Estonian Interior Minister Igor Taro said the change is intended to ensure that every child has a clear legal status at birth. The measure is designed to guarantee that children receive Estonian citizenship when they lack a legal claim to another country's nationality.

The proposal includes an important exception for so-called "mixed families," in which one parent holds a grey passport and the other is a Russian citizen. In such cases, children are not covered by the new rule because they automatically qualify for Russian citizenship under existing laws.

Taro noted that parents in mixed-status households would still have options. They may apply for Estonian citizenship for themselves and their child at the same time. In addition, if a child in such a family has not yet formally acquired Russian citizenship, Estonian citizenship can be granted without requiring a formal renunciation of Russian status, provided all other criteria are met.

The new legislation is expected to take effect at the beginning of 2027.

Under the current system, children born in Estonia to two stateless parents who have lived in the country for more than five years can obtain citizenship through a special naturalization process. The proposed law would simplify these rules by requiring only one parent — rather than both — to meet the five-year residency requirement.

Taro said the reform represents a broader policy shift. "We are drawing a line under the era of grey passports," he said, adding that while some individuals may choose to retain their current status, it will no longer be passed on automatically to children born in Estonia.

Thousands of people live in Estonia without citizenship and are colloquially known as grey passport holders.

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