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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
[RT III, 12.06.2020, 2 - entry into force 12.06.2020]

Passed 16.05.2020 No. 169
RT III, 17.05.2020, 2
Entry into force 18.05.2020

Amended by the following legal instruments (show)

Under § 17 (1) 1) of the State Borders Act.
[RT III, 12.06.2020, 2 - entry into force 12.06.2020]

1. In connection with the worldwide pandemic spread of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 causing the COVID-19 disease 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.

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 or the Principality of Andorra, the Principality of Monaco, the Republic of San Marino and the Vatican City State (Holy See) and their asymptomatic family members.
[RT III, 06.07.2020, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2020]

11. Crossing of the state border for the purpose of entering Estonia is allowed for persons who are asymptomatic and who hold a citizenship, residence permit or right of residence of the Republic of Latvia or the Republic of Lithuania or whose permanent place of residence according to the population register is in the Republic of Latvia or the Republic of Lithuania.

12. In addition to the provisions of clauses 2 through 11, crossing of the state border for the purpose of entering the Republic of Estonia from the Republic of Finland is allowed for a person who holds a citizenship, residence permit or right of residence of the Republic of Finland or whose permanent place of residence according to the population register is in the Republic of Finland and who is asymptomatic if:
1) the person’s purpose for arriving in Estonia is work or performance of other contractual obligations;
2) the person is studying in an educational institution registered in Estonia;
3) the person arrives in Estonia for urgent family reasons, above all to meet a close relative, a funeral, a wedding or cases of illness.

12¹. Crossing of the state border for the purpose of entering Estonia is allowed for persons who are asymptomatic and who arrive in the Republic of Estonia from a Member State of the European Union or a Schengen Member State or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

[RT III, 28.05.2020, 1 – entry into force 01.06.2020]

12². Crossing of the state border for the purpose of entering Estonia is allowed for persons who are asymptomatic and who arrive from a country not listed in clauses 10¹ and 12¹ but published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and who are said country’s residents pursuant to the laws of said country.
[RT III, 06.07.2020, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2020]

12³. Crossing of the state border for the purpose of entering Estonia is allowed for persons who are asymptomatic and who arrive from a third country not listed in clause 12² for the purpose of work or for the purpose of studies in an educational institution registered in Estonia.
[RT III, 06.07.2020, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2020]

12⁴. The provisions of clause 12² are not applied if the country under whose laws the relevant person is deemed to be its resident or is deemed to stay there legally does not permit mutual movement of persons with the Republic of Estonia.
[RT III, 06.07.2020, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2020]

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) who is asymptomatic and whose entry in the country is justified under a special request.

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. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes on its website a list of countries referred to in clauses 12² and 12³ along with the information referred to in clause 12⁴.
[RT III, 06.07.2020, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2020]

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 the COVID-19 disease 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 the COVID-19 disease. 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.