Most people discover the paperwork side of moving one document at a time, each with its own requirement. This page is meant to give you the whole picture before the process starts.
The underlying logic is simple. An Estonian institution accepts a foreign-language document together with a translation certified by a sworn translator. A document issued abroad usually needs an apostille as well, and that apostille is issued in the country where the document was made.
Only a sworn translator. They have passed a state examination, appear in the Ministry of Justice register, and certify the translation with their seal and signature. Notaries have not certified translations since 2020.
Certification rights are granted per language direction. A translator accredited for Russian into Estonian cannot certify a translation from Estonian into English.
The apostille is issued by the country that produced the document. It cannot be obtained in Estonia for a foreign document, and this is the most frequent misunderstanding we deal with.
Documents from Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine do not need one. Under EU Regulation 2016/1191, neither do documents proving civil status, residence, citizenship or the absence of a criminal record when filed in another member state. Details are in our article on the apostille in Estonia.
Translating documents one at a time. The same certificate reappears in several procedures. A set translated together keeps one consistent spelling and costs less.
Inconsistent spelling of names. If your birth certificate and your passport spell your name differently, an institution may not connect the two. Tell us the correct form up front.
Ordering the translation before the apostille. The apostille carries text that belongs in the translation. The wrong order means ordering twice.
How long do documents stay valid?
Certificates do not expire; extracts and statements usually do. Ask the receiving institution.
Whole document or just part of it?
As a rule, the whole thing. A partial translation states which part was translated, and not every institution accepts that.
Do children need their own documents?
Yes. A child’s birth certificate is a separate document and needs its own translation.
See also our personal document pages, where each document has its own page with the exact requirements.
Sworn translation in Estonia: what it is and when you need it
In Estonia only a sworn translator can certify a translation — notaries stopped in 2020. When you need one, how to check the register, and what it costs.
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