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.

Estonia invites individuals to apply for e-Residency, as long as:

• You have a clear understanding of the reason you are applying for e-Residency and how you are planning to use it;
• You respect the law and have good intentions;
• You are not an Estonian citizen or a foreigner residing in Estonia on a residence permit or with the right of residence (you already have a government-issued digital ID).

E-Residency is particularly well-suited for many freelancers, consultants, digital nomads and other digital entrepreneurs interested in establishing a digital services company that they can manage remotely.

As a part of the EU sanctions imposed due to the Russian military invasion in Ukraine, the Estonian government has imposed restrictions on first-time e-Residency applicants from Russian and Belarusian citizens.

Once you have received your e-Residency digital ID, you’re ready to create your Estonian company online.  Online registration can be done through the government owned Company Registration Portal, or via Business Register API services that some service providers have on their websites. The state fee to register a private limited company (‘osaühing’ or ‘OÜ’ in Estonian) is €265. 

You must use a licensed service provider to fulfil the legal address and contact person legal requirements. You may also need help from your service provider with accounting, tax, legal matters, and business banking in Estonia, the EU, or your own country. Read more about choosing the right service provider and then follow our step-by-step instructions to register your company.

Costs of starting and running your business will vary depending on the business form, volume of activities, the fees of your service providers, and the types of services you need. At a basic level for a private limited company (OÜ), the costs will include:

• E-Residency application state fee = €100-€120, depending on pickup point
• Company registration state fee = €265
• Fee for legal address + licensed contact person in Estonia =  €200-400 per year, on average
• Fees for additional services (e.g. bookkeeping, accounting) start at €50 per month
• Minimum share capital contribution = €0.01 per shareholder

Read more about costs and fees of starting a business in Estonia on our Knowledge Base.