A Step by Step Guide to Moving to Estonia From Pakistan
If you are planning to move to Estonia from Pakistan, this guide is not meant to motivate you or discourage you. It is meant to prepare you.
Moving to Estonia from Pakistan is not impossible, but it is expensive, stressful, and heavily shaped by factors that have nothing to do with your skills, education, or character.
Before we get into the steps, there are two realities that must be acknowledged.
First, the Pakistani passport is among the weakest in the world. It ranks near the bottom in global passport mobility, meaning visa free travel is extremely limited.
Second, Pakistan is not a wealthy country. The median household income in Pakistan is a fraction of that in Western countries. This matters because almost every step in the process requires money, upfront, with no guarantee of success.
With that context, here is what the process of moving to Estonia from Pakistan actually looks like.
Step 1: Understanding Where You Can Apply for an Estonian Visa
There is no Estonian embassy in Pakistan.
This single fact changes everything.
To apply for an Estonian visa, you must travel to a country where Estonia has an embassy. Common options include Turkey, the UAE, or Egypt. For many Pakistanis, Turkey is the most accessible choice.
Once you choose a country, you must secure an appointment at the Estonian embassy there. Appointment availability is limited and unpredictable. If you manage to get one, you move to the next stage.
Step 2: Preparing Documents for Your Estonian Visa
Your reason for moving to Estonia determines the type of documents you need. The most common reasons are:
Employment
Studies
Family reunification or spouse visa
In all cases, documents alone are not enough.
Your certificates must be attested, certified, and notarised by the relevant authorities in Pakistan. For students, this often means verification through the Higher Education Commission. For professionals, this can involve ministries, employers, and legal offices.
This process takes time and money. Nothing moves quickly.
Only once all documents are verified can you realistically proceed.
Step 3: Applying for a Turkish Visa
Before you can attend your Estonian visa appointment, you must obtain a Turkish visa.
This is not automatic.
The Turkish visa process itself requires extensive documentation. You must prove income, assets, and strong ties to Pakistan. The goal is to convince authorities that you will return.
Your personal history does not simplify this. Whether you are law abiding or well educated is irrelevant. The system assumes risk first and trust later.
Step 4: Preparing Documents for Turkey
The Turkish visa application typically requires:
Proof of income
Bank statements
Asset ownership
Employment or business records
Travel history
Purpose of visit
If you are a freelancer, business owner, or government employee, requirements are even stricter.
Every document costs money. Every delay increases pressure.
Once approved, you usually receive a short stay visa, often valid for around 15 days.
Step 5: Booking Flights to Turkey
Pakistan requires return tickets for outbound travel in many cases.
This creates a financial contradiction. Even if your plan is to continue onward to Estonia, you must buy a return ticket to Pakistan before leaving.
That means more money spent on tickets you may never use.
Step 6: Arranging Accommodation in Ankara
You must stay near the Estonian embassy, typically in Ankara.
The problem is uncertainty.
Visa processing time is unpredictable. It might take three days. It might take ten. It might take the full 30 days allowed by Estonian regulations.
Your Turkish visa may only be valid for 15 days.
Accommodation costs add up quickly, especially when you are paying daily with no clear timeline.
For someone from an average Pakistani household, this alone can be financially overwhelming.
Step 7: Attending the Estonian Embassy Interview
Once in Ankara, you attend your interview.
If everything goes well, the embassy keeps your passport and tells you to wait.
There is no immediate answer.
This is where the hardest part begins.
Step 8: Waiting
Waiting means uncertainty.
Every day costs money.
Accommodation continues.
Food continues.
Stress increases.
The Estonian D visa fee itself is high. There is no guarantee of approval.
If your visa decision comes after your Turkish visa expires, you must leave Turkey and return to Pakistan. There is no extension.
If that happens, the entire process must be restarted from the beginning.
If you are lucky and receive approval within the allowed time, you can proceed.
Step 9: Booking a Flight to Estonia
Once approved, you must book a flight to Estonia quickly.
Last minute tickets are expensive. Planning ahead is impossible because approval dates are unknown.
At this stage, most people are financially and emotionally exhausted.
Only now do you finally arrive in Estonia.
A Passport Comparison That Explains Everything
To understand how much of this is structural, consider this comparison.
A US passport holder can:
Book a flight to Estonia
Enter visa free
Apply for residence or long term status from inside Estonia
No embassy travel.
No multi country visas.
No document marathons.
The difference is not education, ambition, or capability.
It is birthplace.
What This Means for Life in Estonia
This guide is not written to discourage you from moving to Estonia. Many people succeed, build careers, and create meaningful lives here.
But life in Estonia begins long before you arrive. It begins in embassies, bank statements, and waiting rooms.
Understanding the system matters because it explains why migration feels unequal, why the process feels personal even when it is not, and why resilience is required long before integration begins.
