Risk level

Safety and security

Crime

Petty crime such as pickpocketing and purse snatching occur, particularly in Tallinn Old Town and during the summer tourist season. Thieves often work in small groups. They target tourists in airports, train stations and other public areas.

Violent crime occurs rarely, but foreigners are not common targets.

Theft of vehicles or their contents is common.

Harassment of individuals sometimes occurs for reasons of race or foreign-looking appearance.

• Avoid parks, poorly lit streets and certain areas of Tallinn after dark, including Kopli and Lasnamäe
• Don’t show signs of affluence
• Don’t carry large amounts of cash
• Always lock your vehicle
• Always park your vehicle in a guarded parking lot overnight
• Ensure that your personal belongings, including your passport and other travel documents, are secure at all times.

Terrorism

There is a threat of terrorism in Europe. Terrorist attacks have occurred in a number of European cities. There is a potential for other violent incidents.

Targets could include:

• government buildings, including schools
• places of worship
• airports and other transportation hubs and networks
• public areas such as tourist attractions, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, shopping centres, markets, hotels and other sites frequented by foreigners

Always be aware of your surroundings when in public places.

Fraud

Credit card and ATM fraud occurs.

Young women sometimes approach travellers at reputable bars with invitations to socialize at a nearby bar. Once at the new bar, some travellers fall victim to criminal activity or receive very large bills for drinks and entertainment.

Be careful when using debit or credit cards:

• pay careful attention when your cards are being handled by others
• use ATMs located in well-lit public areas or inside a bank or business
• avoid using card readers with an irregular or unusual feature
• cover the keypad with one hand when entering your PIN
• always confirm prices before ordering.
• check for any unauthorized transactions on your account statements

Overseas fraud

Demonstrations

Demonstrations may occur. Even peaceful demonstrations can turn violent at any time. They can also lead to disruptions to traffic and public transportation.

• Avoid areas where demonstrations and large gatherings are taking place
• Follow the instructions of local authorities
• Monitor local media for information on ongoing demonstrations

Mass gatherings (large-scale events)

Road safety

Road conditions and road safety can vary greatly throughout the country. Drivers generally respect traffic laws.

Relatively good highways connect Estonia with Latvia and Russia.

Country roads are poorly lit.

Animals sometimes wander onto the road.

Driving conditions may be hazardous during winter and spring.

Public transportation

Buses

City buses are reliable but often crowded.

Trains

Rail service is usually good but is limited to local connections around Estonia’s main cities.

Taxis

Use only officially marked taxis. Ensure that the taxi meter is in use and prices are visible.

Call for a taxi instead of hailing one on the street.

Air travel

We do not make assessments on the compliance of foreign domestic airlines with international safety standards.

Information about foreign domestic airlines

Entry and exit requirements

Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on your behalf if you do not meet your destination’s entry or exit requirements.

We have obtained the information on this page from the Estonian authorities. It can, however, change at any time.

Verify this information with the Foreign Representatives in Canada.

Schengen area

Estonia is a Schengen area country. Canadian citizens do not need a visa for travel to countries within the Schengen area. However, visa-free travel only applies to stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Stays are cumulative and include visits to any Schengen area country.

If you plan to stay in the Schengen area for a longer period of time, you will need a visa. You must contact the high commission or embassy of the country or countries you are travelling to and obtain the appropriate visa(s) prior to travel.

Useful links

• Schengen area
• Foreign Representatives in Canada

Passport

Entry requirements vary depending on the type of passport you use for travel.

Before you travel, check with your transportation company about passport requirements. Its rules on passport validity may be more stringent than the country’s entry rules.

Regular Canadian passport

Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond the date you expect to leave the Schengen area.

Passport for official travel

Different entry rules may apply.

Official travel

Passport with “X” gender identifier

While the Government of Canada issues passports with an “X” gender identifier, it cannot guarantee your entry or transit through other countries. You might face entry restrictions in countries that do not recognize the “X” gender identifier. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Other travel documents

Different entry rules may apply when travelling with a temporary passport or an emergency travel document. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Useful links

• Foreign Representatives in Canada
• Canadian passports

Visas

Tourist visa: not required for stays of fewer than 90 days in any 180-day period*
Transit visa: not required
Business visa: not required for stays of fewer than 90 days in any 180-day period*

* The 90-day period begins upon initial entry into any country of the Schengen area. Stays are cumulative and include visits to any Schengen area country within any 180-day period.

Health insurance

For stays longer than 90 days, customs officials may ask you to show proof of adequate health insurance upon arrival.

Vehicles with Russian license plates

Since September 2023, Estonia has enforced an entry ban on vehicles registered in Russia. This restriction is currently in place at the border and reflects existing European Union sanctions against the Russian Federation.

Vehicles registered in Russia carrying Russian license plates will be refused entry into Estonia.

Estonia prohibits the entry of Russian motor vehicles |Republic of Estonia Ministry of the Interior

Other entry requirements

Customs officials may ask you to show them a proof of sufficient funds to cover your stay. 

Children and travel

Learn more about travelling with children.

Yellow fever

Learn about potential entry requirements related to yellow fever (vaccines section).

Health

Routine vaccines

Be sure that your routine vaccinations, as per your province or territory, are up-to-date before travelling, regardless of your destination.

Some of these vaccinations include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella (chickenpox), influenza and others.

Pre-travel vaccines and medications

You may be at risk for preventable diseases while travelling in this destination. Talk to a travel health professional about which medications or vaccines may be right for you, based on your destination and itinerary. 

Safe food and water precautions

Many illnesses can be caused by eating food or drinking beverages contaminated by bacteria, parasites, toxins, or viruses, or by swimming or bathing in contaminated water.

• Learn more about food and water precautions to take to avoid getting sick by visiting our eat and drink safely abroad page. Remember: Boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it!
• Avoid getting water into your eyes, mouth or nose when swimming or participating in activities in freshwater (streams, canals, lakes), particularly after flooding or heavy rain. Water may look clean but could still be polluted or contaminated.
• Avoid inhaling or swallowing water while bathing, showering, or swimming in pools or hot tubs. 

Insect bite prevention

Many diseases are spread by the bites of infected insects such as mosquitoes, ticks, fleas or flies. When travelling to areas where infected insects may be present:

• Use insect repellent (bug spray) on exposed skin
• Cover up with light-coloured, loose clothes made of tightly woven materials such as nylon or polyester
• Minimize exposure to insects
• Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in buildings that are not fully enclosed

To learn more about how you can reduce your risk of infection and disease caused by bites, both at home and abroad, visit our insect bite prevention page.

Find out what types of insects are present where you’re travelling, when they’re most active, and the symptoms of the diseases they spread.

Animal precautions

Some infections, such as rabies and influenza, can be shared between humans and animals. Certain types of activities may increase your chance of contact with animals, such as travelling in rural or forested areas, camping, hiking, and visiting wet markets (places where live animals are slaughtered and sold) or caves.

Travellers are cautioned to avoid contact with animals, including dogs, livestock (pigs, cows), monkeys, snakes, rodents, birds, and bats, and to avoid eating undercooked wild game.

Closely supervise children, as they are more likely to come in contact with animals.

Person-to-person infections

Stay home if you’re sick and practise proper cough and sneeze etiquette, which includes coughing or sneezing into a tissue or the bend of your arm, not your hand. Reduce your risk of colds, the flu and other illnesses by:

•  washing your hands often
• avoiding or limiting the amount of time spent in closed spaces, crowded places, or at large-scale events (concerts, sporting events, rallies)
• avoiding close physical contact with people who may be showing symptoms of illness 

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV, and mpox are spread through blood and bodily fluids; use condoms, practise safe sex, and limit your number of sexual partners. Check with your local public health authority pre-travel to determine your eligibility for mpox vaccine.  

Medical services and facilities

Health care is excellent in Tallinn and Tartu, and comparable to Canadian standards. Quality of care varies greatly throughout the country.

Doctors and hospitals expect travel insurance or payment for health services. Credit cards and money transfers are widely accepted. Cash payments are accepted, but rarely expected.

Medical evacuation can be very expensive, and you may need it in case of serious illness or injury.

Make sure you get travel insurance that includes coverage for medical evacuation and hospital stays.

Health and safety outside Canada

Keep in Mind...

The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety.

Be prepared. Do not expect medical services to be the same as in Canada. Pack a travel health kit, especially if you will be travelling away from major city centres.

Laws and culture

You must abide by local laws.

Learn about what you should do and how we can help if you are arrested or detained abroad.

Transfer to a Canadian prison

Canada and Estonia are signatories to the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. This enables a Canadian imprisoned in Estonia to request a transfer to a Canadian prison to complete a sentence. The transfer requires the agreement of both Canadian and Estonia authorities.

This process can take a long time, and there is no guarantee that the transfer will be approved by either or both sides.

Drugs

Penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs are severe. Convicted offenders can expect prison sentences or heavy fines.

Drugs, alcohol and travel

Pedestrians

Pedestrians must wear small reflectors from dusk until dawn. You can buy reflectors at most stores. They are usually pinned to coats or bags.

This law is mostly enforced in rural areas, where lack of lighting makes it difficult for drivers to see pedestrians. Pedestrians anywhere in the country, however, could be fined for failure to wear a reflector, particularly if an accident occurs.

Driving

You must carry an international driving permit and a valid Canadian driver’s licence to drive in Estonia.

Penalties for drinking and driving are severe. The legal blood alcohol limit is zero. If a police officer suspects you of drinking and driving, they could confiscate your driver’s license on the spot. If you’re convicted, you can expect heavy fines and possible jail time.

In the event of an accident, you must contact police to file an official report.

Police sometimes set up checkpoints on major roads. Foreign motor vehicles are subject to strict regulations. When driving, you should always carry your original registration documents.

• Driving in Estonia - European Commission
• More about the International Driving Permit

Identification

You must carry photo identification, such as a passport, as local authorities can ask you to prove your identity. Keep a photocopy of your passport in a safe place, in case it’s lost or confiscated.

Dual citizenship

Dual citizenship is not legally recognized in Estonia.

If local authorities consider you a citizen of Estonia, they may refuse to grant you access to Canadian consular services. This will prevent us from providing you with those services.

Dual citizens

International Child Abduction

The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is an international treaty. It can help parents with the return of children who have been removed to or retained in certain countries in violation of custody rights. The convention applies between Canada and Estonia.

If your child was wrongfully taken to, or is being held in Estonia, and if the applicable conditions are met, you may apply for the return of your child to the Estonian court.

If you are in this situation:

• act as quickly as you can
• contact the Central Authority for your province or territory of residence for information on starting an application under The Hague Convention
• consult a lawyer in Canada and in Estonia to explore all the legal options for the return of your child
• report the situation to the nearest Canadian government office abroad or to the Vulnerable Children's Consular Unit at Global Affairs Canada by calling the Emergency Watch and Response Centre

If your child was removed from a country other than Canada, consult a lawyer to determine if The Hague Convention applies.

Be aware that Canadian consular officials cannot interfere in private legal matters or in another country's judicial affairs.

Useful links

• List of Canadian Central Authorities for the Hague Convention
• International Child Abductions: A guide for affected parents
• Children and travel
• The Hague Convention – Hague Conference on Private International Law
• Canadian embassies and consulates by destination
• Request emergency assistance

2SLGBTQI+ persons

Estonian law prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender and sexual orientation.

However, 2SLGBTQI+ persons should consider exercising caution, especially in smaller towns, when visiting Estonia. Local advocacy groups report incidents of verbal and physical assault.

Travel and your sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics

Money

The currency in Estonia is the euro (EUR).

If you are carrying €10,000 or more, or the equivalent in other currencies, you must make a declaration to customs when you enter or leave the European Union. It includes sums in:

• banknotes and coins
• bearer negotiable instruments such as cheques, travellers’ cheques, promissory notes and money orders
• bonds, shares
• gold coins with a gold content of at least 90 %
• gold bars, nuggets or clumps with a gold content of at least 99.5 %
• any other convertible asset

This does not apply if you are travelling within the European Union or in transit to a non-EU country.

EU cash controls - European Commission

Natural disasters and climate

Winter climate

Estonia experiences cold winters and heavy snowfall in cities and rural areas between November and March.

Seasonal flooding 

Flooding may occur in spring between March and May.

These conditions can put you at risk and hamper the provision of essential services. If you decide to travel to Estonia during these periods:

• be prepared to change your travel plans on short notice, including cutting short or cancelling your trip
• stay informed of the latest regional weather forecasts
• carry emergency contact information for your airline or tour operator
• follow the advice and instructions of local authorities