Under § 17 (1) 1) of the State Borders Act and § 28 (2) 3) and § 28 (3) and (6) of the Communicable Diseases Prevention and Control Act:
[RT III, 07.07.2021, 1 - entry into force 12.07.2021]
1. In
connection with the worldwide pandemic spread of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2
causing COVID-19 and identification of the spread of the virus within Estonia
and in order to prevent new mass infections, the crossing of the external
border for the purpose of entering Estonia and, if the border control is
temporarily reintroduced on the internal border, the crossing of the internal
border are temporarily restricted.
2. Crossing
of the state border for the purpose of entering Estonia is allowed for persons
who have Estonian citizenship, Estonian residence permit or right of residence
or whose permanent place of residence according to the population register is
in Estonia.
3. Crossing
of the state border for the purpose of entering Estonia is allowed for
foreigners who are asymptomatic and who are employees of diplomatic missions or
consular posts of foreign states in Estonia or their family members or
foreigners arriving in Estonia in the framework of international military
cooperation or members of a foreign delegation arriving in Estonia for an
official meeting on the invitation of a state or local authority.
[RT III, 28.08.2020, 1 – entry into force 28.08.2020]
4. Crossing
of the state border for the purpose of entering Estonia is allowed for
foreigners who are asymptomatic and who are directly involved in transporting
goods and raw products, including loading of goods or raw products.
5. Crossing of the
state border for the purpose of entering Estonia is allowed for foreigners who
are asymptomatic and who are providing health services or other services
necessary for responding to an emergency.
6. Crossing
of the state border for the purpose of entering Estonia is allowed for
foreigners who are asymptomatic and who are directly involved in international
carriage of goods and passengers, including a crew member and a ship’s crew
member servicing an international means of transport and a person performing
repairs or warranty or maintenance work on such a means of transport.
7. Crossing
of the state border for the purpose of entering Estonia is allowed for
foreigners who are asymptomatic and who are servicing travel groups and who are
directly involved in the provision of passenger transport services.
8. Crossing
of the state border for the purpose of entering Estonia is allowed for
foreigners who are asymptomatic and whose purpose for arriving in Estonia is
related to ensuring the continuity of a vital service.
9. Crossing
of the state border for the purpose of entering Estonia is allowed for
foreigners who are asymptomatic and whose arrival in Estonia is related to the
maintenance or repair of or warranty or information and communication
technology work on equipment of a company operating in Estonia if this is
necessary for ensuring the operation of the company.
10. Crossing
of the state border for the purpose of entering Estonia is allowed for
foreigners for immediate transit through the territory of Estonia for reaching
their country of residence, provided they are asymptomatic.
101. Crossing of the state border for the purpose of entering Estonia is
allowed for asymptomatic nationals and residents and holders of a long-stay
visa of the European Union, the European Economic Area, the Swiss Confederation,
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Principality of
Andorra, the Principality of Monaco, the Republic of San Marino or the Vatican
City State (Holy See) and their asymptomatic family members or asymptomatic
persons arriving from said country.
[RT III,
31.03.2022, 2 – entry into force
01.04.2022]
11. [Repealed
– RT III, 14.09.2020, 2 – entry into force 14.09.2020]
12. [Repealed
– RT III, 14.09.2020, 2 – entry into force 14.09.2020]
121. [Repealed
– RT III, 31.03.2022, 2 – entry into force
01.04.2022]
122. [Repealed
– RT III, 31.03.2022, 2 – entry into force
01.04.2022]
123. [Repealed
– RT III, 31.03.2022, 2 – entry into force
01.04.2022]
124. [Repealed
– RT III, 31.03.2022, 2 – entry into force
01.04.2022]
125. [Repealed
– RT III, 31.03.2022, 2 – entry into force
01.04.2022]
126. Crossing of the state border for the purpose of entering Estonia is
allowed for a person who is asymptomatic and who arrives from a country not
listed in clause 101 and who
1) is under 12 years
of age;
2) is
12 years of age or older and up to 48 hours before arrival in Estonia
a health care provider tested the person with RT-PCR test for the coronavirus
SARS-CoV-2 causing COVID-19 or with a SARS-CoV-2 antigen RTD test approved by
the European Union Health Security Committee, the results of which came back
negative;
3) is up to 18 years of age and has completed the
vaccination series for COVID-19 and has developed full protection after the
last dose of vaccine;
[RT III,
07.04.2022, 4 – entry into force
07.04.2022, applied retroactively as of 6 April 2022]
4) has
completed the vaccination series for COVID-19, has developed full protection
after the last dose of vaccine and no more than 270 days have passed since
the last dose of vaccine;
5) has
completed the vaccination series for COVID-19, has developed full protection
and after the completion of the series has received an additional dose of
vaccine and no more than one year has passed since the additional dose of
vaccine;
6) has recovered from COVID-19 and no more
than 180 days have passed since the SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test confirming the
diagnosis was carried out by a health care provider or a SARS-CoV-2 antigen RTD
test was carried out or since the date of confirmation of the diagnosis.
[RT III,
31.03.2022, 2 – entry into force
01.04.2022]
127. The time
when the full protection referred to in clause 126 is
developed is, according to the manufacturers, 7 calendar days after the
second dose of vaccine for Pfizer/BioNTech Vaccine Comirnaty, 14 calendar
days after the second dose of vaccine for AstraZeneca Vaccine Vaxzevria and
Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, and 14 calendar days after one dose of vaccine
for Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine. For other COVID-19 vaccines not mentioned in this
clause, the specific manufacturer’s instructions for full protection shall be
followed. Full protection for recovered persons vaccinated with one dose is
deemed to have been developed at the times stated in this clause.
[RT III, 23.08.2021, 1 – entry into force 26.08.2021]
13. By
way of an exception, the Police and Border Guard Board may allow the state
border to be crossed for the purpose of entering Estonia by a foreigner:
1) who is asymptomatic and whose direct blood relative in the ascending or
descending line or spouse is an Estonian citizen or a person holding an
Estonian residence permit or right of residence;
2) whose entry in the country is justified under a special request.
[RT III, 01.03.2022, 1 – entry into force 02.03.2022]
131. [Repealed – RT III,
31.03.2022, 2 – entry into force 01.04.2022]
132. Crossing
of the state border for the purpose of entering Estonia is allowed for a
Ukrainian citizen and his or her direct blood relative in the ascending or
descending line or spouse.
[RT III, 01.03.2022, 1 – entry into force 02.03.2022]
132. Crossing
of the state border for the purpose of entering Estonia is allowed for a
third-country national who has left Ukraine due to the military conflict.
[RT III, 17.03.2022, 1 – entry into force 18.03.2022]
133. The
version of sub-clause 3) of clause 126 of this Order adopted on 7 April 2022 is
applied retroactively as of 6 April 2022.
[RT III, 07.04.2022, 4 – entry into force 07.04.2022]
14. [Repealed
– RT III, 12.06.2020, 2 – entry into force 12.06.2020]
15. [Repealed
– RT III, 12.06.2020, 2 – entry into force 12.06.2020]
151. [Repealed
– RT III, 12.06.2020, 2 – entry into force 12.06.2020]
16. [Repealed
– RT III, 12.06.2020, 2 – entry into force 12.06.2020]
17. [Omitted
from this text.]
171. [Repealed – RT III,
31.03.2022, 2 – entry into force 01.04.2022]
18. This
Order takes effect on 18 May 2020.
This Order is issued
considering the fact that under § 2 2) of the Communicable Diseases
Prevention and Control Act COVID-19 corresponds to the signs of a new dangerous
communicable disease because COVID-19 is a disease with a high level of
infectiousness which spreads rapidly and extensively and which may be serious
or life‑threatening. There is also no effective treatment or it is not
available and the spread of the disease may exceed the hospital treatment
capacity.
For the protection of the
life and health of people and overriding public interest, this Order
establishes restrictions for preventing the spread of the coronavirus
SARS-CoV-2 causing COVID-19. The reasons and considerations are set out in the
explanatory memorandum to the Order, which will be published on the website of
the Government of the Republic.
This Order can be appealed
against by filing a challenge pursuant to the procedure provided by the
Administrative Procedure Act within 30 days as of the day the relevant
person became or should have become aware of the Order. This Order can also be
appealed against by filing an action with the administrative court pursuant to
the procedure provided for in the Code of Administrative Court Procedure within
30 days as of the day of announcement of this Order.
Reasons for the amendments made
by the Government of the Republic Order No. 118 of 7 April 2022
This Order amends Government of the Republic Order No. 305
‘Measures and Restrictions Necessary for Preventing Spread of COVID-19’ of 23
August 2021, Government of the Republic Order No. 212 ‘Imposition of quarantine
on persons who have been diagnosed with or have tested positive for COVID-19 and
on persons who have had close contact with them’ of 28 May 2021, and
Government of the Republic Order No. 169 ‘Imposition of temporary restrictions
on crossing the state border in order to prevent a new outbreak of the
coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 causing the COVID-19 disease’ of 16 May 2020.
The purpose of amending these Orders is to extend the validity
of vaccination certificates and time of release from isolation applicable to
persons under 18 years of age. Also, a period of time between two cases of
onset of COVID-19 is established. The establishment of this period of time
entitles a person to create a new recovery certificate before the expiry of the
previous one should the person fall ill again during the validity of the
existing certificate.
Currently the vaccination
certificate of a person under 18 years of age is accepted for crossing of
the state border for one year and three months. However, on 29 March 2022,
the European Commission adopted an amendment to Regulation
(EU) 2021/95312, on the
basis of which the vaccination certificate of minors is accepted until reaching
maturity or until 270 days have passed from the last dose of vaccine.
Currently, a minor returning from travelling is released from isolation if a
year and three months have passed since their vaccination. This is how long
vaccinated minors also have the right to cross the state border for the purpose
of entering Estonia if they come from a third country and are asymptomatic. As
a result of this amendment to the Order the release from isolation and the
possibility to cross the state border will be available until they reach
maturity or, if they have been vaccinated right before reaching maturity, until
270 days have not yet passed since the last dose of vaccine.
A person who has recovered from COVID-19 will get a recovery
certificate that will be accepted for 180 days. Under the current Order,
should a person fall ill again within 180 days they will not get a new
recovery certificate. As a result of this amendment to the Order, if the period
of time between two cases when a person contracts COVID-19 is more than
60 days, that person will become entitled to a new recovery certificate
that will also last for 180 days.
The provisions governing the extension of the acceptance period
of vaccination certificates of persons under 18 years of age will take
effect when published in Riigi Teataja. Since according to the above directly
applicable EU Regulation it is to be applied as of 6 April 2022, the
provisions will also be applied on the basis of the Orders retroactively as of
6 April 2022.
The provisions governing the creation of a new recovery
certificate will take effect on 12 April 2022 and will be applied
retroactively as of 13 October 2021 since a recovery certificate can be
generated retroactively in the health information system. A development by the
Health and Welfare Information Systems Centre allows creating certificates
retroactively for 180 days which is also the acceptance period of the
recovery certificate. For instance, if a person had COVID-19 in September 2021
and became infected again in January 2022 and on both times also took a
SARS-CoV-2 PCR test, then now that person will have the right to retroactively
create a recovery certificate proving the illness suffered in January.
Failure to duly comply with measures for preventing the spread of
the communicable disease will prompt the application of the administrative
coercive measures set out in § 28 (2) or (3) of the Law Enforcement
Act. According to § 23 (4) of the Law Enforcement Act, the amount of
non-compliance levy is 9600 euros. This non-compliance levy, which serves
the purpose of enforcing the requirements, measures and restrictions imposed by
this Order and preventing the spread of a communicable disease, may be imposed
repeatedly.
This Order can be appealed against by filing a challenge with the
Government of the Republic pursuant to the procedure provided by the
Administrative Procedure Act within 30 days as of the day the relevant
person became or should have become aware of the Order. This Order can also be
appealed against by filing an action with the administrative court pursuant to
the procedure provided for in the Code of Administrative Court Procedure.
The explanatory memorandum to the Order is available on the
website kriis.ee.
1 Regulation
(EU) 2021/953 lays down a framework for the issuance, verification and
acceptance of interoperable COVID-19 vaccination, test and recovery
certificates (EU Digital COVID Certificate) for the purpose of facilitating the
holders’ exercise of their right to free movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.
2 https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/documents-register/detail?ref=C(2022)2050⟨=en
(available on 5 April 2022).
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