Chapter 8

Web Resources

Business Customs

Estonia is a modern country that enjoys close relations with Nordic and other Baltic countries. Social and business protocol is similar to that in northern Europe.

Travel Advisory

The climate in Tallinn is characterized by a fairly cold winter, a cool spring with little precipitation, a moderately warm summer and a long and rainy autumn. However, some summers have weeks at a stretch of temperatures around +30° C, and a warm, sunny summer can keep autumn at bay until mid-October.
Average temperature in July +20°C
Average temperature in February -9°C
Weather forecast in the Internet: http://www.weather.ee/
More info: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1112.html

Visa Requirements

To live and work in Estonia, foreigners from non-EU countries need both a residence permit and a work permit, both of which may be obtained from local Migration Department offices. English-language instructions on how to apply are available from the Migration Department. Alternatively, instructions are posted in English on the web page of Enterprise Estonia http://www.investinestonia.com.

U.S. citizens do not need to obtain a visa for visits of less than 90 days.

U.S. Companies that require travel of foreign businesspersons to the United States should be advised that foreign travelers often require visas to enter the United States. Visa applicants should go to the following links:

State Department Visa Website: http://travel.state.gov/visa/index.html
United States Visas: http://www.unitedstatesvisas.gov/
US Embassy Consular Section in Estonia: http://www.usemb.ee

Telecommunications

Within a short time, modern means of communication have become an inseparable part of the daily life of Estonians, and the use of mobile telephones and the Internet is more widespread than in most EU member states. Near 100 percent of Estonians have a mobile phone and about 66% of population aged between 15-74 uses the Internet.

Transportation

Estonia has a relatively well-developed transportation infrastructure. The density of Estonia's road network is comparable to that of the Nordic countries, although the quality of the roads in many places is not yet up to Nordic standards. Public transportation in major cities is efficient and reliable. While there are five passenger-serving airports in Estonia, most international flights occur through Tallinn Airport GH Ltd. For more info: http://www.tourism.tallinn.ee/index.php?page=49

Language

The official language in Estonia is Estonian. English is increasingly spoken, especially in the capital city. Russian is still the most-widely spoken second language, although less so among younger Estonians.

Health

The quality of medical care in Estonia is approaching Western standards in the capital of Tallinn, especially for routine medical care. Acute critical care technology is available, but in some areas still falls short of what is available in the U.S., especially in complicated surgeries and oncology. The medical system is largely socialized, as in much of Western Europe. Wait times for getting an appointment to see a doctor can be quite long, and the service level during hospital stays is somewhat below U.S. standards. It is not always possible to find English-speaking doctors or medical staff in a given specialty area.

Cases of resistant strains of tuberculosis have been reported in Estonia. Visitors to forest areas in warm weather should also guard against tick-borne encephalitis. Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747); fax 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299), or via the CDC's Internet site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization's website at http://www.who.int/en Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith

Local Time, Business Hours, and Holidays

Time Zone: GMT + 2 hours
Business hours are between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Supermarkets and shopping centers are generally open between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. every day.

The national holidays in Estonia for 2007 are:

Tuesday, January 1	New Year's Day
Sunday, February 24	Independence Day
Friday, March 21	Good Friday
Thursday, May 1	May Day
Monday, June 23	Victory Day
Tuesday, June 24	Midsummer Day
Wednesday, August 20	Day of Restoration of Independence
Wednesday, December 24	Christmas Eve
Thursday, December 25	Christmas Day
Friday, December 26	Boxing Day

Temporary Entry of Materials and Personal Belongings

Info on Temporary Entry

Estonian Customs

Web Resources

Estonian Customs
Travel info
Weather forecast in Internet
Enterprise Estonia
State Department Visa Website
United States Visas.gov
US Embassy Consular Section
World Health Organization's website

Return to table of contents

Doing Business in Estonia: A Country Commercial Guide for U.S. Companies

Chapter 8: Business Travel

Doing Business in Estonia:
A Country Commercial Guide for U.S. Companies

Chapter 8:
Business Travel