Relocating to Estonia from the UK

The World Wife-Carrying Champions

Estonian men prove their virility by carrying their wives further than men from other countries which participate in this annual event. The cool way to do so is called the “Estonian Method”. The wife grip the man’s neck with her legs and hangs down his back. The origin of this strange sport lies in gang initiation, where gangsters would carry off someone’s wife.

Estonia regained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and joined the EU in 2004. It has been a member of the Schengen Area since 2007 and its currency is the euro. The capital city is Tallinn, one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe. The country is mainly flat, with lots of lakes and islands, forests and farmlands.

Registering Essentials

When you’re relocating to Estonia from the UK, you must register your place of residence at the local government registers service within three months of entering the country – you can also do this by post. You then have residency rights for 5 years. Families can have a joint application.

Within one month after you have registered your place of residence and obtained your right to temporary residence, you must apply for an ID card and number at the Police and Border Guard Board. The ID card enables you to get health insurance, and gives you access to a wide range of digital services.

You will need:

Application form – you can do this at the time
ID Photo – colour and size 40 by 50 mm
Document certifying you have paid the state fee

The right of temporary residence will be automatically extended for another 5 years, if appropriate – you may also apply for permanent residence after 5 years.

Customs

As we come from another EU country, the customs checks are not too stringent – but the UK is outside the Schengen area so passage is not completely free. There are restrictions on the amount of alcohol and cigarettes you can bring in – but not on food, including meat, fish and dairy products, for personal use.

You need to check with the Estonian Embassy in good time for the latest information as things are subject to change and you do not want to be stranded at the border.

Relocating to Estonia from the UK with Pets

Pets require their own pet passport, microchips, rabies vaccinations within 1 year, but not closer than 21 days from departure, and up to date routine vaccinations. If you intend to bring the pet back to the UK you must ensure the rabies vaccinations are kept up to date.

Car

You can register your car in Estonia if you spend longer than six month there, and for that you will need full documentation, third party insurance and MOT. Once the car is registered in Estonia, it must pass the required Estonian MOT.

Expats in Estonia

There are several sites and blogs/forums where you can get information about expat clubs, news and communities. These three sites will give you a taste of what is available:

Internations Estonia

Expat Blog Estonia