Temporary residence permit to settle with a spouse or family member
Official name: Temporary residence permit for settling with a spouse or close relative (Police and Border Guard Board)
Non-EU nationals can get a temporary residence permit to live in Estonia with a spouse who is an Estonian citizen or a foreign national holding an Estonian residence permit. Minor children, adult children and parents or grandparents have their own versions. The family needs income of double the subsistence level, health insurance and a registered address. The first permit lasts up to 5 years.
Life in Estonia
Finance
3
Currency
Euro
EUR
Euro
Cost of living
76
Price level · US = 100
World Bank price levels, 2025
Tax
Flat 22%
Income tax (national)
VAT 24%
Flat 22%; basic exemption EUR 700/month (EUR 8,400/year) from 2026. A planned rise for 2026 was cancelled.
Living
1
Happiness
#44 of 145 countries
World Happiness Report 2025
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Who it’s for
Spouses, minor children, adult dependent children, and parents or grandparents of Estonian citizens or of foreign nationals living in Estonia on a residence permit.
Eligibility
Who can invite a spouseSpouse
Sign in to check this route against your profileYour spouse must be an Estonian citizen, a foreign national with an Estonian residence permit, or someone applying for a business residence permit.
- Joining someone applying for an employment or study permit is possible only in exceptional cases
Official wording
An Estonian citizen; a foreign national living in Estonia on a residence permit; or a foreign national applying for a residence permit for business. Joining someone who is applying for a permit for employment or study is possible only in exceptional cases.
IncomeSpouse
Sign in to check this route against your profileYou need income of double the subsistence level, confirmed by signing the application.
- The subsistence level is set each year in the State Budget Act
Official wording
Income of double the subsistence level, confirmed by signing the application. The subsistence level is set each year in the State Budget Act.
Health insurance
Sign in to check this route against your profileA health insurance contract meeting the Aliens Act requirements (§ 120), confirmed by signing the application.
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- 7 documents
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- 5 steps
- Processing times and conditions
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