Nacionalidad (en ingles)

Application for Estonian citizenship

Any alien who wishes to acquire Estonian citizenship by naturalisation has to comply with the conditions, and follow the requirements, provided for by the Citizenship Act.

Any alien can submit an application for the acquisition of Estonian citizenship by naturalisation if:

• he or she has settled in Estonia before July 1, 1990 and resides permanently in Estonia during the time of the submission of an application for Estonian citizenship or
• has stayed permanently in Estonia on the basis of a permanent residence permit for at least five years prior to the date on which he or she submits an application for Estonian citizenship.

If one of those preconditions is fulfilled an alien who wishes to acquire Estonian citizenship has to:

• be at least 15 years of age;
• have general knowledge of Estonian needed in everyday life;
• have knowledge of the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia and the Citizenship Act;
• have a permanent legal income which ensures his or her own subsistence and that of his or her dependants;
• be loyal to the Estonian state;
• take an oath: "Taotledes Eesti kodakondsust, tõotan olla ustav Eesti põhiseaduslikule korrale" [In applying for Estonian citizenship, I swear to be loyal to the constitutional order of Estonia.]

In order to apply for Estonian citizenship you have to pass an exam on your knowledge of the Constitution and the Citizenship Act of the Republic of Estonia, as well as an exam on your knowledge of the Estonian language.

Exams are organised by the National Examination and Qualification Centre. The application for taking the examination should be submitted to the National Examination and Qualification Centre at the following address: Sakala 21, Tallinn. The following persons are exempted from passing the examination:

• adults divested of active legal capacity;
• persons with severe or serious physical disabilities whoarenot able to pass an examination due to their state of health;
• persons with a moderate disability whoare not able to take exams due to a visual disorder, or hearing or talking disability.

Such a person has to add to his or her application a certificate of medical assessment proving the existence of the disability and a note from a doctor to confirm his or her disability to pass such an examination.

If you have acquired the basic, secondary or higher education in Estonian you are exempt from the Estonian language exam.

You can receive more information at the address: http://www.ekk.edu.ee/

Documents

In order to acquire Estonian citizenship by naturalisation, a person has to submit

These application forms are to be completed on the screen. Use block letters for completing. To move across the screen – use mouse. If you wish to print out the form and fill it in by hand – find appropriate forms here.

a standard application, which sets out the following details concerning an applicant: first name and surname; information concerning any changes to his or her first name or surname; date and place of birth; mother tongue; citizenship; residence; the oath of allegiance and signature.

In addition to the application, the person has to submit the following:

• identity and citizenship documents;
• a curriculum vitae, which sets out the applicant's career, the time and the circumstances under which he or she settled in Estonia, any persons who arrived in Estonia together with the applicant, the applicant's marital status and any changes therein during his or her residence in Estonia, all previous residences in Estonia, information concerning immediate family, and also any ties with foreign military, intelligence or security organisations;
• documents certifying his or her education and career;
• document certifying permanent legal income;
• a certificate of his or her knowledge of the Estonian language or documents certifying that he or she has acquired basic, secondary or higher education in Estonian;
• a certificate of his or her knowledge of the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia and the Citizenship Act;
• photograph sized 40x50 mm;
• a receipt concerning payment of the state fee.

If a person between the age of 15 - 18 applies for Estonian citizenship by naturalisation, the written consent of his or her parent, guardian or a guardianship authority has to be submitted in addition to the above-mentioned documents and two photographs.

Process

When all the necessary documents have been submitted, a regional department of the Citizenship and Migration Board will register an application for the acquisition of Estonian citizenship and issue the person a certificate concerning the registration of his or her application. The decision on whether to start the processing of an application will be made within a month from the date of registering the application.

NOTE!Within a month after a period of 6 months has elapsed from the date of registering your application you have to go to the regional department which registered your application to:

• submit a certificate proving that you have been released from your previous citizenship or that you will be released therefrom in connection with the acquisition of Estonian citizenship (if you were a citizen of a foreign country);
• give written confirmation that you continue to want to acquire Estonian citizenship and that you comply with the conditions provided for in the Citizenship Act.

If you fail to submit the above-mentioned certificate and confirmation within the established term, i.e. within a period of one month, the processing of your application will be terminated and you will be notified thereof in writing.

If all above-mentioned conditions are complied with the Citizenship and Migration Board will submit your documents to the Government of the Republic withinthree months for a decision to be taken on the granting of Estonian citizenship.

After the Government of the Republic has made the decision to grant Estonian citizenship the Citizenship and Migration Board will issue a certificate of citizenship to you. On the basis of a certificate of citizenship you can apply for an Estonian passport.

You can receive additional information by telephoning 612 6979, or from regional departments of the Citizenship and Migration Board.

Application for Estonian citizenship for a minor under 15 years of age

Terms

The following persons may submit an application for Estonian citizenship on behalf of a minor (under 15 years of age):

• his or her parents who are Estonian citizens;
• a parent who is an Estonian citizen on the basis of a notarised agreement of the parent who is not an Estonian citizen;
• a single or adoptive parent who raises the minor alone and is an Estonian citizen;
• a guardianship authority or a guardian who is an Estonian citizen if the parents of a minor under 15 years of age are dead, declared as missing or divested of active legal capacity; or if the parents have been deprived of their parental rights;
• a parent who wishes to acquire Estonian citizenship by naturalisation. He or she can, together with his or her application, also make an application for Estonian citizenship for his or her child;
• parents who are not citizens of any country (since July 12, 1999).

Parents who are aliens can apply for Estonian citizenship on behalf of their child only if the child was born in Estonia after February 26, 1992 and who is not, nor has been, a citizen of any other country. Parents must have been residing in Estonia legally (on the basis of residence permit) for at least five years.

A parent is deemed to be a single parent if:

• no entry is made concerning the other parent in the birth registration of the child or an entry is made on the basis of a statement by the parent;
• the other parent is deprived of his or her parental rights;
• the other parent is declared to be a fugitive pursuant to the procedure established by law and he or she has been a fugitive for one year;
• the other parent is divested of active legal capacity or declared missing;
• the other parent is dead, or the parents are divorced and the child has remained with the parent residing in Estonia provided that the other parent does not live in Estonia and has lost contact with the child and the parent raising the child.

Documents

Documents to be submitted for minors in applying for acquisition of Estonian citizenship by naturalisation are:

These application forms are to be completed on the screen. Use block letters for completing. To move across the screen – use mouse. If you wish to print out the form and fill it in by hand – find appropriate forms here.

An application for Estonian citizenshipwritten in Estonian which sets out the following: the minor's first name, surname, and date and place of birth; the first names, surnames, and dates and places of birth of the minor's parents, adoptive parent or guardian, or the name of the guardianship authority; the residence of the minor and his or her parents, adoptive parent or guardian, or the location of the guardianship authority; the citizenship of the minor and his or her parents, adoptive parent or guardian.

The following must be added to an application:

• photograph of the minor (40x50 mm);
• the minor's birth certificate or identity document with residence permit;
• identity documents (with residence permits if not Estonian citizens) of theparents.

Additional documents, which must be submitted if necessary:

If your child is a citizen of another country you can still apply for Estonian citizenship by naturalisation for him or her. In this case you have to submit a certificate that proves that the minor will be released from the citizenship of another state in connection with the acquisition of Estonian citizenship.

The parents or the adoptive parents of a child who has been born after February 26, 1992 and who are not citizens of any country have to submit a certificate proving that they are not deemed citizens of any country on the basis of any Act in force.

If the parent or single parent or adoptive parent has not been born in Estonia, he or she has to add a certificate issued by a competent authority of the country of origin of a parent or an adoptive parent proving that the country that issued the certificate has not deemed nor is deeming its holder a citizen of that country; or

Anotarised agreement with the parent who is not an Estonian citizen.

Adocument certifying that a parent, who applies for Estonian citizenship for his or her child, is raising the child alone.

Process

If both parents with undefined citizenshipapply for Estonian citizenship for their child and one of the parents cannot, or does not want to, come personally to the Citizenship and Migration Board to submit an application, the consent of this parent with the application for Estonian citizenship for his or her child and copies of personal data and the residence permit pages from his or her travel document, both confirmed by a notary, have to be appended to the application.

Withinthree months after the registration of a standard application for the grant of Estonian citizenship to a minor under 15 years of age, the Citizenship and Migration Board shall submit the application together with additional documents to the Government of the Republic for a decision to be taken on the granting of Estonian citizenship.

After the Government of the Republic has made the decision to grant Estonian citizenship to your child the Citizenship and Migration Board will issue a certificate of citizenship, which will be handed over to you by a regional department of the Citizenship and Migration Board. On the basis of the certificate of citizenship you can apply for an Estonian passport for your child.

You can receive additional information by telephoning 612 6979, or from regional departments of the Citizenship and Migration Board.

Application for Estonian citizenship for anadult without active legal capacity

Terms

Estonian citizenship can be applied for an adult who has been divested of legal capacity by his or her legal representative who is an Estonian citizen. An application has to be submitted to a regional department of the Citizenship and Migration Board, which is located in the region in which the person divested of legal capacity, resides.

Documents

On behalf of an adult without active legal capacity the following has to be submitted:

These application forms are to be completed on the screen. Use block letters for completing. To move across the screen – use mouse. If you wish to print out the form and fill it in by hand – find appropriate forms here.

• a standard application, which sets out the following details concerning an applicant: first name and surname of the person without legal capacity; information concerning any changes to his or her first name or surname (if it has taken place); date and place of birth; mother tongue; citizenship; residence.
• identity and citizenship documents;
• a curriculum vitae, which sets out the career of an adult without legal capacity, the time and the circumstances under which he or she settled in Estonia, the time and the circumstances under which his or her parents settled in Estonia if an adult without active legal capacity has been born in Estonia, any persons who arrived in Estonia together with the applicant, the applicant's marital status and any changes therein during his or her residence in Estonia, all previous residences in Estonia, information concerning his or her immediate family, and also any ties with foreign military, intelligence or security organisations;
• colour photograph sized 40x50 mm;
• a court decision on divesting an applicant of active legal capacity and on the appointment of a legal representative.

Process

An application which is completed in compliance with the established requirements will be registered and a decision on whether to start the processing of an application will be made within a month from the date of registering the application.

NOTE! Within a month after a period of six months has elapsed from the date of the registering of the application you have to go to a regional department which registered your application and

• confirm once again that you still want to acquire Estonian citizenship for your ward;
• submit a certificate proving that your ward has been released fromhis/her previous citizenship or thathe/she will be released therefrom in connection with the acquisition of Estonian citizenship (if you were a citizen of a foreign country).

Otherwise the processing of the application will be terminated.

If all above-mentioned conditions are complied with, the Citizenship and Migration Board will submit your documents to the Government of the Republic withinthree months for a decision to be taken on the granting of Estonian citizenship to your ward.

After the Government of the Republic has made a decision to grant Estonian citizenship the Citizenship and Migration Board will issue a certificate of citizenship which will be handed over to you at a regional department of the Citizenship and Migration Board.

You can receive additional information by telephoning 612 6979, or from regional departments of the Citizenship and Migration Board.

Resumption of Estonian citizenship

Terms

Everyone who loses Estonian citizenship as a minor has the right to resume Estonian citizenship.

If you live in Estonia on the basis of a residence permit and you wish to resume Estonian citizenship, you have to contact a local regional department of the Citizenship and Migration Board in order to submit the necessary documents.

Documents

First of all you have to submit a holographic application or fill in a standard application.

These application forms are to be completed on the screen. Use block letters for completing. To move across the screen – use mouse. If you wish to print out the form and fill it in by hand – find appropriate forms here.

The application has to include the following data:

• first name and surname;
• information concerning any changes to your first name or surname;
• date and place of birth;
• residence;
• the oath of allegiance "Taotledes Eesti kodakondsust, tõotan olla ustav Eesti põhiseaduslikule korrale." [In applying for Estonian citizenship, I swear to be loyal to the constitutional order of Estonia].

In addition to the application you have to submit the following:

• colour photograph (4 x 5 cm);
• identity and citizenship documents with a valid residence permit in Estonia in them;
• documents certifying the loss of your Estonian citizenship;
• a receipt concerning payment of the state fee.

Process

When all the necessary documents have been submitted, your application for the resumption of Estonian citizenship will be registered and taken into processing, and a certificate concerning the registration of your application will be issued to you.

NOTE! Within one year, elapsed from the date of registering you application, you have to go to the regional department, which registered your application, to submit a certificate proving that you have been released from your previous citizenship or that you will be released therefrom in connection with the resumption of Estonian citizenship; or that you are recognised as a stateless person. If you fail to submit the above-mentioned certificate within the established term the processing of your application will be terminated.

If you comply with the above-mentioned condition the Citizenship and Migration Board will, submit your documents to the Government of the Republic within six months for a decision to be taken on the granting of Estonian citizenship.

After the Government of the Republic has made a decision to grant Estonian citizenship the Citizenship and Migration Board will issue a certificate of citizenship to you, which will be handed over to you at a regional department of the Citizenship and Migration Board. On the basis of such a certificate of citizenship you can apply for an Estonian passport.

You can receive additional information by telephoning 612 6979, or from regional departments of the Citizenship and Migration Board.

Release from Estonian citizenship

Terms

If a person wishes to be released from Estonian citizenship he or she has to submit the respective application to a regional department of the Citizenship and Migration Board.

A person who resides permanently abroad has to submit his or her application for release from Estonian citizenship to a representation of the Republic of Estonia.

An application on behalf of a minor under 15 years of age or for a person who is divested of active legal capacity is submitted by his or her parent, guardian or a guardianship authority.

A minor between the age of 15 and 18 submits an application for release from Estonian citizenship together with the certified consent of his or her parent, guardian or a guardianship authority.

Release from Estonian citizenship may be refused to a person if:

• the person would become stateless as a result;
• he or she has unperformed obligations to the Estonian state;
• he or she is in active service in the Estonian Defence Forces.

Documents

A person who wishes to be released from Estonian citizenship has to submit the following documents:

These application forms are to be completed on the screen. Use block letters for completing. To move across the screen – use mouse. If you wish to print out the form and fill it in by hand – find appropriate forms here.

• a standard applicationor a holographic application which establishes his or her first name and surname, date and place of birth, residence, the citizenship for which he or she is applying, and his or her signature;
• identification and citizenship documents;
• a certificate which proves that he or she has acquired the citizenship of another state or will acquire the citizenship of another state in connection with his or her release from Estonian citizenship;
• a receipt concerning payment of the state fee.

Process

When all the necessary documents have been submitted, your application for release from Estonian citizenship will be registered and taken into processing, and a certificate concerning the registration of your application will be issued to you.

Within one year from the date on which a person's documents were registered, the Citizenship and Migration Board shall submit the documents to the Government of the Republic for a decision concerning the release of the person from Estonian citizenship.

If the Government of the Republic has decided to release the person from Estonian citizenship, a note certifying the release will be issued to her of him after he or she has returned a document certifying citizenship to the state agency where the application for the release from Estonian citizenship was submitted.

You can receive more detailed information on the release form Estonian citizenship either from regional departments of the Citizenship and Migration Board or from representations of the Republic of Estonia.

You can receive additional information by telephoning 612 6979, or from regional departments of the Citizenship and Migration Board.