owned publications. City Paper covers Baltic stories, events, people and places. Its readers are foreign travelers and business people, locals and expats.
Website: www.citypaper.ee/paper
Baltic Daily News
News from Estonia and abroad delivered in English and updated regularly.
Website: www.balticdailynews.com
News ERR
News from the Estonian Public Broadcaster delivered in English for the expatriate population of Estonia.
Website: www.news.err.ee
The Baltic Times
The Baltic Times is an independent newspaper that covers the latest political, economic, business and cultural news in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Website: www.baltictimes.com
Estonian Free Press
News in English delivered from an independent news source.
Website: estonianfreepress.com
Location: Europe
Capital City: Tallin
Other Important Cities: Parnu, Saaremaa, Tartu
Currency: Estonian kroon (EEK)
Language: Estonian
Calling Code: +372
Internet TLD: .ee
Electricity: Eesti Energia
Customer service lines: 1545, +372 715 4254
Fault notification: 1343
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.energia.ee/en
Emergency Numbers: 110
Country Information
en.wikipedia.org
Country Study
lcweb2.loc.gov
embassy.goabroad.com/embassies-in/estonia
Residents Visa and Work Permit information
Work permits, separate to a residence visa are no longer issued in Estonia. Residents are permitted to work on just a resident’s permit. Furthermore European Union citizens and their family members can only work in Estonia if they have a right of residence. However, a foreign visitor has the right to work in Estonia for a short term period not exceeding six months in a year; the right to work is subject to an Estonian visa or visa waiver program. The employment must also be registered with a prefecture of the Citizenship and Migration Department of the Police and Border Guard Board.
Citizens of the European Union, European Economic area or the Swiss Confederation must all register for the right of residence if their stay exceeds three months in Estonia.
Citizens of third countries and people who are unaware of their citizenship must apply for a residence permit card. The residence permit card holds all the information about the foreign national that it was issued to.
Applying for a residents permit card
Visit the customer service centre of the Citizenship and Migration Bureau. The bureau will take your fingerprints and will advise you on the necessary documentation. If you are applying from outside Estonia, you will have to contact the Estonian embassy nearest to you.
There are two types of rentals available in Estonia, namely rent-controlled and free market. Rent controlled apartments are cheaper than the free market; however, it is almost impossible for expats or foreigners to find rent-controlled apartments as they are, for the most part, occupied by long term Estonian tenants.
Many single expats live close to the city centre, some live in “Old Town”, however, people with families tend to live further out as the areas close to the centre can be expensive. Public transport and taxis are not expensive so getting to the centre is relatively simple and reasonable.
Before renting an apartment find a reputable estate agency, they will help you find an apartment in your desired area and act as mediators between you and the landlord. Their fees are either a fixed sum or a percentage of the monthly rental, and their assistance with dealing with landlords and contracts is invaluable.
Rent in Estonia is usually paid monthly via a debit order, however some landlords may require up to six months in advance, in addition to the security deposit. Whatever the case of the rental agreements, ensure that all aspects are put in writing in the contract in order to protect yourself should discrepancies arise. Your lease may include some or all of the utilities in the rent price.
Estonia has quite a large list of countries whose residents can drive in Estonia with their local driving license. It is advisable to also have an international permit. This list of countries is also eligible to exchange their driving license for an Estonian license after a certain period of time.
- Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Australia, Austria
- Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brasilia, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Byelorussia
- Cambodia, Canada, Central African Republic, Chile, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
- Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominican Republic
- Ecuador, Egypt
- Fiji, Finland, France
- Ghana, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana
- Haiti, Holland, Hungary
- Ireland, Israel, India, Iran, Iceland, Italy
- Japan, Jamaica, Jordan
- Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan
- Laos, Lithuania, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lebanon, Luxemburg, Latvia
- Madagascar, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Morocco, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro
- Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Niger, Norway
- Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal
- Qatar
- Republic of Congo, Romania, Russia, Rwanda
- San Marino, Seychelles, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden, Syria, the Swiss Confederation
- Tajikistan, Tai, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan
- Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Uzbekistan
- Vatican (Holy See), Venezuela, Zimbabwe
The following documents must be submitted to the traffic register bureau to exchange driving license:
- A personal identification document.
- A valid health certificate of the driver. The health certificate needs not be submitted if the health certificate data are valid in the traffic register and the state of health of the driver has not changed or if the health certificate data are presented in an electronic form.
- Medical examination for drivers of and applicants for right to drive power-driven vehicles in categories A, B, BE, C and CE and their subcategories is carried out by a family physician;
- Medical examination for drivers of and applicants for the right to drive power-driven vehicles of category D and DE and their subcategories is carried out by a traffic medical commission.
- An electronic photograph made in the traffic register bureau or a document photo and an electronic signature given in the bureau.
- The driving license to be exchanged issued in a foreign country.
- A state fee must be paid for the issue of the Estonian driving license (if there is an obligation to pass examinations, there is a separate fee for those) (See the state fee for a driving license ).
More information at: www.mnt.ee/index.php?id=24990
People travelling to Estonia may have to show proof of healthcare insurance; however residents and expats who work in Estonia and pay taxes are covered under the national health system. The healthcare in Estonia falls short of Western standards due to a lack of resources and equipment, however the staff is knowledgeable. Estonia does not have any vaccination requirements.
Fertilitas Private Hospital
AS Fertilitas was founded in 1993 and is the biggest private hospital in Estonia. The hospital has an outpatient clinic with two branches in Tallinn and 70-bed ward facility, 4 operating rooms and intensive care center. Specialists from more than 20 fields are available for you, working for the best possible solution for your health problems.
Address: Kaluri tee 5a, Viimsi
Tel: (372) 605 9604
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.fertilitas.ee/about-fertilitas
Regional Hospital of North Estonia
The North Estonia Medical Centre is one of the top health care providers in the country. A patient-centred institution committed to professionalism, innovation and teamwork, the Medical Centre has more than 3,500 people – doctors, nurses, caregivers and specialists – working for the good of patients. Over 500 of them are doctors and at any given time, 100 medical residents are also based at the hospital. The hospital consists of seven clinics and 31 specialist centres. Similarly to European university hospitals, the North Estonia Medical Centre offers medical care in all specialist fields other than ophthalmology and obstetrics.
Address: 19 J. Sütiste Str Tallinn
Tel: (372) 697 1300
Email: [email protected]
Website: egionaalhaigla.ee/en
East - Tallinn Central Hospital
East-Tallinn Central Hospital Department of Emergency Medicine provides you with inevitable medical care no matter if you are covered by medical insurance or not. Inevitable is a medical care where it´s postponement could directly endanger your life or health.
Address: Ravi 18 Tallinn
Tel: (372) 620 7015
Fax: (372) 620 7002,
e-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.itk.ee/en
Tallinn Children's Hospital
Tallinn Children’s Hospital is the only 3rd stage multiple specialty paediatric regional hospital in northern Estonia. Every year up to 150 000 children and adolescents under the age of 15 from all over northern Estonia receive inpatient and outpatient treatment at the hospital.
Address: Tervise 28 Tallinn
Tel: (372) 697 7113
Website: www.lastehaigla.ee
City Centre Children’s Polyclinic
Address: Ravi 27 Tallinn
Tel: (327) 620 7322
Fax: (327) 620 7324
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.lastehaigla.ee
Estonian Cardio Centre
Address: EE0108 Suutiste Tee 19 Tallinn
Tel: +372 2 525 701
Fax: +372 2 525 908
