Business opportunities in Estonia

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Estonia was the first country to introduce E-Residency in 2014.

E-Residency of Estonia is a state-issued digital identity that provides global entrepreneurs with remote access to the world's most digitally advanced country. It enables secure online authentication and document signing using the most secure and efficient electronic signatures. Additionally, it allows for 100% online company registration from anywhere.

To obtain E-Residency, a person needs to undergo the registration process on the official website and obtain an ID card:

· in Estonia, from the Police and Border Guard Board if the person is in Estonia;

· if abroad, at Estonian embassies or consulates or at the foreign service provider’s point of issue.

The application for E-Residency requires a state fee payment during the application submission. The amount depends on the chosen place of receipt:

· in Estonia (service point): 100 EUR;

· Estonian Embassy: 120 EUR (100 EUR for the application and 20 EUR for the courier, collected together when submitting the application);

· service Center: 100 EUR plus a service fee, payable upon receiving your ID (the cost depends on the place of receipt).

Documents required:

· resume (CV);

· motivational letter;

· copy of travel document/ID;

· digital photo in passport style.

More details about the E-Residency registration process can be found here.

In addition to E-Residency, traditional forms of business operation are available, each with its own specifics.

Individual Entrepreneur Registration (FIE)

Register online in the commercial register (requires E-Residency; registration takes only one working day) or through a local notary (takes about 5-7 days).

Private Limited Company (OU). The most popular form of business. Founders can be legal or natural persons from 1 to 10 individuals. There is no longer a requirement for minimum share capital from February 1, 2023. The founders decide the required amount.

Public Limited Company (AS)

Minimum share capital is 25,000 EUR. Shareholders are not personally liable for the obligations of the public limited company. The nominal value of shares must be at least 0.1 EUR. Shares must be registered and entered into the Central Register of Securities of Estonia.

Partnership

No requirements for share capital; it is determined in the partnership agreement. It can be a general partnership or a limited partnership, depending on the liability of the participants.

Detailed information about the differences between each legal form is available here.

Business registration procedure

Online registration involves several steps – filling out the prescribed application, completing a template statute, and paying the registration fee (from 20 to 200 EUR).

Offline registration through a notary includes:

· choosing the legal form;

· selecting a company name;

· opening an account for the statutory capital;

· obtaining a license (if the activity requires licensing or permits);

· registering a legal address;

· preparing founding documents and notarizing them;

· registering with the notary;

· registering the company as a VAT payer and for social insurance.

Taxation features for businesses are outlined here.

More information about the procedure for terminating business activities in Estonia can be found here.