Ukrainian citizens can enter Estonia and other countries in the Schengen Visa Area with an internal passport, biometric passport, visa or without. Underage children should have a birth certificate, but can also enter the country without one. This also applies to a spouse, child or parent accompanying a Ukrainian citizen of another nationality, including situations where the mother is a citizen of another country and the children are Ukrainian citizens.

INFORMATION ABOUT BUSES

The Estonian Refugee Council is currently not coordinating evacuation from Ukraine. If the circumstances change and the need for coordinated evacuation returns, this will be announced separately.

People in transit and coming through Narva or Luhamaa border crossing points:

• If a person needs temporary accommodation (up to 72 hours), they should contact the Border Guard or IOM (International Organization for Migration.
• ​​If a person has left the border crossing and needs accommodation for one night, we recommend contacting MTÜ Mariupol's Friends at Vaksali 19, Narva (open 9:00 - 20:00). Or write to https://www.facebook.com/MariupoliSobrad.

A person in transit is advised to ask the border guard for the wristband that allows free train rides across Estonia!

If you have any further questions, call the free national helpline at +372 600 1247 (you can also call from international numbers).

A refugee who enters Estonia with a dog, cat, or ferret must notify the Agriculture and Food Board as soon as possible. To do this, you must fill in the notification form and send it to the following email address: pta@pta.agri.ee. The form, detailed isolation requirements, information about veterinarians and other instructions can be found here.

The Estonian Animal Rescue Group

provides free food and, if necessary, medical expenses for pets. Advises on the information line +372 5360 3604.

24/7 Emergency veterinary care: 

• Rannamõisa Petcity clinic 15 222 (Rannamõisa street 8, Tallinn)
• Pets ambulance +372 5023191 (Mustamäe street 44-2, Tallinn) 
• Animal Clinic of Estonian University of Life Sciences +372 7313224 (daytime), +372 503 3878 (night) (Kreutzwaldi 62, Tartu)

Varjupaikade MTÜ

assists in Harju, Pärnu, Lääne, Viljandi, Valga and Võru County (animal food, pet supplies, preparation of documents for animals, veterinary assistance, finding shelters if necessary, etc.). Information in Russian for refugees +372 5689 7495.

For an unaccompanied child who has no relative or other accompanying person, the Social Insurance Board will arrange a substitute care service. 

 childprotection@sotsiaalkindlustusamet.ee

• If the child comes with a relative who is not their legal representative within the meaning of Estonian law, it would be good if the adult had a power of attorney (not required to be notarized). For example, the names of the parents written on the A4, their permission to transport the child and the rights that the sender acquires by proxy.

  • There must be details of the sender, details of the child and where they are going. The paper must be signed by the parents. Parents must take 2 pictures:

    1. A clear picture of A4 with the information written clearly

    2. A picture of the same paper with the child's parents' passports.

    ​​​ ​If the power of attorney and the pictures are not immediately included with the phone, they can be sent to the sender so that they can take all the necessary initial steps

• If it is not possible to make a power of attorney and the child's parents are not / cannot be reached, the child protection department must be contacted by the local government. They arrange for temporary custody and then the sender can arrange for the custody of the official (this goes to court and takes time). There is no need to be afraid to turn to the local government, no one will take the child away. The child is only taken away if the sender is suspicious and there is a risk that something is wrong.
• If the child is picked up and his or her parents live on the basis of a residence permit, a family member's residence permit can also be applied for. It takes more time than applying for temporary protection. It is also possible to apply for temporary protection first, and then later, when the residence permit issued on the basis of temporary protection begins to expire, to apply for a residence permit with a parent. Temporary protection is granted for 1 year, but a residence permit for parents has the same period of validity as that of the parents.