Estonia is a country in the Schengen Agreement. Mainland Chinese citizens holding ordinary passports (including official passports) must apply for a Schengen visa to travel to Estonia. Holders of diplomatic passports, Hong Kong or Macao Special Administrative Region passports are exempt from visas when entering Estonia and staying for no more than 90 days. Those who come to Estonia to work or study for more than 90 days need to apply for an Estonian long-term (category D) visa.

Although holders of a Schengen visa can travel to other Schengen countries without a visa, you should pay attention when applying for a Schengen visa: if your travel plan includes multiple Schengen countries, you should apply for a visa from the embassy of the main destination country in China. If the number of days you stay in each Schengen country is the same, you should apply for a visa from the embassy of the first Schengen country you plan to visit in China.

Please note that holding a Schengen visa issued by a country's diplomatic mission in China does not mean that you can enter from other Schengen countries unconditionally. You should carefully check the visa information after receiving the visa and try to avoid adjusting your itinerary and travel destination after receiving the visa. When entering the country, you must bring relevant documents that can fully prove your itinerary, such as hotel reservations, round-trip connecting flights, travel insurance, proof of income, etc., for inspection by border law enforcement departments. The documents you hold must be authentic and valid and consistent with the materials submitted when applying for the visa.

Estonia time is 5 hours behind Beijing time.

On January 1, 2011, Estonia officially joined the Eurozone and became the 17th member of the Eurozone. The Euro has become the legal currency of Estonia and can be freely exchanged for major world currencies including the RMB. Direct settlement between the RMB and the Euro has not yet been achieved in Estonia. According to statistics from the European Central Bank, the average reference exchange rates of the Euro to the US dollar in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 were 1:1.08245, 1:1.1062, 1:1.12971:1.1810, 1:1.1349, 1:1.1413 and 1:1.1827 respectively.

The VAT rate for general goods and services is 20%; the VAT rate for books, performance tickets, hotel services, some medicines and medical supplies, funeral supplies and services, and hazardous waste treatment is 9%; the VAT rate for exported goods is zero. Temporary imports are not subject to import VAT, but these goods must be exported from Estonia on schedule after processing. VAT is paid monthly, and the tax period is before the 20th of the month following the tax period. Overpaid VAT can be refunded within 30 days before the VAT refund date is due.

Estonia has an oceanic climate, which is significantly influenced by the ocean. It is cool and rainy in spring, warm and humid in summer and autumn, cold and snowy in winter, and has an average annual temperature of 7 degrees Celsius. The average temperature in January and February, the coldest months in winter, is minus 8 degrees Celsius, and the average temperature in July, the hottest month in summer, is 20.9 degrees Celsius. The average annual precipitation is 500 to 700 mm.

Estonia's power interface is a European standard interface (two-phase round plug). A conversion plug is required to use domestic electrical appliances. The standard voltage is 220 volts.

Estonia has sufficient supplies and high-quality meat and dairy products, but few varieties of vegetables. In addition to domestic production, most vegetables are imported from other EU countries. The price level is moderate in the EU. Shopping malls, large supermarket chains and small commercial outlets are scattered everywhere. Chinese citizens can use euro cash, Visa or MasterCard credit cards, or other international bank debit cards to pay in Estonia. UnionPay cards are not widely used in Estonia. The euro is the currency in circulation in Estonia.

The main modes of transportation in Estonia are roads and railways. Road transportation is very convenient, and the road conditions between Tallinn and major cities are good. In addition, road transportation can also reach cities in neighboring countries such as Riga and St. Petersburg. Estonian Railway has trains to major cities in Estonia, and in summer there are international trains to Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Estonia is a left-hand drive country. When driving, you should pay special attention to crosswalks. When you see pedestrians crossing, you must stop and give way. Pedestrians should not run red lights when going out. According to Estonian traffic regulations, if a traffic accident caused by pedestrians running red lights is caused, the driver will not bear any compensation liability. Estonia has strict law enforcement against drunk driving and speeding. Violators will face high fines or be sent to court. In towns, the speed limit for cars is 50 km/h, on open roads it is 90 km/h, and on some highways in summer it is 110 km/h. Passengers must wear seat belts (including back seats). From December to March of the following year, cars must be replaced with winter tires.

1. Holidays

Estonia has a five-day work week, with Saturdays and Sundays off. The main holidays are:

New Year's Day (January 1)

Independence Day (February 24)

Victory Day (June 23)

Midsummer Day (June 24)

Regaining Independence Day (August 20)

Christmas (December 24-25)

2. Common etiquette

When ordinary friends meet, they mainly shake hands and do not like too much physical contact. In public, except for family members, people rarely hug or kiss each other. Estonians have a strong sense of time.

3. Main customs and habits

The main religions in the country are Lutheranism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Catholicism. The people love music and dancing, and concerts, singing festivals or dance festivals are held in various places every year.

4. Main contraindications

Estonians are relatively introverted and prefer quietness, so please do not make loud noises in public places.

After activating international calling, local landlines and mobile phones in Estonia can make calls to domestic phones in China. The method is as follows:

To call domestic landlines, use country code + area code + phone number. For example, to call Beijing: 0086 + 10 + tel number

To call domestic mobile phones, use country code + mobile number 0086 + mobile number

Chinese mobile phones can be used directly in Estonia. You can purchase non-real-name prepaid phone cards and recharge cards from local telecom operators.

If you encounter an emergency in Estonia, you can call the following numbers according to the situation: Police, emergency number: 112 Lost credit card: 1777 Information inquiry: 1188 If you encounter a language barrier, you can immediately call the Chinese Embassy in Estonia: 00372-6015830, consular protection number: 00372-5114016, and the embassy staff will be able to solve your problems in a timely manner.

The capital Tallinn has opened international flights with more than 30 cities in the world. The main operating airlines are Baltic Airlines, Finnair, Ryanair, Turkish Airlines, Aeroflot, Lufthansa, and Polish Airlines. There are currently no direct flights to China. Chinese citizens need to stop in other countries when going to Estonia or returning home, such as transferring from Frankfurt, Helsinki, Stockholm, Vienna and Warsaw.

Tallinn Meri International Airport is the largest international airport in Estonia (IATA code: TLL), about 10 minutes' drive from the city center. You can take a taxi, tram or bus. The airport has opened routes to European cities such as Helsinki, Riga, Stockholm, Moscow, Paris, London, and Frankfurt. In addition to Tallinn, there are also airports in Tartu, Kuressaare, Pärnu and other places.

Estonia has good medical conditions and complete hospital facilities. Citizens of Estonia and foreign citizens with Estonian residence permits must have medical insurance to enjoy free medical care. The price of self-paid medical treatment is relatively high. Foreigners who go to Estonia to study or work (holding Estonian residence permits) must purchase local medical insurance every year, and enjoy free medical services according to relevant regulations after purchase. Foreigners who go to Estonia temporarily can choose to purchase international medical insurance or other travel insurance involving medical treatment in China.

1. Common diseases and treatments

There are no typical diseases in the area, and most of the diseases are common colds. You can bring cold medicine with you when you go to Ireland. When you travel to forests, lakes, and wetlands in Ireland in summer, you should bring mosquito repellent and insect repellent topical medicine.

2. Major hospitals and pharmacies

Major public hospitals: East Tallinn Central Hospital, West Tallinn Central Hospital, Tallinn Children’s Hospital and North Estonia Medical Center.

3. Special Note：

If you need medical services in an emergency, please do not contact the hospital directly. You can call 112 for emergency assistance. The medical service department will select a hospital according to the situation.

Most medicines in pharmacies must be purchased with local prescriptions. Before going to Estonia, you can prepare a certain amount of common medicines for your own use (which must comply with the relevant regulations on bringing medicines into Estonia).

1. Tallinn

Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is located in the northwest of Estonia, bordering the Baltic Sea. It is only 80 kilometers away from Helsinki, the capital of Finland. Tallinn is the largest city in Estonia and the political, economic, cultural and transportation center of Estonia. The city is divided into 8 districts with a total area of 158 square kilometers and a population of about 462,000.

Tallinn Old Town has a long history. In 1997, UNESCO listed Tallinn Old Town as a World Cultural Heritage. In 2011, the European Union awarded Tallinn the title of "European Capital of Culture". The main universities include Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn University, Estonian Academy of Music and Drama, Estonian Business School and Estonian Academy of Arts.

2. Tartu

Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia, located on the Emajógi River in western Estonia, 185 kilometers from Tallinn, with a population of about 98,000. The oldest and most famous university in Estonia, the University of Tartu, is located in the city.

The overall security situation in Estonia is good, and serious crimes are rare. However, as in other countries, theft and pickpocketing often occur in public transportation and crowded places in places such as Tallinn.

Avoid carrying large amounts of cash with you, and keep your belongings safe when going to crowded places. Try to avoid going out alone late at night. Do not put important documents such as bank cards, domestic ID cards and passports together with cash. It is best to carry a copy of the first page of your passport and visa page when going out.

In case of an accident, report it to the police in a timely manner, explain what happened, where it happened, the name of the reporter, whether there are any injuries, the condition of the injuries, whether emergency treatment was given, etc.