Estonia Investment Visa - Eligibility, Requirements, and Application

Investors who have an interest in starting or expanding a business in Estonia should apply for an Estonia investment visa.

Moreover, Estonia has become a popular destination for foreign investment, as the country has low taxes and an efficient regulatory environment.

Nevertheless, the country also has a stable government and a strong economy. Therefore, foreign investors who wish to invest in Estonia should apply for an investment visa. Investors who are not citizens of a European Union or European Economic Area country must apply for a residence permit first.

Therefore, in this article, we will guide you through the process of applying for an Estonia investment visa. We will also cover the necessary requirements and visa application costs.

How to Apply for an Investment Visa in Estonia

There are two processes for applying for an Estonian investment visa. They are:

First, you must apply for a national investment visa at the Estonian Embassy.
Go to the Estonian embassy in your country of residence.
Make an appointment
Collect all requested documents and submit them to the Estonian embassy. With a long-term visa D, you can stay in Estonia for one year.

Next, if you plan to stay in Estonia for more than a year, you can apply for a temporary residence permit.

Two ways you can apply for a residence permit

From your home country: When applying for a long-stay D visa, In your home country, you can apply for a temporary residence permit; or
After entering Estonia: Apply to the Service Bureau (PBGB) for a temporary residence permit when you have entered Estonia. Before applying for a temporary residence permit, you must contact the service office and make an appointment.

Criteria for an investment visa in Estonia

There are certain criteria for applying for an investment visa in Estonia. These criteria are:

Any investor must be above 18 years.
An investor must have good health conditions.
The investor must not have a criminal record.
Anybody investing in Estonia must be financially stable to invest up to the required amount.
They should have experience in the business they want to run.
The investor needs to know the Estonian industry.

Investment visa options in Estonia

There are two options for an Estonia investment visa:

The Large Investment Visa.
The general investment visa.

Large investment visa

To apply for a large investment visa, you need to invest at least €1,000,000 in an Estonian company registered in the e-business register. Your investment must directly benefit the Estonian economy. You could also put the same amount into a mutual fund.

Remember that the investment must be permanent as long as your residence permit is valid. This rule does not apply if the market price changes and the investment suffers as a result. However, you can continue to invest in Estonia by changing your investment through other registered companies.

Note: If you are applying for a large investor visa, you do not need to submit a business plan. Secondly, you don’t need to be a resident of Estonia. Again you don’t need to register your place of residence in the Estonian population register.

Visa for general investment

As a sole proprietor, you can apply for a general investment visa. This means that if you are a freelancer or self-employed person, If you want to invest in another Estonian business, you must invest at least €16,000 first, and you must invest at least €65,000.

Note: There is a need for your physical appearance when applying for a temporary residence permit in your home country or in Estonia.

Estonia Investment Visa Documents

Here are all the documents you require to submit when applying for an Estonian investment visa:

It would help if you had travel documents/passport that is valid for at least three months after your return date.
Ensure that your passport document has two blank pages and that you have a copy of any previous visas (if any).
Registration form. The application form can be completed online, printed, and signed at the end. You must fill out the application form with candid answers and your current information.
Statement of account. This is a document from your bank. It must prove you can make the investment you requested to be able to apply for an investment visa. Moreover, it must prove that you can finance yourself during your stay in Estonia.
Health insurance. Valid health insurance throughout the Schengen area. It must have coverage of €30,000 in case you have health problems during your stay in Estonia.
When applying for a large investment visa, you must provide a document demonstrating that you have invested the required amount.
You must submit a business plan when applying for a general investment visa.
Company name and registration code.
The business activities, customers, development plans, capital, and fixed assets.
The company’s financial outlook for the next two years includes the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow.
CV of manager and supervisor.
A letter of motivation explaining the purpose of your visit to Estonia and your impact on the Estonian economy.

Benefits of Estonian Investment Visa

An Estonian investment visa comes with many benefits:

Holders enjoy high living standards.
You are free to travel to any other Schengen country.
They have improved health and education.
If you want to stay in Estonia, you can easily apply for citizenship.
You have access to travel benefits that enable you to expand your business in different countries.
The Estonian government fully supports newly established businessmen and women like you.
Estonia is ideally located and offers you a perfect location for trade between Russia, Asia, and Europe.
Estonia is known for free Wi-Fi connections and various opportunities for future IT and other internet-related services.
Almost everything has to be bought and completed online.
Estonia is known for its economy, which has one of the highest levels of economic freedom in the world, and the Central and Eastern European region.
Estonia has the world’s most liberal tax system, with only corporate taxes required to pay dividends.
Estonia is known for having various accelerator programs for startups.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the duration of the Estonian investment visa?

Estonia investment visa has a duration of about twelve to eighteen months. However, if you get a temporary residence permit, you can stay in Estonia for five years.

Can you get Estonian citizenship through investment?

Yes, by staying in Estonia on an investment visa, you can obtain citizenship. However, if you wish to apply for citizenship in Estonia, you have to give up your previous citizenship in your home country. This must be done before or after you officially become a citizen of Estonia.

How do I get Estonian citizenship through investment?

The residence permit is issued to foreigners who run a business, are self-employed, or invest at least €65,000 (€16,000 for self-employed) in business activity in Estonia. The share capital, the subordinated liability, and the amount of the registered fixed assets can be regarded as investments.

Can I get PR in Estonia?

After living in Estonia for five years, you can apply for either permanent residence (as an EU/EEA citizen) or a long-term residence permit (as a non-EU/EEA citizen).

Does Estonia offer citizenship?

Estonian citizenship can be applied for if: You have a long-term residence permit or a permanent residence permit. Before applying for a residence permit or right of residence, you have lived in Estonia for at least eight years, of which at least the last five years have been unlimited.

Can I get Estonian citizenship?

Why should I invest in Estonia?

Estonia is consistently a world leader in human capital, digital skills, and ease of doing business. This creates a competitive environment in which solutions and services can be researched, developed, and provided worldwide.

How strong is an Estonian passport?

The Estonian passport is the 10th strongest in the world, granting visa-free access to 181 countries in the world according to the 2023 Henley Passport Index.

How much can l buy a house in Estonia?

The average apartment price in Estonia was €1,404 per square meter (sqm) in 2020, which corresponds to a year-on-year increase of 7.1%, according to the Bank of Estonia. Newly built apartments cost around 2,300 to 5,000 euros per square meter.

Can I work in Estonia with a D visa?

Applying for a D visa (annual visa) is a viable option if you are only working on a short-term project or want to start work as soon as possible (and apply for a residency permit in Estonia later).

What are resident investments?

Investment residency is the process of gaining permanent residency in another country by investing in that country’s economy. With this, you can get PR status more quickly than following conventional applications.

Will Estonia allow dual citizenship?

The only exception to the requirement of single citizenship in Estonia is for Estonians who acquire citizenship by birth. Therefore, although dual citizenship is not permitted by law, many Estonians have multiple citizenships as Estonian citizenship cannot be revoked by birth.

How to get Estonian citizenship through investment?

You can not get citizenship by investment visa directly. But, there is an Estonian Residence-by-Investment (RBI) program that qualifies you for Estonian citizenship through naturalization. As an investor in Estonia, you are entitled to a five-year renewable residence permit.

How strong is an Estonian passport?

The Estonian passport is the 10th strongest in the world, granting visa-free access to 181 countries in the world according to the 2023 Henley Passport Index.

Is Estonia a tax haven?

Estonia is an exciting financial center that can be classified as a tax haven due to its low tax opportunities for non-resident companies. Since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, it has become one of the most prosperous countries in Eastern Europe.

Can I set up a company in Estonia?

With Estonia’s e-business register, you can register a new company online in just a few minutes without ever having to go to a notary or government agency. You can register a company with an Estonian electronic residence card, with an Estonian, Belgian, Finnish, or Portuguese identity card, or with a Lithuanian mobile identity card.

Conclusion

In summary, with this information, we believe you now know how to apply for an Estonia investment visa. Therefore, go ahead and apply if you meet the application requirements. However, do contact us for more information.

Estonia Investment Visa – Eligibility, Requirements, and Application

How to Apply for an Investment Visa in Estonia

Two ways you can apply for a residence permit

Criteria for an investment visa in Estonia