Posted on Monday, August 1st, 2011 at 4:29 pm

Students planning to study in Estonia should be aware that there is no student visa required. Instead, non-European Union residents will need to apply for a visa depending on the length of their stay. Because Estonia is part of the Schengen area, this country has similar rules to other nations within the Schengen region in Europe as we will explain in further detail.

Estonia primarily offers two visa categories: short-term visa and longer-stay visa. The difference between the two is explained by the duration of your time in Estonia:

If you plan to travel to Estonia for three months or less within a six month timeframe, you may not be required to apply for a visa depending on your passport. Ultimately, this decision is going to depend on your citizenship as determined by the passport you are traveling under. The following nations do not require a visa if you will be traveling to Estonia for shorter than 3 months (you will want to check with the Embassy however as some restrictions do apply):

Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador. Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Israel, Japan, Macao Special Administrative Region, Macedonia*, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, South Korea, St Kitts-Nevis, Taiwan, United States of America, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela

If you will be traveling under a passport not listed above, then you may need to apply for the Short-term visa (type C). These visas are intended for stays less than 3 months beginning when you first enter the Schengen area. If this is the case, you will need to purchase an Estonia travel insurance. According to the Short term visa requirements, you will need to show proof of coverage that your Estonia student insurance is valid the entire length of your stay and covers at least 30,000 euros.

If you will be traveling for more than 3 months, you will instead need to apply for the Long-stay visa (type D). With a Long-stay visa you can get authorization to enter the country once or multiple times depending on your reason for travel. Additionally, you will be able to stay up to one year. To apply, however, you will need to have your international student insurance for Estonia in effect throughout the length of your visit in the Schengen area. Be sure to have a minimum of 30,000 euros in coverage as this is a minimum requirement for your visa.

One popular option that will meet both the Short-term and Long-stay visa is our Estonia student insurance. This plan provides comprehensive coverage meeting and exceeding the 30,000 euro requirement. This Estonia travel insurance is designed to cover you outside your home country, and will cover you internationally, including in Europe. Once you have purchased the international student insurance for Estonia, you will receive a confirmation email along with access to your visa letter. This letter has been specifically customized to meet the needs while you study in Estonia. If you have any specific questions on your Estonia student insurance, please feel free to contact one of our insurance specialist today!

Posted by Jennifer Frankel

Jennifer is the International Director at International Student Insurance. Jennifer is a graduate of the University of Florida where she holds a Masters in International Business and a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration. She has lived and worked abroad in Mexico, Chile, Costa Rica and England, and traveled extensively in South America, Europe and Asia.