Virtual Office FAQ
This can be done with the Estonian e-residency card, ID card, Mobile ID, and Smart ID. To get more information about all of these self-identification tools, please read the material in our FAQ environment. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKJ3zgS5oTc The payment of the state fee must be made to the Ministry of Finance. During the final phase of the application submission process in the Estonian Business Register e-environment, bank account, and reference number information must be provided. It should be noted that failure to pay the state fee will result in the application not being processed. Should any obstacles arise during the payment process, we offer a specialized service free of charge to assist with payment. E-residency is a transnational digital identity designed to facilitate location-independent business administration. It provides access to secure and convenient digital services that enhance credibility and trust online. Please note that e-residency does not confer citizenship, tax residency, residence, or right of entry to Estonia or the European Union. It is not a visa or residence permit, and the e-resident digital-ID card does not function as a physical identification or travel document. Applicants for e-residency are subject to a state fee of 100 euros. Depending on the selected pick-up location, additional fees may apply. If an office in Estonia is chosen as the pick-up location, there is no additional fee. If a foreign representation of Estonia is selected, an additional fee of 20 euros will be charged upon application. If the pick-up location is Seoul, South Korea; Tokyo, Japan; or San Francisco, USA, an additional service fee will apply, which must be paid directly to the service provider upon collecting the document. Please note that the Police and Border Guard Board conducts background checks on all e-residency applicants. More detailed information about applicable fees for each location is displayed upon selecting a specific pick-up location. The laws and regulations governing e-residency applications can be found in the Identity Documents Act and the State Fees Act. The terms and conditions for the use of personal identification documents of the Republic of Estonia can be accessed here. For more information, please visit: https://eresident.politsei.ee We will conduct a thorough investigation by checking all relevant official registries in Estonia. Upon completion of our investigation, we will compile the relevant data and prepare a comprehensive report which will be provided to you in PDF format. Other possibilities are visiting a Public Notary in Estonia or using a power of attorney. These are more expensive options, different service and translation fees are added. Single or multiple founders are possible. All founders must log in to the Estonian Commercial Register with an e-residency ID card and provide their signature. To be considered a permanent resident in Estonia, you must live in the country for at least 186 days each year due to personal or professional reasons. You can provide various documents to prove your permanent residence, including a lease agreement signed for at least six months, an employment or service contract lasting for at least six months, proof of property ownership in Estonia, invoices in your name for utilities or fuel, evidence from a school or kindergarten if you have minor children, an annual report if you serve on an Estonian company’s board, transportation tickets with clear dates of stay, letters of explanation from people you live with, and other evidence showing your personal ties to Estonia. If you provide an employment contract, a certificate of studying in Estonia, or a certificate of being in Estonian military service, one certificate is enough. However, for other evidence, such as a lease agreement, additional evidence must also be provided along with the lease agreement. This can be done with the Estonian e-residency card, ID card, Mobile ID, and Smart ID. To get more information about all of these self-identification tools, please read the material in our FAQ environment. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKJ3zgS5oTc A stronger connection with Estonia is needed. Establishing a company is a very suitable solution for this. We can help with that. As well as with a contact person and a legal address service. These services will assist you in meeting the necessary requirements and ensuring compliance with the regulations of Estonia’s company registration process. Estonia invites anyone in the world to apply for e-Residency, as long as: E-Residency is particularly well-suited for many freelancers, consultants, digital nomads, solo entrepreneurs and other digital entrepreneurs interested in establishing a digital services company they can manage from anywhere. To be considered a permanent resident in Estonia, you must live in the country for at least 186 days each year due to personal or professional reasons. You can provide various documents to prove your permanent residence, including a lease agreement signed for at least six months, an employment or service contract lasting for at least six months, proof of property ownership in Estonia, invoices in your name for utilities or fuel, evidence from a school or kindergarten if you have minor children, an annual report if you serve on an Estonian company’s board, transportation tickets with clear dates of stay, letters of explanation from people you live with, and other evidence showing your personal ties to Estonia. If you provide an employment contract, a certificate of studying in Estonia, or a certificate of being in Estonian military service, one certificate is enough. However, for other evidence, such as a lease agreement, additional evidence must also be provided along with the lease agreement. Note, an e-Residency digital ID card provides access to e-services, but it is not a valid form of physical identification and cannot be used as a travel document. e-Residency does not confer citizenship, tax residency, physical residency, or right of entry to Estonia or the European Union. There are no annual or maintenance fees for the e-Residency digital ID card. The e-Residency digital ID card is valid for (5) years. The state fee for renewal or replacement is the same. Non-residents not registered in the commercial register in Estonia and operating in Estonia through a permanent establishment or non-residents not having a permanent establishment but being employers in Estonia have to register with the Estonian Tax and Customs Board. Likewise, non-resident employees and recipients of payments not having an Estonian personal identification code have to be registered with the Estonian Tax and Customs Board. Closer look: https://www.emta.ee/en/business-client/registration-business/non-residents-e-residents/registration-non-resident Other possibilities are visiting a Public Notary in Estonia or using a power of attorney. These are more expensive options, different service and translation fees are added. Of course, there is such a solution. In case there are difficulties logging into the client’s environment or there is no need for it. We use STRIPE payment links, which are personal for each service, as well as the Paypal QR payment link, where you can determine the amount to be paid according to the desired service. Paypal payment QR link: The best suited businesses for e-Residency are paperless companies that can be run completely online independent of location, for example consulting or freelance services in IT and communications, professional and scientific activities, and administrative and support service activities. We are increasingly seeing e-residents setting up small to medium eCommerce and dropshipping businesses, as well as larger companies manufacturing and/or selling physical goods wanting to set up a subsidiary in Europe. Just like showing identification when completing a credit card transaction at a store, you indicate your digital ID for verification over the internet so companies are certain you are you. The ID card has technical support. If starting to use the card online seems difficult or daunting, they are there to assist you, here: https://www.id.ee/en/id-card On their website, you can find how-to videos, support articles, step-by-step solution finders, and the contacts of the support team. Video: For an example of the videos, check out how to create a digitally signed document on your computer! Manual for logging in to the business registry: 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. The e-Residency application environment is administered by the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board. PBGB is also responsible for processing e-Residency applications and making decisions. If you need help submitting your e-Residency application, consult with the FAQ below or contact the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board. In order to track your application status, please log in to the application environment. Please note that the e-Residency project team does not have access to the application environment. All inquiries related to application process, should be directed to the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board. We will conduct a thorough investigation by checking all relevant official registries in Estonia. Upon completion of our investigation, we will compile the relevant data and prepare a comprehensive report which will be provided to you in PDF format. The following solutions are accepted for this purpose: Estonian e-residency card, Estonian ID card, Dokobit, or Docusign solutions. Manual how to use e-residency and ID card. If there is no activity or income derived from Estonia, taxes should be paid in the country where the service is provided or activity is done or income is derived from, the pure e-residency alone does not influence foreign or Estonian taxation. An Estonian company established by an e-resident is an Estonian tax resident. The Estonian e-residency does not automatically exempt from taxation elsewhere. Tax residency is the place where you actually have to pay the taxes. For example, if you are an Estonian citizen, but have lived more than 183 days per year in Finland, then you become a tax resident in Finland and have to pay the taxes there. Generally, a company’s tax residency is in the country where the company is established. So, if the company is based in Estonia, then by law the tax residency is in Estonia. There are exceptions to this rule that will change the tax residency of your company, which we will discuss later in this article. When talking about tax residency or even e-Residency, it is essential to emphasize that neither is an actual residency. So, if you receive your e-Residency card, then this doesn’t make you a resident nor a tax resident of Estonia – it is a common false perception. E-Residency is not related to a visa or a resident permit and doesn’t enable you to travel to Estonia. An e-Residency card is a digital identity that allows you to run a business in Estonia from a distance and fully online. To explain tax residency and citizenship, we first need to consider that there are two separate parties involved: a private and a legal person. This means that your company is a legal person, and you alone are the private person. Citizenship only applies to a private person and is determined by your passport. The tax residency on the other hand is not the same as citizenship and is determined by tax laws. The tax residency status can be in the same country as your citizenship, but it also might be different or change in time. No. Your status as an e-resident does not grant permission to live in Estonia or within the EU. You will not receive benefits related to EU residency by becoming an e-resident. The payment of the state fee must be made to the Ministry of Finance. During the final phase of the application submission process in the Estonian Business Register e-environment, bank account, and reference number information must be provided. It should be noted that failure to pay the state fee will result in the application not being processed. Should any obstacles arise during the payment process, we offer a specialized service free of charge to assist with payment. It is possible for multiple companies to share the same legal address. However, we take measures to ensure that each customer’s mail is handled separately and confidentially. As of 2023, we have two available addresses, which can be viewed in our FAQ section. A stronger connection with Estonia is needed. Establishing a company is a very suitable solution for this. We can help with that. As well as with a contact person and a legal address service. These services will assist you in meeting the necessary requirements and ensuring compliance with the regulations of Estonia’s company registration process. The payment of the state fee must be made to the Ministry of Finance. During the final phase of the application submission process in the Estonian Business Register e-environment, bank account, and reference number information must be provided. It should be noted that failure to pay the state fee will result in the application not being processed. Should any obstacles arise during the payment process, we offer a specialized service free of charge to assist with payment. Non-residents not registered in the commercial register in Estonia and operating in Estonia through a permanent establishment or non-residents not having a permanent establishment but being employers in Estonia have to register with the Estonian Tax and Customs Board. Likewise, non-resident employees and recipients of payments not having an Estonian personal identification code have to be registered with the Estonian Tax and Customs Board. Closer look: https://www.emta.ee/en/business-client/registration-business/non-residents-e-residents/registration-non-resident 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. If there is no activity or income derived from Estonia, taxes should be paid in the country where the service is provided or activity is done or income is derived from, the pure e-residency alone does not influence foreign or Estonian taxation. An Estonian company established by an e-resident is an Estonian tax resident. The Estonian e-residency does not automatically exempt from taxation elsewhere. Tax residency is the place where you actually have to pay the taxes. For example, if you are an Estonian citizen, but have lived more than 183 days per year in Finland, then you become a tax resident in Finland and have to pay the taxes there. Generally, a company’s tax residency is in the country where the company is established. So, if the company is based in Estonia, then by law the tax residency is in Estonia. There are exceptions to this rule that will change the tax residency of your company, which we will discuss later in this article. When talking about tax residency or even e-Residency, it is essential to emphasize that neither is an actual residency. So, if you receive your e-Residency card, then this doesn’t make you a resident nor a tax resident of Estonia – it is a common false perception. E-Residency is not related to a visa or a resident permit and doesn’t enable you to travel to Estonia. An e-Residency card is a digital identity that allows you to run a business in Estonia from a distance and fully online. To explain tax residency and citizenship, we first need to consider that there are two separate parties involved: a private and a legal person. This means that your company is a legal person, and you alone are the private person. Citizenship only applies to a private person and is determined by your passport. The tax residency on the other hand is not the same as citizenship and is determined by tax laws. The tax residency status can be in the same country as your citizenship, but it also might be different or change in time. The only income that is sourced within Estonia is subject to taxation in Estonia. In cases where there is no activity or income sourced from Estonia, taxes must be paid in the jurisdiction where the service is provided, activity is conducted or income is derived from. It is important to note that e-residency alone does not have any bearing on taxation in Estonia or any other jurisdiction. Furthermore, e-residency does not automatically provide an exemption from taxation in other jurisdictions. It should also be noted that an Estonian company established by an e-resident is deemed an Estonian tax resident. To be considered a permanent resident in Estonia, you must live in the country for at least 186 days each year due to personal or professional reasons. You can provide various documents to prove your permanent residence, including a lease agreement signed for at least six months, an employment or service contract lasting for at least six months, proof of property ownership in Estonia, invoices in your name for utilities or fuel, evidence from a school or kindergarten if you have minor children, an annual report if you serve on an Estonian company’s board, transportation tickets with clear dates of stay, letters of explanation from people you live with, and other evidence showing your personal ties to Estonia. If you provide an employment contract, a certificate of studying in Estonia, or a certificate of being in Estonian military service, one certificate is enough. However, for other evidence, such as a lease agreement, additional evidence must also be provided along with the lease agreement. This can be done with the Estonian e-residency card, ID card, Mobile ID, and Smart ID. To get more information about all of these self-identification tools, please read the material in our FAQ environment. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKJ3zgS5oTc This can be done with the Estonian e-residency card, ID card, Mobile ID, and Smart ID. To get more information about all of these self-identification tools, please read the material in our FAQ environment. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKJ3zgS5oTc
Accounting (1)
For this purpose, we need to be given appropriate rights of representation by logging into the environment of the Tax and Customs Board.
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Address service (1)
In the event of a change to the state area, a state fee is required to be paid.
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Background check (2)
To clarify, this is not a background check related to obtaining an Estonian e-residency.
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Upon receipt of your order and payment, we request that you provide us with the necessary data to proceed with the background check.
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Company formation (2)
Can be done without but this is our preferred option.
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Contact person (1)
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EORI number (1)
For this purpose, we need to be given appropriate rights of representation by logging into the environment of the Tax and Customs Board.
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General (18)
Unfortunately, the e-Residency status alone does not include the provision of a physical address in Estonia.
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E-Residency enables digital entrepreneurs to start and manage an EU-based company online:
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Can be done without but this is our preferred option.
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Your e-Residency digital ID card is an electronic personal identification used to identify yourself over the Internet securely.
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Customers can log into the client area and pay to renew their subscriptions.
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Upon receipt of your order and payment, we request that you provide us with the necessary data to proceed with the background check.
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The contract is signed digitally.
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An e-resident is a non-resident according to Estonian tax legislation. Only income derived in Estonia is taxed in Estonia.
NB!
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Package ONE (2)
In the event of a change to the state area, a state fee is required to be paid.
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As a provider of address services to multiple customers, we cannot guarantee that each address is unique.
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Package TWO (2)
Unfortunately, the e-Residency status alone does not include the provision of a physical address in Estonia.
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In the event of a change to the state area, a state fee is required to be paid.
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1
Taxis in Estonia (5)
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An e-resident is a non-resident according to Estonian tax legislation. Only income derived in Estonia is taxed in Estonia.
NB!
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As per Estonian tax legislation, an e-resident is considered a non-resident for tax purposes.
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Trademark registration (2)
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For this purpose, we need to be given appropriate rights of representation by logging into the environment of the Tax and Customs Board.
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VAT number (1)
For this purpose, we need to be given appropriate rights of representation by logging into the environment of the Tax and Customs Board.
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