On March 12 the Estonian Government declared an Emergency Situation in connection with COVID-19. Up to date information can be found on the U.S. Embassy’s Webpage and on the Estonian Health Board’s English-language page.
There are 267 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of March 19th in Estonia.
The Estonian Government has taken the following measures:
All public gatherings are prohibited until May 1.
Starting on March 16, all schools were closed. Primary schools, highschools, and universities switched to distance learning.
Museums and movie theaters will be closed through May 1. Sports competitions, performances, concerts, and conferences are prohibited until May 1. These measures will be re-assessed every two weeks.
Border controls were reintroduced on March 17 in order to contain the spread of COVID-19. Only citizens of Estonia and holders of Estonian residency permits or right of residence are allowed to enter the country, as well as foreign citizens whose family member lives in Estonia.
International cargo (also food and medical supplies transport) can enter the country, as well as persons providing vital services, like fuel providers.
The Estonian Police and Border Guard Board has granted legal basis for the temporary stay in Estonia for foreigners who are unable to return home due to the COVID-19 emergency situation; exceptions apply, information can be found here https://bit.ly/33sl6gW
There are no restrictions on exiting the country. Foreigners are allowed to transit Estonia on the way to their home country if they do not show symptoms of COVID-19.
At the border control, travel documents and medical symptoms will be checked.
Tallinn Airport (TLL) continues to operate. Many flights have been cancelled out of Tallinn, including those operated by AirBaltic, LOT, and Finnair.
Ferries between Helsinki and Tallinn continue on a limited schedule. Finland imposed border controls on March 19th as part of its coronavirus measures, meaning regular shuttle travel between it and Estonia is halted for the time being. Approximately 50,000 Estonians with a permanent right of residence and 20,000 Estonians with a temporary right of residence can continue to enter Finland. A valid employment contract is needed to enter the country for cross-border workers.
Due to the closure of borders across Europe due to the coronavirus, Tallink started operating its vessel Star temporarily between Estonia and Germany from March 19 to ensure transportation of goods between Estonia and western Europe. All future departures and arrivals will be at the Paldiski Harbour.
The vessel’s cargo capacity is 100 lorries and 10 passenger vehicles. Passengers without vehicles will not be allowed on board. Food and medical supplies transport will be prioritised during the booking process.
The temporary restrictions of border crossing will be in force until decided otherwise by Estonian government authorities and the necessity will be reviewed every two weeks.
Cruise ships will not be permitted to dock in Tallinn until May 1.
Additional information on travel restrictions can be found on the page of the Foreign Ministry here: https://vm.ee/en/coronavirus-2019-ncov.
Please note: Estonia’s neighboring countries of Finland, Russia, and Latvia have all moved to restrict entry into their countries for anyone other than citizens and residents.
The Estonian Alarm Center has established a helpline aimed at addressing key questions regarding COVID-19 by simply dialing 1247 from Estonia. The helpline operates 24/7 and is free to call.
VES/Media/US Embassy
