Family benefits
- Family benefits are paid to the child's parent or guardian. To apply, you must contact the Social Insurance Board.
- If the person is not the child's parent (is a grandparent, aunt, other relative, or acquaintance, but takes care of the child), the first step is to contact the local government authority to establish guardianship and immediately apply for child allowance for the child. The right to other family allowances, including guardianship allowance, arises when guardianship is established. Together with the establishment of guardianship, the determination of family allowances takes longer.
Child and family allowances
- The amount of child allowance is 80 euros for the first and second child in the family and 100 euros for the third and next child in the family. From three children, the allowance for families with many children is 450 euros per month, and for seven children, 650 euros per month.
- A child is entitled to child support until they turn 19.
Parental allowance
- Parental allowance is paid to a parent who arrived in Estonia with a child under one and a half years of age. Parental allowance is 886 euros per month for up to 545 days. The exact number of days of the parental allowance depends on the age of the child and the start of the parent's residence permit. The payment of the parental allowance is accompanied by health insurance.
Example: the child was born on January 10, 2025, and the mother has not worked in Estonia, so this child would be entitled to a parental allowance for 545 days from birth (until 07.07.2026). However, if the child's mother has a residence permit from March 16, 2026, she can receive a parental allowance from 16.03.2026 to 08.07.2026, i.e., for 115 days.
- If the mother does not work in Estonia before the birth of the child, the parental allowance is for a total of 545 days from the birth of the child, of which the first 30 days are the mother's parental allowance.
- If the mother works in Estonia before the birth of the child, the parental allowance is for a total of 575 days, of which the first up to 70 days is the right to receive the mother's parental allowance before the expected birth of the child.
- If the mother has earned income taxed with social tax in Estonia during the parental allowance calculation period, her parental benefit is calculated based on the earned income. If the mother has not received income during the accounting period, the amount of the parental allowance is 886 euros per month.
- In the case of children born in Estonia, the parental benefit procedure is carried out in the usual domestic manner.
In order to receive family benefits and allowances, you need:
- application for family benefits
- school certificate (if the child studies abroad)
- identity document - passport, birth certificate, or certificate from the embassy
- proof of receiving/not receiving family benefits in Ukraine (valid for 6 month since the date of issue)
- bank account to pay the allowances - both an Estonian or Ukrainian bank account or a relative's account is suitable. An Estonian bank account can be opened free of charge and in a simplified manner in major Estonian banks
- questionnaire for applicants of family benefits who have moved to Estonia from outside the European Union. If you have already submitted the questionnaire once and the situation in your family has not changed (i.e. no new children were born, none of your family members moved abroad etc.) then you do not have to submit questionnaire again.
ATTENTION! The family benefits are assigned for a certain period until the expiration date of your residence permit. If you prolong your residence permit then you must submit new family benefits application.
You can submit the application:
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through self-service „Messages“ option (you do not have to sign the application)
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to the email [email protected] with e-signature
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fill it in our customer services
If residence permits of your family members expire on different dates, you must submit new application form after each residence permit prolongation. The proof of receiving/not receiving family benefits in Ukraine submitted earlier is valid in Estonia for 6 months since the date of its issue.
How to apply for family benefits in Estonia?
In order to receive family benefits, the "Application for family benefits for Ukrainian citizens" must be submitted. The application must be submitted at the Social Insurance Board's self-service via "Communication", or digitally signed to the e-mail [email protected], or it can be filled on paper at the Social Insurance Board's customer service.
What evidence is required to be submitted with the application?
The following documents must be submitted together with the application for family benefits:
1) Child's birth certificate
2) Marriage certificate (if the birth certificate has another surname of the applicant)
3) Proof of receipt/non-receipt/termination of Ukrainian family benefits
4) School certificate (if the child studies abroad)
5) Proof of the absence of the other parent in the birth certificate (if you want to apply for single parent child support)
If you do not have the evidence at the moment of applying, you can submit it within 30 calendar days from the day of submitting the application.
Is the Dija app or bank account statement acceptable as proof? What kind of proof should there be?
No. A bank account statement or a statement from the Dija application is not a proof of receipt/non-receipt of benefits. The certificate must be issued by the competent authority of Ukraine and must contain the following information:
1) To whom benefit is/was paid (recipient details)
2) For whom the benefit is/was paid (child's details)
3) What types of benefits are/were paid
4) During which period the benefits are/were paid
5) The certificate must be signed and, if possible, stamped
Does the proof have to be original, or I can submit scanned version?
The certificate can be sent as a scan or as a picture. The certificate can be in Ukrainian, Russian or English.
You or your children had your residence permit extended and you did not receive family benefits?
A temprorary residence permit is issued for a specific period, and family benefits are assigned until the valid residence permit expires or until the right to receive family benefits ends.
If you or your children have a temporary residence permit extended, you will have a new period of eligibility to receive family benefits. The payment of family allowances is not automatically extended in connection with the extension of the residence permit.
In order to continue receiving family benefits from Estonia, you must submit a new application for family benefits with the necessary proofs. Both the child and the parent must have a registered place of residence in the Population Register of Estonia.
I lived in Estonia before 24.02.2022 and I am not under temporary protection. Do I also need to provide proofs?
Yes. All foreigners who live in Estonia on the basis of a residence permit and apply for family benefits in Estonia must prove that they do not receive family benefits from another country.
I am a citizen of Ukraine. My child was born in Estonia. Do I need to provide proof of receipt/non-receipt of Ukrainian benefits?
Yes. All foreigners who live in Estonia on the basis of a residence permit and apply for family benefits in Estonia must prove that they do not receive family benefits from another country.
I receive family benefits from Ukraine, can I also receive Estonian family benefits?
No. A resident of Estonia who receives a similar type of benefit from another country does not have the right to receive family benefits from Estonia.
My child is not paid family benefits in Ukraine, do I need to prove it?
Yes. All foreigners who apply for family benefits in Estonia must prove that they do not receive family benefits from another country.
My home is in the occupied territories. How can I prove that I do not receive family benefits from Ukraine?
If your place of residence in Ukraine is located in the occupied territories and there is no local government, please check the information whom to contact on the website of the Ministry of Social Protection of Ukraine.
If I do not receive family benefit and parental allowance for a child under 3 years old in Estonia, do I have valid health insurance?
Yes. If you have a residence permit and are raising a child under 3 years of age in Estonia, you are guaranteed health insurance, even if you do not yet receive parental allowance or family benefit.
Last updated: 20.01.2026
