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How to Get Estonian e-Residency: Your Detailed Process Guide
📅 April 4, 2023
Our team has received a number of requests from clients paying a dedicated interest to the setup of an Estonian private limited company – osaühing by means of an Estonian e-Residency programme. This brings a number of benefits if you wish to do your business in the EU through the IT capital of Europe. We prepared this guide to help and summarise the information from the Estonian official resources to make it clearer and simpler while considering an application for the e-Residency programme.
What is the rationale to become an e-Resident?
E-Residency is a modern solution offered by the Estonian government by implementing digital technologies as one of the key incentives to make business running simpler than ever:
- Remote and digital access to a variety of state and private services related to business setup;
- Remote and digital possibility to incorporate an entity with a little effort and no paperwork;
- Digitally sign, verify, encrypt and send documents securely;
- Fully remote and digital management of the incorporated company.
- Official, clear and simple application process ensured by the Estonian government.
These are the few examples of the benefits that the e-Residency programme can grant to applicants.
How to become an e-Resident in Estonia?
In general, the whole process shall take from 3 to 8 weeks from submission of the application to receiving the e-Residency kit at the selected pick-up location. Consideration time may depend on several factors. In particular, before granting a positive decision, the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board (PBGB) will conduct a background check which usually lasts up to 30 days.
Upon having the positive decision granted, the personal e-Residency kit will be produced and delivered to the specific pick-up place which you will have to indicate while submitting the application. As a final step, you will have to take the travel document (e.g. passport) and submit your fingerprints in order to finalise the process and obtain the kit from the selected pick-up location. The e-Residency digital ID card will be valid for 5 years.
What are the fees for the e-Residency application?
There are three types of fees to be paid depending on the place you choose to collect your e-Residency kit:
- In Estonia (Service Point of the PBGB) — 100 EUR;
- Estonian embassy — State fee 120EUR; and
- Collection center — State fee 100 EUR plus a service fee (depends on a pickup location).
*Please note that the above-mentioned fees are to be paid upon submitting the application to PBGB. The payment shall be made by credit card: VISA and MasterCard are accepted only.
What is necessary to have prepared before applying for Estonian e-Residency?
The following will be required in order to proceed with your e-Residency application:
- A copy of the identity document. This could be either passport or identity card (for citizens of the European Union only);
- Digital photo. It is important to upload a passport-style photo that is no older than 6 months. For more instructions on the requirements for the photo of the document, please click here. For more information on how to make a passport photo at home, please click here;
- Motivation Statement. This will be required for submission to explain to the PGPB the reasoning why you are applying for the e-Residency in Estonia;
- Curriculum Vitae (CV). Please kindly prepare the latest and the most relevant version of your CV that will include your education and work experience;
- Information on the previous business activity (only in cases when this could be applicable to you); and
- Credit Card. This one is required in order to make a payment for the state fees of processing the application. As mentioned above, the accepted types of cards are VISA and Mastercard.
Once everything is prepared and you are ready to apply, you may click here in order to be redirected to the official page to start the application process at the website of the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board.
To start the process, you will need to create an account first. Please use the email address that you monitor on a regular basis as you will receive notifications and updates from the PBGB.
To read more about the application process and required documents/information, you may follow the following link.
In case you have not received a decision, or invitation to schedule the collection of your kit or should you need to cancel the application, please do not hesitate to contact ppa@politsei.ee.
Should you require additional assistance or have some questions to be clarified, you may discover more information at the official website of the e-Residency programme or contact our team at Corpheroes via email: info@corpheroes.com
Some useful links:
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