Estonia welcomes applicants from around the world who want to use e-Residency to start and manage businesses online. To keep the programme secure, trustworthy, and compliant with international rules, there are some restrictions based on citizenship.
These restrictions exist to protect Estonia's digital environment, to meet international cooperation standards, and to make sure that e-Residency remains reliable for entrepreneurs worldwide.
Citizenship-based restrictions
Estonia does not accept e-Residency applications from citizens of certain countries that do not have a cooperation framework with Estonia.
Applications are not reviewed from citizens of the following countries:
- Islamic Republic of Afganistan
- Burkina Faso
- Islamic Republic of Iran
- Republic of Yemen
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Democratic People's Republic of Korea
- Republic of South Sudan
- Republic of Mali
- Federal Republic of Nigeria
- Syrian Arab Republic
Exceptions
Applications from citizens of these countries may still be reviewed if at least one of the following applies:
- The applicant has lived in a European Economic Area (EEA) Member State, the United Kingdom, or the Swiss Confederation for at least three consecutive years immediately before submitting the application for the e-resident's digital ID and holds a valid residence permit from that country.
- The applicant has permanent economic activity in Estonia and has met all obligations related to it.
- The applicant has previously been issued an e-resident's digital ID card and it has used it for its intended purpose.
- The applicant is an employee of an Estonian embassy, an Estonian Honorary Consul, or a contracted export advisor of the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (Enterprise Estonia).
NB
These restrictions do not affect current e-residents who are citizens of the listed countries. Already issued e-resident digital IDs remain valid until the end of their validity period.
Restrictions for citizens of Russia and Belarus
As part of EU sanctions following Russia's war of agression against Ukraine, Estonian government decided to impose following restrictions:
- First-time applications from Russian and Belarusian citizens are not reviewed.
- Renewal applications from Russian and Belarusian citizens may be accepted only if both of the following conditions are met simultaneously:
- The applicant has previously been issued an e-resident's digital ID and has collected it.
- The applicant has permanent economic activity in Estonia and fulfils all obligations related to this activity.
NB
- Having a residence permit in another country does not remove this citizenship-based restriction.
- Renewal applications from Russian and Belarusian citizens may take longer to process because of additional compliance checks.
- Estonian companies founded and run by e-residents with Russian and Belarusian citizenship may also face extra checks by supervisory authorities to ensure sanctions compliance.
Access to banking and business services
Banks, fintechs, and business service providers carry out their own risk assessments as part of their KYC/AML compliance obligations.
This means
- Some e-residents may face restrictions or additional checks when applying for banking or business services.
- Several providers restrict access for citizens of sanctioned or higher-risk countries.
- A few providers have introduced restrictions of their own, on solidarity with Ukraine.
E-Residency as a government programme cannot intervene in the risk assessments, KYC, or AML processes of banks, fintechs, or other business service providers.
What you can do
- Always check directly with your bank or business service provider for the latest information.
- If your business banking account is closed, contact your bank or providers immediately.
- Be prepared to answer questions about your business activities, as this may help reopen your account or support finding an alternative solution.
Have questions?
The Estonian Police and Border Guard Board reviews e-Residency applications. Visit their website for more information and answers to common questions. If you have questions, please contact the Estonian Police and Border Guard.