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.
E-Residency provides the key for a growing global community to access Estonia’s digital nation. 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.
Note:
- an e-Residency digital ID card provides access to e-services, but it is not a valid form of physical identification and cannot be used as a travel document;
- e-Residency does not confer citizenship, tax residency, physical residency or right of entry to Estonia or the European Union without a visa should one be required;
- e-Residency status alone does not guarantee access to banking services.
E-Residency has an ambitious mission to facilitate and advance the provision of Estonia’s unique digital services in order to empower entrepreneurs and transform business practices globally. The programme is a government-wide initiative led by the e-Residency team, the Police and Border Guard Board, and a number of government ministries that are dedicated to constantly improving Estonia's digital infrastructure and business environment.
Read, why become an e-resident or watch videos from e-residents sharing their experience.
As said in the beginning, Estonia is the first to offer e-Residency, but at this point, we are no longer the only ones. Read a comparison of Estonian and Lithuanian e-residencies.