Why become an e-resident

If you are granted e-Residency, you will receive a government-issued digital ID card that provides access to Estonian e-services.

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.

Benefits of becoming an e-resident

  • Digitally sign documents
  • Verify the authenticity of signed documents
  • Encrypt and send documents securely
  • Access a wide range of Estonian public and private e-services
  • Establish an Estonian company online
  • Manage your Estonian company online from anywhere in the world
  • Apply for digital business banking and online payment services
  • Declare Estonian corporate taxes online (if your company is an Estonian tax resident)
  • Join a community of like-minded people

A list of the e-services most often used by e-residents can be found in our article on how to use your e-Residency digital ID or in our Marketplace.

Still not sure, if you should become an e-resident? Read our blog Is e-Residency for me?

Though we have some great examples on who benefits from e-Residency programme the most at the blog article referred above, you can also read what e-residents say themselves at our blog section e-resident stories.

If you're ready to become an e-resident, learn more about how to apply.

FAQ

Can I travel to the EU with e-Residency?
No. Your status as an e-resident does not grant permission to travel to Estonia or within the EU without a visa, should one be needed. Your e-Residency digital ID card can not be used for travel and does not display a photo for physical identification.
Can I live in the EU with e-Residency?
No. Your status as an e-resident does not grant permission to live in Estonia or within the EU. You will not receive benefits related to EU residency by becoming an e-resident.
Will e-Residency affect my current residency, citizenship or visas?
E-Residency does not have any effect on your current residency, citizenship or visas in any country.
Will I get a physical address in Estonia with e-Residency?
No. Your e-Residency status itself does not come with a physical address in Estonia. To register your company in Estonia, you will likely need to use a business service provider to provide contact person and legal address service.
Will I get a bank account with e-Residency?
Becoming an e-resident does not guarantee access to banking services. Banks are run by the private sector and they have set their own criteria for evaluating their potential customers. For example, they must comply with AML and KYC rules. 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. Read more at our Banking basics.
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