Whether you’re a startup, freelancer, or business owner, our FAQ section is designed to provide clarity and help you make informed decisions.
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You need apostilled documents whenever your Estonian company must prove its legal standing abroad.
The apostille lets foreign banks, authorities, and business partners trust that the papers are genuine, enabling you to open non-Estonian bank accounts, sign contracts, or complete transactions in other countries without additional verification.
The background check we offer has nothing to do with applying for e-Residency. Estonia’s Police and Border Guard Board (PBGB) carries out its own screening of every e-Residency applicant and charges the state fee set in the Identity Documents Act and the State Fees Act. Those fees vary by pick-up location (Tallinn: no extra charge; embassies: + €20; partner hubs such as Seoul, Tokyo or San Francisco: local service fee).
What e-Residency is — and isn’t
A government-issued digital ID that lets you sign, authenticate and run an EU company online.
Not a form of citizenship, tax residency, visa, residence permit, or travel document.
Our background-check service is designed for corporate due-diligence on Estonian natural or legal persons; it neither replaces nor influences the PBGB’s screening for e-Residency applications. For official details on e-Residency requirements and fees, see the PBGB website.
Being an e-resident of Estonia does not give you the right to live in Estonia or elsewhere in the EU, nor does it provide any form of residency, visa, or immigration status. E-residency is simply a digital identity that allows you to manage a business remotely, not a physical presence permit.
What qualifies as permanent residence in Estonia?
To be considered a permanent resident, you must live in Estonia for at least 186 days per calendar year for personal or professional reasons. This requires strong ties to Estonia, which must be proven with supporting documents. Common examples include:
A lease agreement of at least 6 months (must be supported by additional evidence)
An employment or service contract lasting at least 6 months
Proof of property ownership in Estonia
Utility bills or fuel invoices in your name
School or kindergarten records (if you have children in Estonia)
Annual report if you’re on the board of an Estonian company
Transport tickets showing extended stays
Letters of explanation from people you live with
If you provide an employment contract, study certificate, or proof of military service in Estonia, that alone may be sufficient.
E-Residency does not include a physical address. If you’re looking to establish stronger ties to Estonia, founding a company, along with using our legal address and contact person services, is a practical and compliant way to do so. We’re here to assist.
Customers can log into the client area and pay to renew their subscriptions.
All offered payment gateway extensions can be used to process manual renewal payments. Customers can choose a different payment method for each renewal payment. It’s better to set up automatic payments.
If there is a problem with logging in to the customer area, let us know and the payment link will be sent.
After we receive the payment we will manually extend your subscription.
Keeping your residence information up to date in the Population Register is a legal obligation.
To register your residence in Estonia, you must submit a notice of residence to the city or rural municipality government of your place of residence. This ensures that your address is correctly recorded in the Estonian Population Register, as required by law.
You can submit your notice of residence in the following ways:
Online via the e-population register (requires Estonian ID-card, Mobile-ID, or e-Residency). You can also track the status of your submission there.
By e-mail to your local city or rural municipality government (in Tallinn, to the district government). The form must be digitally signed.
By post, including a signed notice and a copy of your ID showing your personal data.
If you have multiple permanent addresses, one must be designated as your main residence—the address with legal effect in the register. Other addresses may be submitted as additional residences, but the main one must always be accurate and up to date.
Whenever you move within Estonia, relocate abroad, or return from abroad, you are legally obligated to update your residence address in the Population Register.
Clarifying taxation rules for e-residents and Estonian companies.
According to Estonian tax law, e-residents are considered non-residents for tax purposes. This means that only income earned in Estonia is taxed in Estonia. If there is no Estonian-sourced income or activity, you must pay taxes in the country where the service is provided or the income is earned. E-Residency alone does not create tax residency—neither in Estonia nor elsewhere.
An Estonian company established by an e-resident is automatically considered an Estonian tax resident company, and subject to Estonian corporate tax rules. However, the personal tax residency of the e-resident does not change simply because they hold an e-Residency card.
It’s a common misconception that e-Residency provides residency or tax residency status—it does not. E-Residency is a digital identity, not a visa, residence permit, or travel document. It allows you to manage a company remotely, but it has no impact on where you pay personal taxes.
Keep in mind:
Your personal tax residency is determined by factors such as physical presence (e.g. more than 183 days in a country) and centre of economic or personal interests.
Your personal tax residency may also trigger permanent establishment rules, which could lead to tax obligations for your Estonian company in your country of residence.
Lead-in: E-Residency gives you access to Estonia’s digital business environment—but it has no effect on your personal or corporate tax residency, which are determined by entirely separate legal criteria.
If your IOSS number is canceled or expires, you should immediately contact the Estonian Tax and Customs Board. Understand the reason for cancellation or expiration.
Find out how to reapply or renew your IOSS registration. Continuing to sell goods in the EU without a valid IOSS number could lead to non-compliance with VAT regulations.
Companies using the IOSS number must maintain accurate records of all eligible sales for ten years. They need to make these records available upon request by any EU member state. Businesses are also required to ensure that the VAT charged at checkout is correctly calculated based on the buyer’s location. Compliance with these requirements is crucial for maintaining the validity of the IOSS registration.
Being an e-resident of Estonia does not give you the right to live in Estonia or elsewhere in the EU, nor does it provide any form of residency, visa, or immigration status. E-residency is simply a digital identity that allows you to manage a business remotely, not a physical presence permit.
What qualifies as permanent residence in Estonia?
To be considered a permanent resident, you must live in Estonia for at least 186 days per calendar year for personal or professional reasons. This requires strong ties to Estonia, which must be proven with supporting documents. Common examples include:
A lease agreement of at least 6 months (must be supported by additional evidence)
An employment or service contract lasting at least 6 months
Proof of property ownership in Estonia
Utility bills or fuel invoices in your name
School or kindergarten records (if you have children in Estonia)
Annual report if you’re on the board of an Estonian company
Transport tickets showing extended stays
Letters of explanation from people you live with
If you provide an employment contract, study certificate, or proof of military service in Estonia, that alone may be sufficient.
E-Residency does not include a physical address. If you’re looking to establish stronger ties to Estonia, founding a company, along with using our legal address and contact person services, is a practical and compliant way to do so. We’re here to assist.
E-residency in Estonia does not automatically mean tax residence. It only provides the opportunity to use the e-services that the Estonian state offers. Among them is the establishment of the company. If your turnover is less than EUR 40,000 per the calendar year, you don’t need to add VAT to your invoices. If the turnover is generated outside Estonia, you do not have to add VAT to your invoices if you exceed this amount. If the employees do not work in Estonia, the labour tax according to Estonian law does not have to be taken into account.
Keeping your residence information up to date in the Population Register is a legal obligation.
To register your residence in Estonia, you must submit a notice of residence to the city or rural municipality government of your place of residence. This ensures that your address is correctly recorded in the Estonian Population Register, as required by law.
You can submit your notice of residence in the following ways:
Online via the e-population register (requires Estonian ID-card, Mobile-ID, or e-Residency). You can also track the status of your submission there.
By e-mail to your local city or rural municipality government (in Tallinn, to the district government). The form must be digitally signed.
By post, including a signed notice and a copy of your ID showing your personal data.
If you have multiple permanent addresses, one must be designated as your main residence—the address with legal effect in the register. Other addresses may be submitted as additional residences, but the main one must always be accurate and up to date.
Whenever you move within Estonia, relocate abroad, or return from abroad, you are legally obligated to update your residence address in the Population Register.
Clarifying taxation rules for e-residents and Estonian companies.
According to Estonian tax law, e-residents are considered non-residents for tax purposes. This means that only income earned in Estonia is taxed in Estonia. If there is no Estonian-sourced income or activity, you must pay taxes in the country where the service is provided or the income is earned. E-Residency alone does not create tax residency—neither in Estonia nor elsewhere.
An Estonian company established by an e-resident is automatically considered an Estonian tax resident company, and subject to Estonian corporate tax rules. However, the personal tax residency of the e-resident does not change simply because they hold an e-Residency card.
It’s a common misconception that e-Residency provides residency or tax residency status—it does not. E-Residency is a digital identity, not a visa, residence permit, or travel document. It allows you to manage a company remotely, but it has no impact on where you pay personal taxes.
Keep in mind:
Your personal tax residency is determined by factors such as physical presence (e.g. more than 183 days in a country) and centre of economic or personal interests.
Your personal tax residency may also trigger permanent establishment rules, which could lead to tax obligations for your Estonian company in your country of residence.
Lead-in: E-Residency gives you access to Estonia’s digital business environment—but it has no effect on your personal or corporate tax residency, which are determined by entirely separate legal criteria.
