Everything you need to operate online is provided in your e-Residency kit – your digital ID card, a card reader and your PIN codes. If you are not yet an e-resident, learn how to apply.
If you have picked up your e-Residency kit, welcome!
The best place to get started is on our step-by-step Welcome page. This page will not only guide you through getting started but also demonstrate what you can do with your digital ID card.
The 3 basic steps
1. Verify your digital ID card is active by entering your digital ID card document number here
2. Install the digital ID software: Windows or MacOS
3. Insert your digital ID card into your card reader, you are now ready to use your digital ID card to use e-services and establish a company online.
My certificates are not active
If you have just received your e-Residency digital ID, please confirm your certificates have been activated as this can take up to 24 hours from the time you picked up your e-Residency kit. You can check this on the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board (PBGB) site here.
If the certificates are not yet active, we kindly ask you to wait. If the certificates are not active within 24 hours, contact the issuing authority, PBGB, at ppa@politsei.ee. Be sure to provide your full name, date of birth and document number.
Set up @eesti.ee email address
With your e-Residency digital ID card, you will receive your very own @eesti.ee email address. To set up your @eesti.ee email address go to the Estonian government information portal: https://www.eesti.ee/en
1) Log in with your e-Residency digital ID card
2) Choose Mailbox -> Mailbox settings from the menu or go directly to the address https://www.eesti.ee/postkast/en/seaded
3) Fill in the field “Enter an email address” with your email address and click “Send activation code”. An activation code will be sent to your personal email.
4) Open the email from Riigiportaal eesti.ee
5) Enter the activate code from the e-mail to eesti.ee portal and click “Activate forwarding”.
If you have any trouble setting up the eesti.ee email address, contact help@ria.ee.
Make sure you update the forwarding settings if your personal email address changes. To do this, you will need to log into the eesti.ee portal and edit your mailbox settings.
Technical issues
If you encounter a technical issue, you should first visit the ID card help centre where you will find simple step-by-step solutions to the most common problems. You can also contact the ID card support by phone at (+372) 666 8888 or through an online form. ID card helpline works Monday to Friday, 8:00 - 19:00 EET.