E-Residency gives foreigners the opportunity to apply for digital residency in Estonia even if they don't live there.
When a person registers for the Estonian e-Residency, that person receives a government-issued smart ID card that enables digital identification. The person can digitally sign important documents, access secure services and conduct secure transactions - even if a person does not live in Estonia.
E-Residency enables an Indian entrepreneur to set up an Estonian company from Singapore to serve clients based in Italy. In addition, he could use his digital signature to sign contracts throughout the EU. Everything would be done online remotely.
How does it work?
E-residents receive an identity card that contains a special chip. With this card they can use Estonian public and private sector services, sign documents and encrypt files remotely.
The program has become a global success story. As soon as the program started informing people about an official launch, the media swarmed. Within a few hours, people in different countries signed up for a notification. Then more than 6,000 people applied.
Some of the biggest names in the world are on the list of Estonian e-residents, such as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe, former Apple evangelist Guy Kawasaki and Timothy Draper of venture capital firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson.
E-residency is a new concept. It's not the idea of a government-issued digital ID card. Estonians have been using these cards for a long time. As Estonia is often referred to as e-Estonia due to technological advances, it made sense to extend this ID service to the rest of the world. By extending every public and private sector transaction to people in other countries, Estonia has created long-term value in the idea of secure digital identities.
Why eResidency?
The main goal of e-Residency is to make life and business easier for freelancers, digital nomads, business owners, international partners and all other non-residents. If a person wants to start a business, expand, make an investment or study in the EU - Estonian e-Residency makes it easy.
e-Resident can:
Create and run a business online
Do banking online
Access international payment service providers
Digitally sign documents
Check the authenticity of documents
Encrypt documents securely
declare taxes online