What is e-Residency
Estonia is the first country to offer e-Residency, a government-issued digital identity and status that provides access to Estonia’s e-services and transparent business environment. Estonian e-Residency enables digital entrepreneurs to establish and manage an EU-based company completely online, from anywhere in the world. Thus far, more than 103,000 people from 170+ countries have applied for e-Residency, establishing over 25,000 Estonian companies with a virtual office address.
Why become an e-Resident?
The majority of e-services currently available to e-residents are business-related as most people choose to apply for e-Residency in order to establish and manage a company online in a transparent business environment - e-Residency works particularly well for entrepreneurs offering location-independent digital services, like freelancers, consultants and digital nomads who: sell services or digital products online in a broad range of sectors, including IT, marketing, publishing, consulting and more, want to reduce bureaucracy and paperwork, in order to save time and money, do not have a fixed location, or want their business to stay in — or enter — the EU market so they can expand regionally or globally, trade in euros, access financial services or EU funding, or stay within the EU’s legal frameworks.
How to get Estonian e-Residency?
Step 1. Choose Pick-up Location:
Before applying, select Estonia from the available pick-up location list for the e-Residency card and kit. These must be collected in person for identification purposes. Check the full list of locations here.
Step 2. Collect Documents for Application:
- Scan of your government-issued ID (travel document in English)
- Passport-size photo (.jpeg format)
- Business activity details and motivation statement
- CV or a link to social media (e.g., LinkedIn)
- Your bank card for the application fee
Step 3. Apply for e-Residency:
Once your documents are ready, start filling out the application, which usually takes 30-40 minutes.
Step 4. Application Review:
The review begins upon submission, taking 3-8 weeks. Extra information may be requested, potentially extending the processing period. Upon approval, your e-Residency kit will be printed and mailed, and you'll receive an email notification.
Step 5. Collect e-Residency Kit:
When approved, visit the designated pickup site to collect your e-Residency Kit. Keep in mind that the card requires in-person pick-up for biometric data submission. Prepare your ID document accordingly.
Is a virtual office a physical space?
A virtual office isn’t a full-time workspace for your business. With our virtual office packages, you register your business at one of our workspaces and your company benefits from having a prestigious address in one of the leading EU based location. All our business addresses belong to real workplaces.
If you need a physical space to work, you can choose a virtual office package to access our business lounges and reach out to your personally assigned consultant. Fees may apply.
How often will my mail be forwarded?
With our mail forwarding service, you can choose how often you receive your mail, e.g.weekly or monthly, rather than collecting your mail in person.