On this page, you will find:
To find organisations working for LGBTQI+ rights, visit our Estonia LGBTQI+ Resources page.
For Estonia country of origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents visit our Estonia COI page.
Refugee protection
Click here to see the numbers and origins of refugees hosted by Estonia.
The following sections contain information on the most important international treaties and agreements of which Estonia is signatory, as well as national legislation relevant to the protection of refugees.
Since 1997 Estonia has been both a party to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and to its 1967 Protocol. Estonia, however, has not accepted the UN Statelessness Conventions.
Estonia’s national legal framework is based on the Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens (the AGIPA), which replaced the Refugee Act in 2006.
In Estonia, The Ministry of the Interior (MoI) has exclusive responsibility over policy and planning for asylum and migration issues. The Police and Border Guard Board (PBGB) is the authority tasked with border management, asylum procedures, residence permits and various other matters related to internal security. The Social Insurance Board (SIB) is responsible for arranging the settlement of refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection into the territory of a local government. Also, the MoI and the Ministry of Culture (MoC) are responsible for implementation of the State policy on the integration of third-country nationals, including stateless persons.
Legal aid organisations
Address: Ahtri 8, 10151 Tallinn, 6th floor, Estonia
Tel: (+372) 644 5148 / (+372) 5194 9015
Email: asylum@humanrights.ee
The Estonian Human Rights Centre (EHRC) offers free legal aid in order to ensure the effective access to the Estonian asylum procedure and the respect of rights of persons who are in need of international protection. Their services include:
- Legal counseling and provision of legal information about Estonian asylum procedures and rights of those who seek asylum;
- If necessary, also representation in the Police and Border Guard Board or courts;
- Assistance in applying for free state legal aid if needed
If you are a beneficiary of international protection (refugee status or subsidiary protection) you can turn to them for:
- Legal counseling and advice to better understand your rights and obligations
- If you need legal advice concerning extension of your residence permit
Organisations providing other support to refugees
Address: Eesti Punane Rist
Eha 8, Tallinn 10137
Tel: +372 641 1644
Estonian Red Cross (BRC) provides asylum-seekers, people granted protection in Estonia humanitarian assistance (food and hygienic kits, if available in stock – secondhand clothing and footwear for children and adults), counseling on and facilitation of integration, referral to relevant state authorities for targeted assistance in accordance with their competence. It can also assist you to look for any missing family members.
Estonia LGBTQI+ Resources
Find organisations working for refugee LGBTQI+ rights in Estonia.
Estonia COI
Find Estonia Country of Origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents.
We are always looking to expand the resources on our platform. If you know about relevant resources, or you are aware of organisations and/or individuals to include in our directories, please get in touch.
Last updated May 2023