Local Laws

CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While traveling in Estonia, you are subject to its laws and regulations. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own. If you break local laws in Estonia, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It’s very important to know what is legal and what is not legal where you are going.

There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States. For example, you can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy counterfeit and pirated goods abroad. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States.

Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, and customary international law, if you are arrested in Estonia you have the option to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the U.S. Embassy of your arrest and to have communications from you forwarded to the embassy.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: As of 2011, Estonia replaced its currency, the kroon, with the euro. Currently only euros are accepted, although persons holding cash kroons can continue exchanging them for euros at the official rate for an indefinite period at the Bank of Estonia (Eesti Pank) in Tallinn. You can also get local currency from ATMs using your U.S. debit card. Please note that some ATMs will function only if your ATM card has a computer chip. You can use a regular U.S. credit card for payment in most shops and restaurants in Estonia. If you plan to exchange U.S. cash for euros while visiting Estonia, you should be aware that many banks and currency exchanges do not accept old U.S. bills. Accordingly, please try to bring newer bills, preferably those issued after 2000.

WOMEN TRAVELER INFORMATION: If you are a woman traveling abroad, please review our tips for Women Travelers.

LGBT RIGHTS: Estonian law prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, or other personal characteristics, and the government generally respects these prohibitions. While the law is not specific regarding the forms of sexual orientation and gender identity covered, in practice all were understood to be included. Despite this, many Estonian LGBT activists report the authorities are unwilling to aggressively prosecute possible misdemeanors under penal code provisions involving incitement to hatred.

There are several LGBT night clubs in Tallinn that operate openly and in general without problems. In addition, there is an LGBT community center in Tallinn. LGBT public events, including the regional Baltic Pride event in 2011, have been held without incident. LGBT travelers should nonetheless consider exercising caution when visiting Estonia, especially with regard to expressing affection in public. According to local advocacy organizations, many LGBT persons, especially males, are reluctant to display affection in public (including holding hands) because incidents of verbal or physical assault have resulted. Many LGBT Estonians also do not reveal their sexual orientation or gender identity and avoid reporting incidents to police. As a result, individual police officers may have limited experience or knowledge with regard to specific concerns of LGBT individuals or the LGBT community more broadly. The English-language website of the Estonian visitors bureau has specific information regarding the LGBT community in Estonia. For more detailed information about LGBT rights in Estonia, you may review the State Department’s Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013. For further information on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) travel, please read our LGBT Travel Information page.

ACCESSIBILITY: While in Estonia, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from what you find in the United States. Estonian law requires that most new public buildings and others with community space (e.g., shopping centers) be accessible for persons with disabilities. However, many older buildings are not required to meet these requirements.

Getting around in Estonian cities and towns may be difficult at times since many sidewalks are narrow and uneven, and cobblestone streets—particularly in Tallinn’s popular Old Town—make access difficult. In general, mobility is easier in cities such as Tallinn, Tartu, and Pärnu compared to smaller towns and rural areas. Roads and sidewalks in the winter can get quite icy, which makes getting around more difficult. In general, public transport is not accommodating to people with mobility disabilities, although selected Tallinn public buses, trams, and trolleys are specially equipped to assist persons in wheelchairs.

The English-language website of the Estonian visitors bureau contains general information for disabled visitors, specific information for visually-impaired travelers and those using wheelchairs, and general accessibility information for hotels and other accommodations in Estonia. An Estonian advocacy group for the disabled, Freedom of Movement (Liikumisvabadus), has a site that provides specific accessibility ratings for hundreds of businesses and public buildings in Estonia, as well as other useful information. You may also e-mail the U.S. Embassy in Tallinn for further information on this topic.