Can I lose Estonia's long-term resident status if I move abroad for a long time?

Permanent status in Estonia is not unconditional. Long-term resident status is tied to actually living in Estonia, and it can be withdrawn if you are absent from the country, or from the EU, for an extended uninterrupted period.

If you plan to spend a long stretch outside Estonia or the EU, check the current absence limits before you go, and keep your registered address and documents up to date. Planning around these rules protects the status you worked five years to earn.