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Who is eligible?

Updated

Estonia welcomes you to apply for e-Residency if you have a clear purpose, lawful intentions, and are not already an Estonian citizen or resident with a digital ID. While we aim to be on the inclusive side, we do wish to make sure, that when gaining access to our e-services, e-residents activities would promote the development of the Estonian economy, science, education or culture. 

Restrictions

As part of the EU sanctions in response to Russia's military invasion of Ukraine, the Estonian government has imposed restrictions on first-time e-Residency applicants from Russia and Belarus:

  • Russian and Belarusian citizens are currently not eligible to submit first-time e-Residency applications. Please note that this is determined by citizenship, not residency.

 

Basis for refusal

The issue of an e-resident’s digital identity card will be refused if:

  • the applicant poses a threat to public order or national security;
  • an e-resident’s digital identity card is applied for an economic activity and there is a basis for prohibition on economic activities;
  • an applicant is not clearly identified or there is a reason to doubt the true identity thereof.

The issue of e-resident’s digital identity card may be refused if:

  • there is a circumstance constituting a basis for refusal to issue visa or temporary residence permit or for application of prohibition on entry;
  • the issue of the document does not comply with the objective to promote the development of the Estonian economy, science, education or culture. 

 

Considerations

Background check

All applicants undergo background checks conducted by the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board (PBGB), the authority that manages the entire application process, to ensure digital identities are used by verified people with good intentions. During the background check, the PBGB assesses the applicant’s compliance with the law, their prior and current criminal record and whether there are any circumstances giving rise to denying a visa or temporary residence permit or imposing an entry ban. During the background check, Police and Border Guard Board may ask you to submit additional information, including information about your business activities, public social media accounts etc. 

Travel

Your e-Residency digital ID card is not a travel document and your e-resident status does not provide you with the legal right to enter a foreign country, including Estonia. If you are approved, you will need to travel to an official pick-up location to provide fingerprints and pick up your e-Residency kit in person. For that, you may need to apply for a visa, if there is no pickup location in your home country. Note, it is not possible to send the document by mail or ask somebody else to collect it on your behalf. You will need to collect the document within 6 months. 

Banking

Banking service providers and payment institutions set their own eligibility criteria for opening accounts and e-resident status does not guarantee access to their services. If you are a resident of a country on the FATF list of high-risk and other monitored jurisdictions, you will most likely have difficulty accessing any kind of business banking service even with a company registered in Estonia. Check out this article for an overview of banking basics.

 

Transparency

In Estonia, a significant proportion of information about Estonian companies is publicly available, including

  • company name, registry number, VAT number, legal address,
  • company contact details,
  • names and surnames of company representatives,
  • annual reports, paid taxes, taxable turnover and employee count.

The availability of this information helps Estonia to have a transparent and trusted online business environment. 

 

You can read more about eligibility requirements at the bottom of the Police and Border Guard Board FAQ. 

They are the issuing authority and can provide you with more information about eligibility criteria and documentation required for the application. 

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