For a British reader, the Estonia question is not "can I?" but "which door do I use?" Before Brexit the door was a form and a lease. Now, for anyone who arrives from April 2021 onwards, it is a residence permit, and the permit has its own requirements. That does not make Estonia closed to British citizens, but it does change the order of the steps.
This guide to moving to Estonia from the UK explains the new rules and where you must ask the authorities.
Can British citizens move to Estonia after Brexit?
Yes, with a residence permit. The Estonian rules split British citizens in two groups.
Before 2021. UK citizens who were already living in Estonia before the end of 2020 are covered by the withdrawal agreement and hold a residence document issued by Estonia. They keep their rights under that agreement.
From April 2021. According to the Ministry of the Interior, UK citizens who arrive on or after 1 April 2021 must apply for a residence permit: they are third-country nationals. If you came in the first three months of 2021, ask the PPA which status you hold. New arrivals cannot use the simple EU route of registering an address and getting a five-year right of residence (residence in Estonia for EU citizens). They need a residence permit (elamisluba) from the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) before they can settle and register their home.
The type of permit depends on your plan: employment, business, study, family reunification or others. The PPA explains each type on politsei.ee, which is the only place to check conditions and fees.
How does the residence permit for work work?
The PPA's pages and our fact sheet set out the main rule for employment: as a general rule, the salary must at least equal the Estonian average gross salary. The general threshold for applications made from 5 March 2026 to March 2027 is €2,092 gross a month, compared with €1,981 for applications made between 6 March 2025 and 4 March 2026, though the PPA table gives other thresholds for other cases. The PPA aims to respond within 90 days.
The employer usually has a role in the process, so a job offer is normally the first step. The exact documents, fees and exceptions are on the PPA page, and they change; read the live page before you apply.
For self-employed people the permit route is different, for example for entrepreneurs; the PPA page for business permits lists the conditions.
What about the digital nomad visa?
It is a short-term route for remote workers with foreign income, not a residence permit. It lasts up to a year and cannot be extended. Read Estonia digital nomad visa before you plan a long stay on it.
Which permit fits your plan, a job offer, your own company or a partner with an EU passport? Moovy can compare the routes in plain English and prepare the list of documents to bring to the police.
What changes for driving, tax and health?
Driving. A British licence falls under the 1968 Vienna Convention. It stays valid for 12 months from the start of your residence in Estonia; after that it is generally exchanged without an exam if it complies with the convention (or accompanied by a compliant international permit). A licence issued while you already lived in Estonia is not valid. The Transport Administration (Transpordiamet) explains the exchange.
Tax. The rules for tax residence are the same as for everyone: your home in Estonia, or at least 183 days in 12 months. The older UK-Estonia tax treaty remains in force; a new one was initialled on 24 August 2023 but has not entered into force, according to the Ministry of Finance. Note that once you are tax resident you declare your worldwide income.
Health. The Health Insurance Fund covers people who live in Estonia with a residence permit under the same rules as others: work with social tax paid, an insured group, or voluntary insurance. For your GHIC, ask the fund directly. See healthcare in Estonia for expats.
Unemployment benefit. The fund no longer adds up work periods in the UK for a person who first worked there after 31 December 2020.
How should you prepare your move to Estonia from the UK?
- Decide your route: job, business, family or remote work.
- Check the permit page on politsei.ee for the exact requirements and fees.
- Get documents certified or translated if needed: Estonian, Russian or English are accepted without translation.
- After the permit, register your address and request your personal code (the personal identification code).
- Then follow moving to Estonia: the step-by-step guide for the bank, the doctor and the ID card.
Moving to Estonia from the UK: which residence permit should you look at?
The Police and Border Guard Board lists permits by purpose. The ones most relevant to British arrivals are employment, business or entrepreneurship, study and family. Each has its own conditions, fees and processing times, and the police pages are the only reliable source.
For employment, the job offer and the salary threshold drive everything. For a business, the permit is tied to the activity. For family, a partner who is an EU citizen opens a different route from a partner who is Estonian or has an Estonian permit. If you are unsure, ask the police before you pay anyone to prepare an application.
Moving to Estonia from the UK: what if you lived there before 2021?
British citizens who lived in Estonia before the end of 2020 are protected by the withdrawal agreement and by Estonian law, and they hold a residence document issued by Estonia. They keep rights to work, to health cover and to residence on the terms of the agreement. Your Europe, the EU's citizens' portal, summarises these rights for UK nationals living in an EU country. If you have lost the document or are unsure of your status, ask the police.
What can British visitors do before they move?
A British citizen can visit Estonia as a tourist for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, but the visit does not give the right to work or settle. Use that time to look at flats and schools, not to start a job. The digital nomad visa and a work permit are for later stages (Estonia digital nomad visa).
What mistakes should you avoid?
- Arriving and planning to "just register". The EU route is closed to you if you arrive now.
- Counting the 90 days as a base. A visitor stay is not residence, and it does not entitle you to work.
- Driving on a UK licence indefinitely. The 12-month window is real.
- Using the wrong tax assumptions. Your UK habits, such as the tax year or allowances, do not apply.
- Trusting outdated Brexit pages. Some official pages are from 2021; use the current PPA instructions.
What if your partner or children are European?
Family members of EU citizens can have their own route as family members. If your spouse is an EU citizen living in Estonia, ask the PPA about the family member procedure before choosing another permit type.
Brexit made Estonia a little harder for British people, not impossible. The key is to start from the police page, not from the municipality.