Source: Romet Vaino
Source: Romet Vaino
Estonia's offering a Digital Nomad Visa for remote workers.
Estonia has launched a new Digital Nomad Visa (DNV), allowing remote workers to live in Estonia while legally working for a foreign employer or business.
Digital nomads and remote workers have long faced ambiguity while travelling and working. Often, they've had to skirt laws by working while visiting a country with a tourist visa. But as of August 1, 2020, those eligible can apply to live in Estonia for up to a year with peace of mind that they can legally work.
Estonia has already transformed how a country serves people beyond its borders through programmes such as e-Residency. Now, with the Digital Nomad Visa, Estonia's changing how people worldwide choose to work.
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Who's eligible to apply?
You can apply for the Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) if you meet the following requirements.
- You are able to work independently of your location.
- You can perform your work duties remotely using telecommunications technology.
- You either have an active employment contract with a company registered outside of Estonia, conduct business through your own company registered abroad, or work as a freelancer for clients mostly outside of Estonia.
- You can show evidence of your gross income meeting the minimum threshold for the six months preceding your DNV application. Currently, the minimum monthly gross income threshold is €3504.
How do you apply?
- First, check you meet the eligibility requirements.
- Then, fill in an application form online. You’ll need to print the form and sign it.
- You’ll also need to pay a state fee as part of the application. For a Type C (short stay) visa, the cost is €80 or €100 for a Type D (long stay) visa.
- Finally, make an appointment at your nearest Estonian Embassy or Consulate to submit your application. Ensure you bring copies of any required supporting documents as instructed in your application form.
- Applications will be reviewed within 30 days of submission.
If you already legally live in Estonia and want to extend your stay, you can apply for this visa at a Police and Border Guard Board office. If you apply in Estonia, please ensure enough time for the application processing period.
Where do you apply?
You can only apply for a DNV through three official routes:
1. Directly through an Estonian Representation that handles visa applications
2. In person at a Police and Border Guard office in Estonia
3. At a VFS office, which has permission to handle DNV applications on behalf of the Estonian Government. For example, in the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan or Ukraine.
The only official ways to apply for a DNV are: (1) directly through an Estonian Representation that handles visa applications, (2) directly at a Police and Border Guard office 3) at a VFS office, which has been delegated the right to handle DNV applications on behalf of the Estonian Government (USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, Ukraine).
Important points to note before applying
Depending on how long you plan to stay, you can apply for an Estonian long-stay visa (D-visa) or a short-stay visa to Estonia (C-visa). In addition to the general visa application procedure and rules, you must provide documents proving that you meet the eligibility requirements of being a location-independent employee or digital nomad.
No person is automatically eligible for a DNV. Applicants' backgrounds are checked as carefully as any visa application.
Visa applications can't currently be submitted to Estonian representatives in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Pskov, and Minsk. Neither can applications be submitted to Visa Centres of External Service Providers in the Russian Federation and Belarus. For more information, please visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
If you want to learn more about the Digital Nomad Visa, eligibility, application process, and associated issues, please read our blog post and detailed FAQ.
Testimonial
"I chose Estonia's digital nomad visa scheme because of its simplicity and ease. Information was laid out clearly on the website. As an applicant weighing up other digital nomad scheme, the clarity of information on what was required and when put Estonia's above others. The online process only took me 15 minutes. Estonia's London embassy accepted my application within 5 days of filing my documentation. As far as bureaucracy goes, there was little! I've felt welcomed by initiatives helping to integrate newcomers, all in one place and for free."
Shafi 
