How to become an e-resident of Estonia: who can apply, the fee, the pick-up and the timeline

e-Residency is a digital ID that Estonia gives to people who do not live there. With the e-Residency card you can found and run an Estonian company (OÜ) online, from anywhere. You apply yourself, online, and pay a state fee of 150 euros. No agent is needed: in fact, applications through an agent are refused.

The Estonian Police and Border Guard Board (the police authority that also issues ID cards) handles the application. We call it "the police" below.

In short

• Apply online at eresident.politsei.ee. It takes 30 to 60 minutes.
• Pay 150 euros by card. You do not get it back if you are refused.
• You get a decision within about 30 days.
• You collect the card in person, at an Estonian embassy or a police office in Estonia.
• Most people have the card 2 to 4 months after applying.

What it gives, and what it does not

With the card you can log in to Estonian e-services and sign documents digitally. Above all, you can register an Estonian OÜ company online and run it.

It does not make you a citizen or a tax resident of Estonia. It is not a visa and not a travel document, and it gives no right to live in Estonia or the EU. It does not guarantee a bank account. You pay tax where you live and work: see founder residency.

Who can apply

Almost anyone with a clear, lawful purpose who is not already an Estonian citizen or resident. You must apply yourself.

Since 01.10.2025 some citizenships are restricted (police: restrictions):

• Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, DR Congo, Iran, Mali, Nigeria, North Korea, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen: only with an exception, for example three years of residence in Europe or a real business in Estonia.
• Russia and Belarus: only with an earlier e-Residency card and a real business in Estonia.

The police check your background: criminal record, visa refusals and entry bans. They may ask about your business, look at public social media, or call you by video.

The application

Open eresident.politsei.ee and choose First-time applicant.

You log in with your e-mail address and a one-time link, with no password.

You need:

• Your passport or EU ID card, valid for at least two more months.
• A recent photo: colour, under six months old, a .jpg of 1 to 5 MB and at least 1300 x 1600 pixels (photo rules).
• A short motivation: how you will use e-Residency.
• A CV.

Pick an e-mail address you will keep: it cannot be changed later. The form asks detailed questions about your companies, bank accounts, crypto, criminal record and past travel bans. Answer everything truthfully. You also choose where you will collect the card; changing it later costs extra.

The fee

150 euros, paid by Visa or Mastercard in the application form. Someone else may pay for you. It is not refunded if you are refused. There is no yearly fee (costs and fees).

Picking up the card

The police decide within 30 days (sometimes longer if they need more information). You then get an e-mail when the card reaches your pick-up point, usually 2 to 5 weeks later. You can collect it at:

• a police office in Tallinn, Tartu, Pärnu or Narva;
• one of 39 Estonian embassies;
• one of 12 mobile pick-up points, such as Bangkok, Dubai or São Paulo, which open only a few times a year.

Go in person with the passport or ID card you applied with. Your fingerprints are taken there. Nobody else can collect it for you, and it is never posted. Collect it soon: an uncollected card is destroyed after six months (pick-up locations).

What you get

• The card, valid for 5 years, with your Estonian personal code.
• A USB card reader.
• PIN codes: PIN1 to log in, PIN2 to sign.

Install the free ID software from id.ee, and the card works within 24 hours. You can also set up Smart-ID on your phone. Mobile-ID is not available to e-residents.

How long it takes

In total, about 6 to 8 weeks until you can collect the card, and 2 to 4 months for most people. A mobile pick-up point can add more.

Renewal

The card cannot be extended. Before it expires, apply again, pay 150 euros again, and collect the new card in person. Start two to three months early. Keep your company's annual reports and tax returns up to date: the police can refuse a renewal if your company has not met its duties.

Next step

With your card, register an Estonian OÜ company online in about an hour.