Estonia - Family & Partner - Temporary Residence Permit (Close Relative)

A temporary residence permit may be issued to the following aliens to settle with a close relative who is an Estonian citizen or to settle with a close relative who is an alien who has a permanent residence permit and resides in Estonia permanently: • to a minor child in order to settle with his/her parent; • to an adult child in order to settle with a parent if the child is unable to cope independently due to health reasons or a disability; • to a parent or grandparent in order to settle with his or her adult child or grandchild if the parent or grandparent needs care which it is not possible for him or her to receive in the country of his or her location or in another country and the permanent legal income of his or her child or grandchild who legally resides in Estonia ensures that the parent or grandparent will be maintained in Estonia; or • to a person under guardianship in order to settle with the guardian if the permanent legal income of the guardian ensures that the ward will be maintained in Estonia. A close relative who is an alien holding a permanent residence permit or is an Estonian citizen residing in Estonia permanently is required to stay in Estonia for at least a total of 183 days a year. An alien is required to have legal income that ensures his or her subsistence in Estonia during the six months preceding the submission of the application. Lawfully earned remuneration for work, income received from lawful business activities or property, pensions, scholarships, support, benefits paid by a foreign state and the maintenance ensured by family members earning legal income are deemed to be legal income. A close relative, for the purposes of settling with whom a residence permit is applied for, must have a registered residence and an actual dwelling in Estonia and he or she shall bear all the costs related to the care and medical treatment of the alien concerned. A close relative does not have to have a registered residence and an actual dwelling in Estonia if an alien and the close relative, for the purposes of settling with whom a residence permit is applied for, arrive in Estonia together. An alien has to have an insurance contract guaranteeing that any costs related to his or her medical treatment as a result of illness or injury during the period of validity of the residence permit applied for will be met. An alien who has been granted a residence permit for study is not covered by Estonian health insurance. If an alien has no opportunity to conclude a conforming insurance contract before the residence permit is granted to him/her, then he/she must submit: • an assurance that he/she will conclude the required insurance contract no later than within two months after the settlement in the state on the basis of a residence permit, or • an insurance contract which shall cover the medical treatment expenses until the conclusion of a conforming insurance contract (e.g. travel insurance contract). During the time that an alien is deemed to be a person insured by compulsory health insurance pursuant to the Health Insurance Act, and in cases provided for by international agreements, an alien needs not have such an insurance contract. Documents enclosed with the application must be translated either into Estonian, Russian or English. The accuracy of the translation must be certified by a notary. Documents issued abroad must be legalized or confirmed by a relevant certificate (apostil), unless an international agreement stipulates otherwise (Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Ukraine, Russian Federation). A temporary residence to settle with a close relative may be permitted for a maximum of 5 years. If the close relative with whom an alien wants to settle has a temporary residence permit the period of validity of the residence permit for an alien cannot exceed the expiry date of the permit for the relative. Upon the issue of a residence permit to a minor child the rights and interests of the minor child shall be taken into consideration above all. A residence permit shall not be issued if the settling of the child in Estonia would damage his or her rights and interests and if his or her legal, financial or social status may deteriorate as a result of settling in Estonia. An application for a residence permit for a child under 15 years of age or a person without active legal capacity shall be submitted by his/her legal representative - a parent, a guardian or a representative of a guardianship authority. If an application is submitted by a representative he/she has to submit a document certifying his/her right of representation. A minor who resides permanently in a foreign state and who is at least 15 years of age may file an application for a temporary residence permit personally with the notarized consent of a parent.