This mapping by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) highlights both positive efforts to address statelessness in Estonia as well as current gaps and challenges. It recommends undertaking a comprehensive profiling survey of ‘persons with undetermined citizenship’ and considering ways to further facilitate the acquisition of citizenship.

Data presented on educational attainment and labour market and social integration suggest that persons with undetermined citizenship tend to have a weaker position in Estonian society than Estonian citizens. Despite the majority of persons with undetermined citizenship having been born in Estonia, there are substantial differences in employment rates and annual incomes. Likewise, a substantial proportion of them are at risk of poverty and are disproportionately represented among the prison population.

The UNHCR recommends conducting a comprehensive profiling survey of the persons with undetermined citizenship in order to determine their reasons for remaining without Estonian citizenship. The findings from such a survey could inform the government’s measures to facilitate this population’s acquisition of Estonian citizenship. In addition, it could serve as an opportunity to inform this population about the existing naturalisation procedure and support available for learning Estonian, and to highlight the benefits of acquiring Estonian citizenship and the importance of the individual’s responsibility for making an effort in naturalisation.