Travelling to Estonia is possible for the following persons
- Estonian citizens, residents and their family members. Estonian citizens and residents are allowed entry regardless of whether or not they show symptoms of the disease.
- Citizens and residents of the European Union, the Schengen area, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican, and individuals with a long-stay visa and their family members if they show no symptoms. Read the list here.
- Residents of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Rwanda, South Korea, Thailand, Singapur and Uruguay, if they show no symptoms.
- Citizens of foreign states without symptoms arriving in Estonia from states not named above for work or studies. On arrival they are subjects to 10-day restriction on freedom of movement, which means that:
- the employer or educational institution must provide transport for the employee or student on their arrival in Estonia and ensure that they comply with the 10-day compulsory restriction on freedom of movement;
- the employer or educational institution ensures that the employee or student undergoes two SARS-CoV-2 tests. The first test must be administered on their arrival and the second on the 10th day after their arrival;
- the employee and student is not allowed to start working and studying respectively for the first 10 days following their arrival in Estonia;
- the employee and student can start work and studies respectively from the 11th day since their arrival on the condition that their second coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 test was negative.
Who is required to restrict their freedom of movement?
• All symptomatic Estonian citizens and residents arriving in Estonia.
• Passengers arriving from countries of the European Union, the European Economic Area and the Schengen area who began their trip from a country belonging to this region or transited a country of this region, based on the infection rate:
– the mandatory self-isolation does not apply to passengers arriving in Estonia from a country with an infection rate below 25 per 100 000 inhabitants;
– if the infection rate of the country is between 25 and 50, the need to self-isolate depends on whether the infection rate is below or above the rate of Estonia times 1.1;
– if the infection rate is below that of Estonia, the person is not required to self-isolate; if it is hiher than the infection rate of Estonia, a 10 day mandatory self-isolation applies.
• All individuals arriving in Estonia who began their trip from or transited countries without data or located outside the European Union, the European Economic Area and the Schengen area. An exception applies to residents of countries included in Annex 1 of the recommendation of the Council of the European Union on the condition that the infection rate in these countries is below 16.
Coronavirus testing opportunity for people arriving to Estonia
- From 1 September, those returning to Estonia from COVID-19 risk countries will have the opportunity to be tested for coronavirus at the airport and port in order to shorten the 10-day restriction on the freedom of movement and allow them to return to work sooner. Testing is free of charge for Estonian residents; foreigners can take the test at a cost of 67 euros and can pay on the spot by card.
- Tests can be taken in the pedestrian area of terminals A and D of the Port of Tallinn as well as at a temporary testing point at Tallinn Airport based on a doctor’s referral note (issued on the spot). It takes about 5 minutes to complete the referral note and give a sample. People are tested on a first-come, first-served basis. The testing points are open each day until the last ship and air passengers arrive.
- Those returning from a risk country by land (train, car, on foot) can arrange a suitable time for testing. To do this, the public Testing Call Centre set up by SYNLAB and Medicum will open a special telephone number (further details to follow). In Estonia, priority for testing is given to people with symptoms. Therefore, the waiting time is approximately 1-2 days, which is why it is recommended to book a time in advance as soon as one’s time of arrival to Estonia is known. Tests can be done in public testing spots all over Estonia in Tallinn, Tartu, Pärnu, Narva, Kohtla-Järve, Viljandi, Paide, Rakvere, Kuressaare and Kärdla.
- Foreigners can take a coronavirus test to shorten the 10-day period of restriction on the freedom of movement for a fee of 67 euros. Bookings can be made by calling the telephone numbers of service providers offering paid services.
- Testing will be provided by a public testing organisation, whose samples will be analysed by the SYNLAB laboratory, based on an agreement with the Estonian Health Board.
- Until the test results are known, one must be in complete self-isolation. In the case of a negative result, the person will be notified via text message, positive results will be communicated over the phone. The result will also be visible when entering the health information system with an ID card. In the case of a negative test result, the person must stay in limited self-isolation for the first seven days following arrival to Estonia, i.e. the person can go to work and, for example, a shop, but unnecessary contacts must be avoided. The person should also keep their distance from others while at work.
- A second test must be performed no earlier than 7 days after the results of the first test, and if it is also negative, a person can resume their daily life. This means that after two negative tests a person will not be subjected to the full 10-day period of restriction on the freedom of movement, which applies to everyone coming from high-risk countries who did not undergo testing. The public Testing Call Centre will get in touch with a person to book a time for the second test.
- A country with a coronavirus infection rate of 50.
- cases per 100 000 people or higher is considered a coronavirus risk country.
- An updated list of risk countries is published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs every Friday and comes into force on Monday of the following week: https://vm.ee/en/information-countries-and-quarantine-requirements-passengers
- Additional information: www.terviseamet.ee/en/, www.kriis.ee/en. National crisis hotline: +372 600 1247
