Imagine a country situated in northern Europe, with a climate that is not so favourable, and was politically struggled for many years now levelling up in almost every field. You might think about Sweden, Norway, but it is right to give them credits as they are now well-developed countries, leading in many fields. The country I am talking about is Estonia. This little post-soviet Baltic country now amazes visitors with its cutting-edge technologies and beautiful landscapes. Like other northern European countries, care for the environment, nature is remarkable. Baltic countries remained kind of hidden from travellers for many years. However, it can rival many other well-known tourism destinations. The country's natural beauty remained untouched, therefore forests well preserving their wildlife. In total, almost half of the country's total area is covered by forests. Even though the country is relatively small in size, it shows a great variety of forest types. In these forests dwell animals like wolves, moose, deer, and brown bears, etc. Forests help Estonia to keep its air clean. It is one of the reasons why the country was voted the cleanest in the world in 2011. In these forests, people can wander, hike and enjoy birdwatching. Estonians have a rich culture and history. They have managed to preserve their old folklore, music, traditions, and especially festivals. One of the most remarkable festivals in this context is the Viljanid folk music festival or, in their language Viljandi Parimusmuusika. Originated in Viljandi, the festival takes place every July. Musicians from all over the country gather here and celebrate the festival with music, food, and drink. It is an Estonian tradition to use the sauna as an activity to unwind and relax. Estonian sauna custom has an ancient history, and it dates back to 800 years ago. Estonian sauna inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This has many benefits to one's health. One of the must-go places in Estonia is the capital city Talin. This medieval city is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was first established by the King of Denmark, in the 13th century. Now, this city contains modern amenities and historical buildings at the same time. To see these beauties, you might need a visa. You will apply for one of the Estonia visa types depending on your travel reason. There are two types of visas to Estonia. They are short and long term visas.
Is Estonia part of Schengen?
To answer this question, we need to first understand what is Schengen? On 14th June 1985, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands signed an agreement to abolish checks at the common borders. One by one many other European countries joined the agreement, making it 26 Schengen countries in total. is Estonia part of Schengen? On 2003, 16 April, Estonia joined the agreement and became a part of the Schengen area.
Do I need a visa to go to Estonia?
The answer to this question is completely dependent on your nationality as nationals of some countries can visit Estonia without having started Estonia visa application while other need visas. You can find lists of these countries on our website. All you need to do is go to the visa policy section and then choose Estonia. Scroll down a bit you will see lists of countries that are visa-required or visa-free.
Estonia Schengen visa requirements
Supposedly you need a visa to Estonia, and you wonder about the documents required for Estonia visa. For your convenience, we have put a list of documents required for Estonia visa below: • Estonia visa application form filled out, signed and written by hand by the applicant. • Photo of the applicant which should be taken in recently (in the last 6 months) with white background and it should be in the size of 3.5x4.5. • Your passport with a minimum validity of 3 months starting from the date you leave the Schengen area. Your passport should not be issued more than 10 years ago and it should bear a minimum of two blank pages. • If you are applying from a country that you are not a citizen of, you will need to present the document (residence permit, visa) that enables you to apply from that country. In this case, you should present copies of this document. Note that this document should remain valid at least for 3 months after you leave the Schengen area. • Medical insurance for the travel. This medical insurance should cover your health-related expenses for the entire travel. The total amount that insurance can cover should be at least 30 000 Euros. Furthermore, it should be valid in other Schengen countries. • You should your accommodation in Estonia with a hotel booking or invitation from a person in Estonia. • Proof of travel itinerary. If it is an organized journey then bookings of trip and documents giving information on the approximate return date, route, etc. If it is not organized, then a description of travel should be provided. • Proof of financial sufficiency. It can be a document proving employment, or financial means like a bank statement, cash, credit card, etc. These are common Estonia Schengen visa requirements, however, there can be additional requirements depending on the visa types. You can check those requirements on our website. Again go to the visa policy section and find Estonia. There you will find much other valuable information regarding visas to Estonia. One of the points to consider in Estonia Schengen visa can be fees. Because they can vary depending on your nationality, entry types, etc. They are also nonrefundable. In general, the fee for people aged over 12 is equal to 80 euros. While the fee for below 12 years old and above 6 is 40 euros. However, for the nationals of Azerbaijan, Russia, and Armenia the fee amount is 35 euros. Some people are exempt from paying a fee. For example, if you are a close relative of a person legally living in the Schengen area or if you are a pensioner. Regarding the processing time of these visas, they vary from country to country. But in most cases, visas are processed within 20 days.
Do I need a visa to go to Estonia?
According to the Schengen agreement, with this visa, you can travel to other Schengen countries. However, it is not as exactly it sounds. That is, it is important to note your "destination country" as it will define where you can travel. For example, if you are planning to travel only to Estonia, then you will lodge your visa application to an embassy of Estonia. But if you want to travel to more than one Schengen country, then you will need to apply to a country that will be your first stop or apply to a country that you are going to spend most of your travel days.
How to get Estonia visa?
This is one of the main things to consider before considering to visit Estonia. If you wonder if there is a service like Estonia visa online, then we have bad news as there is no fully digitalized visa service to get a visa to Estonia. To get a visa to Estonia, one should apply for a visa to a local foreign representative of Estonia. If there is none or a problem regarding the embassy or consulate in your country you can apply to the nearest embassy of Estonia. There you will make Estonia visa appointment to start your application.
Estonia visa appointment
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Once it is time, you will present your Estonia visa application with all the required documents and Estonia visa application form. Furthermore, you will make payment for the visa fee. On that day, you will go through a quick interview, where you will ask questions related to your travel. You will be asked to answer questions honestly and not lie. Do not worry, it will only take around 15 minutes and questions will not be difficult at all. After the processing of the application, you will get your visa if your application is successful. On the visa sticker, you will see the period of your permit and other information. If your application is denied, you will learn the reasons that caused deniel in your application. To wrap it up, Estonia is considered to be a visa-friendly country. According to the statistics published in 2018, only 1.8% of applications to Estonia were denied. Therefore, chances are you might get your visa if there is no problem with your documents and application. You can apply for Estonia visa online by using our services as Pickvisa can help you to get your visa easily.
