Estonian passport

This article is about passports for Estonian citizens. For passports for non-citizen Estonian residents, see Estonian alien's passport.
Estonian passport

The front cover of a contemporary Estonian biometric passport

The information page of a contemporary Estonian biometric passport
The file above's purpose is being discussed and/or is being considered for deletion. See files for discussion to help reach a consensus on what to do.
Date first issued 22 May 2007 (biometric passports)
1 June 2014 (current version)[1]
Issued by  Estonia
Type of document Passport
Purpose Identification
Eligibility requirements Estonian citizenship
Expiration 5 years after issuance

Estonian passport is an international travel document issued to nationals of Estonia, and may also serve as proof of Estonian citizenship. Besides enabling the bearer to travel internationally and serving as indication of Estonian citizenship, the passport facilitates the process of securing assistance from Estonian consular officials abroad or other European Union member states in case an Estonian consular is absent, if needed.

According to the 2014 Visa Restrictions Index, Estonian citizens can visit 157 countries without a visa or with a visa granted on arrival. Estonian citizens can live and work in any country within the EU as a result of the right of free movement and residence granted in Article 21 of the EU Treaty.[2]

Every Estonian citizen is also a citizen of the European Union. The passport, along with the national identity card allows for free rights of movement and residence in any of the states of the European Union and European Economic Area.

Application

The Police and Border Guard Board in Estonia and by Estonian foreign representations abroad are responsible for the issuing and renewing of Estonian passports.

Physical Appearance

In conformity with the standard European Union design, Estonian passports are burgundy, with the Estonian Coat of arms emblazoned in the centre of the front cover. The words "EUROOPA LIIT" (European Union) and "EESTI" (Estonia) are inscribed above the coat of arms and the word "PASS" (Passport) is inscribed below the coat of arms. Estonian passports have the standard biometric symbol at the bottom.

Identity Information Page

Information page of machine-readable Estonian passports issued between July 2005 and May 2007
The file above's purpose is being discussed and/or is being considered for deletion. See files for discussion to help reach a consensus on what to do.

The biodata page of an Estonian passport includes the following information:

The information page ends with the Machine Readable Zone starting with P<EST.

Passport Note

Estonian passports issued between February 2002 and May 2007 contain a note from the issuing state that is addressed to the authorities of all other states, identifying the bearer as a citizen of that state and requesting that he or she be allowed to pass and be treated according to international norms. The note inside Estonian passports states:

The holder of this passport is under the protection of the Republic of Estonia. The Government of the Republic of Estonia hereby requests all civil and military authorities to permit the holder of this passport to pass freely without let or hindrance and in case of need to give all lawful aid and protection.

Languages

The data page/information page is printed in Estonian, English and French.

Visa requirements

Visa requirements for Estonian citizens

In 2014, Estonian citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 157 countries and territories, thus ranking the Estonian passport 14th in the world (tied with Cyprus, Lithuania and Poland) according to the Visa Restrictions Index.[3] Holders of Estonian alien's passport face different visa requirements.

Passport types

Cover of an Estonian biometric diplomatic passport
The file above's purpose is being discussed and/or is being considered for deletion. See files for discussion to help reach a consensus on what to do.

For Estonian citizens, apart from ordinary passports, diplomatic and service passports are also issued for those who qualify for possession of such documents.

Biometric passports

Gemalto won the contract to supply biometric passports for the Citizenship and Migration Board, delivering the first new passports in early 2007.[4]

Possession of a biometric passport is a pre-requisite for Estonians who want to qualify for the Visa Waiver Program for travel to the United States by registering via the Electronic System for Travel Authorization.

Starting from June 2009, all applicants for an Estonian passport are required to provide their fingerprints to be stored on the biometric chip in their passports.[5]

See also

References and notes

  1. ↑ Estonian citizen's passport
  2. ↑ Treaty on the Function of the European Union (consolidated version)
  3. ↑ "Global Ranking – Visa Restriction Index 2014" (PDF). Henley & Partners. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  4. ↑ Estonian ePassport solution
  5. ↑ Fingerprints in travel documents
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/19/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.