Minimum income
$920/mo
EUR 800 a month
Stay
12 → 18
months, renewable
Application fee
$100
Tax
20.0%
20% flat income tax; 0% corporate tax on retained earnings
Path to staying
- Residence permit12 months
- Renew6 months at a time
- Permanent residencyafter 5 years
- Citizenshipafter 8 years
- Permanent residency 5 years
- Citizenship 8 years
- Dual citizenship not allowed
- Language required for citizenship B1
Overview
- Country
- Estonia
- Program
- Estonia Startup Visa
- Local name
- Startup viisa
- Type
- Startup
- Status
- Active
- Initial duration
- 12 months
- Max duration
- 18 months
- Renewable
- Yes (6 mo)
Visa for non-EU startup founders building technology-based, scalable businesses in Estonia. Requires Startup Committee endorsement.
Financial requirements
- Income requirement
- EUR 800/mo (~$920 USD)
- Application fee
- $100
Eligibility
- Minimum age 18+
- Criminal record check required
- Health check not required
- Health insurance required
- Endorsement Committee
Work rights
- Employment not allowed
- Self-employment allowed
- Own a business allowed
- Work permit included no
Family and dependents
- Dependents allowed
- Yes
- Spouse included
- Yes
- Max child age
- 18
- Parents allowed
- No
Benefits and mobility
- Schengen access
- Bank account can open
- Property purchase allowed
- Public healthcare access granted
- Must be primary residence required
Tax
- Tax regime
- Special
- Tax rate
- 20.0%
- Regime name
- 20% flat income tax; 0% corporate tax on retained earnings
- Foreign income taxed
- Yes
- Capital gains taxed
- Yes
How to apply
- Method
- both
- Processing time
- 10–40 days
- Apply from abroad
- Yes
Notes
Must have MVP/prototype — idea stage insufficient. Committee decision in 10 business days. Can transition to TRP (up to 10 years). Estonia has 0% corporate tax on retained/reinvested earnings.
Also in Estonia
Estonia also offers a digital nomad visa for remote workers