Estonian citizenship by naturalisation

Eight years, including permanent residence in practice

Before applying, live in Estonia for at least eight years under a residence permit or right of residence, including at least five years on a permanent basis. Also hold a long-term residence permit or right of permanent residence. These are separate requirements; the eight years are not all required to be spent holding the final status.

Estonian at least B1 and civic knowledge

Harno specifies at least B1 for citizenship. The ordinary language exam covers listening, reading, writing and speaking; the Constitution and Citizenship Act examination is separate. Harno organises the examinations, and the police application instructions require evidence unless the relevant information is already in state databases.

Education, age and health qualifications

Qualifying Estonian-medium education can replace the language exam; Harno requires sufficient Estonian instruction and says a stand-alone master's degree following a different-language bachelor's degree is insufficient. Citizenship applicants aged 65 or more may omit the B1 writing part, not the other three skills. Restricted legal capacity and expert-certified health limitations have separate exam relief.

Income, registered home and loyalty

Maintain permanent lawful income, register the place of residence in Estonia's population register and be loyal to Estonia. Proof of lawful income forms part of the application. Meeting the residence clock alone does not satisfy these additional conditions.

Previous citizenship and application evidence

Apply in person at a police service office with the prescribed documents. Normally provide evidence of release, promised release upon acquiring Estonian citizenship, or undetermined citizenship. The document is waived for an international-protection beneficiary whose country-of-origin situation has not changed; that waiver is not a blanket dual-citizenship permission.