Estonia · Work
Estonia Short-term work (D visa)
Income needed: €2,092+ a month ≈ $2,340
Short-term employment registration with D visa
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Short-term work (D visa) is a work route for Estonia. Applicants need income of €2,092+ a month ≈ $2,340. You can stay 1 yr. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- €2,092+ a month ≈ $2,340
- Government fees
- €120 ≈ $130
- Processing
- Up to 30 days
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee €120 ≈ $130; income to show €2,092+/mo ≈ $2,340; decision: up to 30 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees€120 ≈ $130
- EUR 120 (≈ $130)Visa fee (EUR 60 (≈ $67) for children aged 6 to 11; children under 6 exempt).
Shown, not spent€2,092+/mo ≈ $2,340 · €1,320+ ≈ $1,470
- EUR 2,092 a month (≈ $2,340)General salary criterion for registrations accepted from 5 Mar 2026 (EUR 1,981 (≈ $2,210) for 6 Mar 2025 to 4 Mar 2026).
- EUR 1,320 (≈ $1,470)D-visa sufficient funds for short-term employment (EUR 880 (≈ $980) one-time for start-up employment and seasonal work).
ProcessingUp to 30 days
The employer's registration is decided within 15 business days; the D visa at an Estonian mission takes up to 30 calendar days, and 30 days at the Police and Border Guard Board if you are already in Estonia.
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
Your employer registers the job first; you then apply for the D visa at an Estonian mission abroad, or at the Police and Border Guard Board if you are already in Estonia legally.
Police and Border Guard BoardMinistry of Foreign Affairs, Estonia
Presence rulesStay rule
Two consecutive long-stay visas together cannot cover more than 548 days within 730 days.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Estonia
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
What you must show3
- Pay is at least the Estonian average gross salary: EUR 2,092 (≈ $2,340) for registrations accepted from 5 March 2026.
- The threshold was EUR 1,981 (≈ $2,210) for registrations from 6 March 2025 to 4 March 2026.
- D visa funds are EUR 1,320 (≈ $1,470) one-time.
Steps4
- An employer entered in the Estonian commercial register submits the registration before work starts.
- The registration is decided within 15 business days.
- Registration is not a right to enter or stay.
- A D visa is applied for at an Estonian mission; the decision takes up to 30 days.
After you arrive1
- The D visa allows up to 365 days within 12 months and 548 days within 730 days across visas.
What happens at day 183
How Estonia decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
1 year at first
- Tax residence
- At least 183 days in 12 consecutive calendar monthsAlternative to having a permanent or primary place of residence in Estonia.
- Foreign-source income
Flat 22% income tax on residents worldwide (including foreign-source) income; EUR 700 (≈ $780) per month basic exemption; non-residents taxed on Estonian-source income only.
All tax rules for Estonia Tax records checked
Full official text
Employer registers short-term employment with the PBGB; the worker needs a type D visa as legal basis to enter and stay. Work up to 365 days within 455 days (seasonal up to 270 within 365). 1 2 3
What you must show and pay
- Income of at least EUR 2,092 a month (≈ $2,340) · General salary criterion for registrations accepted from 5 Mar 2026 (EUR 1,981 (≈ $2,210) for 6 Mar 2025 to 4 Mar 2026). 3 1
- Savings of at least EUR 1,320 (≈ $1,470) · D-visa sufficient funds for short-term employment (EUR 880 (≈ $980) one-time for start-up employment and seasonal work). 2
- A fee of EUR 120 (≈ $130) · Visa fee (EUR 60 (≈ $67) for children aged 6 to 11; children under 6 exempt). 2
Requirements
- Pay is at least the Estonian average gross salary: EUR 2,092 (≈ $2,340) for registrations accepted from 5 March 2026. 3
- The threshold was EUR 1,981 (≈ $2,210) for registrations from 6 March 2025 to 4 March 2026. 1
- D visa funds are EUR 1,320 (≈ $1,470) one-time. 2
- An employer entered in the Estonian commercial register submits the registration before work starts. 1
- The registration is decided within 15 business days. 1
- Registration is not a right to enter or stay. 1 2
- A D visa is applied for at an Estonian mission; the decision takes up to 30 days. 1 2
- The D visa allows up to 365 days within 12 months and 548 days within 730 days across visas. 1 2
Stay
- Work up to 365 days within 455 days (seasonal 270 within 365); D visa up to 365 days in 12 months.
- Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
- Visa validity: 12 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay.
- D visa up to 365 days: Up to 365 days within 12 months.
Nationality
Third-country nationals; EU/EEA citizens do not need the permit. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
Work for the registering employer in the registered employment.
Family
Not covered by the opened guide.
Official sources
- Employee guide (Police and Border Guard Board, 9 July 2026) · Police and Border Guard Board · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2026-07-09
- Application for a long-stay (D) visa: funds table, fee, youth work visas · Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Estonia · checked 2026-10-11
- Residence permit for employment (grounds, 5-year term, salary-rate table) · Police and Border Guard Board · checked 2026-10-11
Short-term work (D visa) and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short-term work (D visa) | Needs income of €2,092+ a month ≈ $2,340 | 1 yr | – |
| Blue Card | Needs income from €2,594 a month ≈ $2,900 | 2.3 yr, renewable | – |
| Start-up employee permit | Needs income of €1,674+ a month ≈ $1,870 | 5 yr, renewable | – |
| Work permit | Needs income of €2,092+ a month ≈ $2,340 | 5 yr, renewable | – |
| Blue Card Portugal | Needs income from €1,726 a month ≈ $1,930 | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Short-term work (D visa)?
Income of at least EUR 2,092 a month (≈ $2,340). General salary criterion for registrations accepted from 5 Mar 2026 (EUR 1,981 (≈ $2,210) for 6 Mar 2025 to 4 Mar 2026). Savings of at least EUR 1,320 (≈ $1,470). D-visa sufficient funds for short-term employment (EUR 880 (≈ $980) one-time for start-up employment and seasonal work). A fee of EUR 120 (≈ $130). Visa fee (EUR 60 (≈ $67) for children aged 6 to 11; children under 6 exempt).
How long can I stay on the Short-term work (D visa)?
Work up to 365 days within 455 days (seasonal 270 within 365); D visa up to 365 days in 12 months.
How long does the Short-term work (D visa) take to process?
The employer's registration is decided within 15 business days; the D visa at an Estonian mission takes up to 30 calendar days, and 30 days at the Police and Border Guard Board if you are already in Estonia.
Can I work on the Short-term work (D visa)?
Work for the registering employer in the registered employment.
Can I bring my family on the Short-term work (D visa)?
Not covered by the opened guide.
Who can apply for the Short-term work (D visa)?
Third-country nationals; EU/EEA citizens do not need the permit. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
More in Estonia
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about this route AI
An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.
How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 3 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Employee guide (Police and Border Guard Board, 9 July 2026) · Police and Border Guard Board · checked 2026-10-11
- Application for a long-stay (D) visa: funds table, fee, youth work visas · Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Estonia · checked 2026-10-11
- Residence permit for employment (grounds, 5-year term, salary-rate table) · Police and Border Guard Board · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.