Estonia, Internet, Legislation, Markets and Companies, Technology

The bill's initiator – the government – said that while Estonian residents can handle almost all their business digitally, foreigners living permanently in another country do not have such possibility at present.

When the e-residency bill takes effect, people living abroad will be able to get a virtual identity enabling access to Estonian e-services.

The main target groups of e-residency project are foreign investors and staff of their companies, foreigners who are member of management bodies or shareholders, foreigners working in Estonian enterprises, foreign partners and customers of Estonian enterprises, foreign students, academics, as well as their family members.

The creation of digital identity for e-residents will help involve foreigners living abroad in the development of the Estonian economy, science, education and IT environment, making Estonia as provider of this unique solution an attractive economic, science and educational environment.

E-residency project is based on the vision „10 million e-Estonians by 2025” that was authored by Taavi Kotka, deputy general secretary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communication.

The bill will enter into force in December 1, 2014.

The hopes are high: the e-Estonian project must help promote Estonia globally as a small country that is innovative and open-minded.

Finnish media have already written that the e-residency project is likely to attract many Finnish businessmen to set up companies in Estonia.