The Procedure and Requirements of Estonian Spouse Visa

7 min read

So, you have come a long way. You slaved away, buried in books and papers, for three or four years and now you are doing a master’s or Ph.D. Even though your thirst for knowledge is still strong, you are tired of the loneliness and hope to bring your wife or fiancée and/or children with you to Estonia. Below you will find the requirements needed to fulfill this wish.

Mandatory Documents to Apply for an Estonian Spousal Visa

To apply for an Estonian spousal visa, you need to have:

• Sufficient Funds (Double the subsistence rate determined by the government each year)

• Health Insurance Contract: In Estonia, you can either use private insurance or voluntarily sign up and pay for the Estonian Health Insurance Fund. Voluntary insurance
  

• An application for a temporary residence permit(TRP) - This is a two-page form that requires a 4 x 5cm photo

• Invitation for Spouse - This is a simple one-page form.

• One digital color photo

• Information of close relative and family members. A single-page form, requesting the name, date of birth (D.O.B.) and contact information for three close relatives. If you are married, you must include them. If you have a child/children, they must be included.

• A document certifying the payment of the state fee of 64 € in Estonia or 95 € abroad. The state fee may be paid at the service office: in cash, by card payment or over the customer computer terminal. American Express is not accepted for the state fee.
• A document that certifies the student and his/her spouse/partner are married.

You can find more information about the application process on the Estonian Government Police and Border Guard Board.

For more information regarding state fee amounts for a large variety of items (and a whole lot more info): Residence permit and rights of residence - State fee amounts.

When the Application for an Estonian Spousal Visa Gets Denied

Estonian Residence Permit may be denied if:

• The application submitted contains false information.

• You hide certain information on the application.

• Your spouse will not reside in Estonia. To visit, your spouse/children will only need an Estonian Schengen Visa, if you are not a citizen of a Schengen country or if your country does not have a visa-free travel agreement with the area, or if you have been refused visa-free travel. These short-stay visas (up to 90 days) can be for business or tourism purposes, as well as family and short study visits or even for medical reasons.

Sufficient Funds:

The sufficient funds (also called Legal income) one needs are those that would enable you to support yourself throughout your stay in Estonia. You have to show around Euro 300(at least C$440) for your spouse, per month, in addition to your required funds.

Estonian Spousal Visa: Legal Income Verification

Legal income is deemed to be:

• lawfully earned remuneration for work

• parental benefits

• unemployment insurance benefits

• income received from lawful business activities or property

• scholarships

• pensions

• alimony (maintenance support)

• benefits paid by a foreign state

• subsistence ensured by family members (i.e., spouse, parents of a minor child, parents of adult children who need care and assistance, adult children or grandchildren of parents or grandparents who need care and assistance, parents or grandparents of adult children who are studying full-time, (guardian) earning legal income.

Can my spouse/fiancé work in Estonia?

Unfortunately, your spouse will not be permitted to work in Estonia.

Note: It is generally a good idea to apply for your spouse's visa after starting studies in Estonia. It will give you enough time to familiarize yourself with your new surroundings.

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