Estonia couldn’t think of a better idea to further open its borders to the rest of the world by launching the ” E-resident “. Increasing its economy by bringing in investors from around the world is one of the main reasons given by this country to justify the creation of a digital nationality…
Have you heard of the E-Resident ? If the answer is undoubtedly positive for Estonia, let us recall that this small state is located in the north of Europe. As for the connection between the two, let us tell you that Estonia is one of the most tech-savvy and digitally savvy countries in the world. As a result, it has opened its borders to the world via the internet to issue the ” E-residence ” to all those who wish to invest in its economy.
What is ” E-residence ” ?
The term ” E-residency ” or e-citizenship is used to refer to the identity or digital citizenship that an individual obtains from a country that issues this type of residential status. In the case of Estonia, this e-citizenship is the status that an individual can receive after filling in a simple application on the Internet. The same file will be sent to and studied by the Estonian authorities. If the application for Estonian e-citizenship is accepted, the applicant will receive an electronic identity card that can be used for entrepreneurial projects.
Indeed, the application for E-resident status in Estonia is mainly open to entrepreneurs or anyone who has the ambition to create a new startup in a tax-friendly environment. You will probably say that it will be difficult to manage a company from your current country ! Think again, because this is the advantage of ” e-residence ” which guarantees that the entrepreneur can manage his company more easily from anywhere in the world.
So how do you get your ” E-residence ” ? The procedure is very simple and requires first of all a connection to the Internet. After filling in the appropriate form, make a payment of 100 euros. Your file will be sent for study and the authorities will give you an answer within a month. If the application is accepted, go to the Estonian embassy to get your digital identity card !
Since its launch, approximately 13,000 people have obtained their E-residency and more than 1,000 businesses have been created through this process. If this system continues to work so well, by 2025 the number of people connected to Estonia through the e-residence system will be over 10 million, which is considerable for a state with a population of 1.3 million.
What are the advantages of Estonian e-citizenship ?
What you need to understand about the ” e-residency ” is that it is in no way the acquisition of Estonian citizenship or even less a permanent residence permit to live and work in Estonia. This ” E-residence ” is intended for entrepreneurs or investors : it cannot be used as an identity document !
However, acquiring a digital citizenship gives you certain advantages such as :
- Setting up an Estonian company online : setting up a company in Estonia normally requires a physical address in the country.
- You will be able to manage your startup wherever you are in the world !
- Make bank transfers to and from your bank account in Estonia (you will need to open a bank account at a local institution !).
- You can also make international digital payments.
- Apply a digital signature to formalize documents and contracts online.
- Do secure file transfer and encryption over the Internet without any problems.
The objective of this project ” e-residence ” is to bring entrepreneurs, investors or anyone who wants to open a startup in Estonia. The Estonian authorities want to boost their economy and develop mainly their digital sector. Freelancers or developers who want to sell their services to international companies are also welcome to invest.
What happens to tourists ? Even if companies are the most favoured and can obtain their ” e-resident ” after only one day, tourists are not left out. However, the delays are longer.
Estonia, a country that lives in the digital age
This northern European state is famous for its development in the field of technology and digital technology. It is often considered as the laboratory of digital technology, at the origin of many innovations. A dedication to technology and digital that is instilled in Estonians from an early age, starting in primary school, with schooling built on digital literacy and the development of technology with programming learning. In addition, the creators of Skype are from that country. Furthermore, Estonia is the most connected country in Europe and where access to networks for fibre optic connectivity has become a right.
If you were thinking of opening a startup without leaving home, consider Estonia. This country will undoubtedly welcome you with open arms !
