The Ministry of the Interior made the announcement in response to from Riigikogu MP Aleksei Jevgrafov (Center), who inquired whether it would be possible to make an exception and recognize non-biometric Russian passports if the holders are children under the age of 12.

Minister of the Interior Igor Taro (Eesti 200) explained that making an exception of this kind is not possible. Taro pointed out that, in accordance with a decision by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Estonia stopped recognizing Russian non-biometric passports on March 31, 2025.

According to Taro, these documents do not meet the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and also make it difficult to determine whether they were issued in Russian-occupied territories. In accordance with the decision of the European Commission, passports issued in occupied territories are not recognized as valid travel documents.

"The reliability and security of Russian non-biometric passports do not depend on the age of their holder, so an exemption for children is not possible," Taro stressed.

The minister also added that a transition period until September 30, 2025 has been established for Russian citizens who have a residence permit in Estonia or another EU country, to allow them time to replace their current documents with biometric ones.

Taro clarified that when crossing the border, it is permissible for a Russian citizen to have a Schengen visa inside a non-biometric passport. However, in such cases, travelers are also required to present a valid biometric passport.

Taro added that the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) reserves the right, in exceptional cases and for humanitarian reasons, to grant a person single entry into Estonia with a document that is not officially recognized.

---

Follow ERR News on Facebook and X and never miss an update!