Amendments adopted to the Aliens Act (välismaalaste seadus) and other related acts introduce a new concept of a longterm resident and make the conditions for getting a residence permit stricter. The amendments to the act enter into force on 1 June 2006 and do not apply to EU citizens.

      According to the amended act, two types of residence permit will be available in Estonia: temporary residence permits, and residence permits for long-term residents. According to the act, permanent residence permits will no longer be issued and all aliens holding a permanent residence permit will automatically become longterm residents - they need only replace the document proving their residence permit. Aliens holding a long-term residence permit in Estonia will need no work permit for employment or engaging in business in Estonia. For the purposes of the act, the term “alien” includes both citizens of third (i.e., non-EU) countries and stateless people.

      An alien who applies for a long-term residence permit must have lived in Estonia on the basis of a residence permit continually for at least five years before applying for a long-term residence permit; the person must have a valid temporary residence permit, permanent legal income, health insurance, and at least a basic level of language proficiency in Estonian.

      Taking the basic level language exam is not required of residents under the age of 15 and over the age of 65; people who have acquired basic, secondary, or higher education in Estonian, adults with restricted active legal capacity, and people who for health reasons are permanently unable to take the language exam.

      We advise all others to apply for longterm residence permit before 1 June 2007, because this avoids the need to take the basic level Estonian exam.

      The language proficiency requirement for issuing permanent residence permit is already effective in Latvia. Similar amendments to the aliens act are currently under way in the Lithuanian parliament.

      Additional information:

      Kristiina Harms

      e-mail: kristiina.harms@sorainen.ee