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Passport & Customs

All passengers must present valid identification at check-in as well as upon boarding regardless of whether their flight is international or domestic. When flying to a destination outside the Schengen Area, passengers must also go through passport control.

Good to know

ID card & Passport

For Estonian domestic flights, acceptable travel documents are ID cards and passports.

For international flights, acceptable travel documents are ID cards (within the EU) and passports.

Pursuant to the Schengen Borders Code, all citizens of third party states must have a valid travel document entitling them to cross the border upon entering the territory of an EU member state. Upon crossing an external border, the travel document must remain valid for at least three months after the intended date of departure from the territory of the member states. The travel documents must have been issued within the last ten years.

Do you have valid documents for travelling?

Please make sure already upon booking your flight that your travel document is valid and meets the requirements for entry to the destination country. Please find out whether you have to apply for a visa to enter the destination country or the country where you need to change planes for a connecting flight. Further information is available on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Estonians travelling domestic

All passengers must present valid identification at check-in as well as upon boarding regardless of whether their flight is international or domestic. When flying to a destination outside the Schengen Area, passengers must also go through passport control.

Holders of Estonian Alien’s Passports

When travelling, you must always have with you the alien’s passport as well as a document proving that you have an Estonian residence permit. New alien’s passports no longer have the residence permit sticker, which means that you need to bring your passport as well as your ID card which proves that you have a residence permit.

 


Passport control

Passport control must be passed when arriving from or flying to a country outside the Schengen Area (e.g., Egypt, Great Britain, Turkey, Russia, etc.). Passport control is performed by the Police and Border Guard Board.

How to use the automated border control system?

The Automated border control an be used by passengers who are citizens of the European Union or Schengen Visa Area countries or holders of a residence permit of the Republic of Estonia, are at least 18 years old and have a valid e-passport.

  • Step on the footprint image.
  • Place the passport, document photo facing down, on the scanner.
  • Hold your right hand on the passport and look towards the screen.
  • Safe travel!

Customs and VAT Refunds

Tax and Customs Board officials are authorised to screen passengers and monitor imports in order to prevent prohibited goods from entering the country. Random checks are performed to discover prohibited substances and goods.

Importing products

Customs procedures at Tallinn Airport are conducted by the Tax and Customs Board. Tax and Customs Board officials are authorised to screen passengers and monitor imports in order to prevent prohibited goods from entering the country. Random checks are performed to discover prohibited substances and goods.

Customs regulations are different for passengers travelling between European Union Member States and passengers arriving to the Member States from outside the European Union. Further information on restrictions is available on the website of the Tax and Customs Board.

The Estonian Tax and Customs Board recommends that you check the limits on the quantities of various goods before you return home from a foreign country. You are also recommended to review the regulations of the foreign country before you travel abroad because the permitted import quantities may differ from one country to another.

VAT Refunds – Easy as 1-2-3

Passengers residing outside the European Union are entitled to reimbursement of the VAT included in the purchase price, if the goods purchased are taken along upon leaving the European Union. A service charge is deducted from the final amount of the refund.

Here’s how you can have VAT refunded when leaving the European Union via Tallinn Airport:

1. Purchase receipt with refundable VAT

When paying for your purchases in the shop, ask for a receipt from the shop assistant.

2. Customs certificate

The goods you have purchased must not be used before being taken outside the European Union.

A) If you’re going to place the purchased goods in your checked baggage, go to the customs checkpoint (located next to the arriving passengers’ door) to have the goods inspected before you check in for your flight. Present your purchases, passport and receipt(s) to the customs official and the official will certify the export of the goods on the receipt.

B) If you’re going to take the purchased goods along in your hand baggage, after you have checked in for your flight and passed through the security control, contact the customs officials using the special purpose internal phone located between Gate 4 and Gate 6 to have them inspect the goods. Present your purchases, passport and receipt(s) to the customs official and the official will certify the export of the goods on the receipt.

3. Receive the money

VAT refunds are paid out by the CHANGE IT currency exchange desk located near the gate number 3. Present the purchase receipt(s) with refundable VAT and your passport to the customer service representative there and the refundable amount will be transferred to your credit card or paid out in cash. Complete list of all refund locations.