Even though e-Residency has almost no limitations, there are people who are unlikely to benefit from this program. But who exactly?
Lithuanian and Latvian residents won't need e-Residency. If you have already obtained a Latvian or Lithuanian Digital ID, there will be no need for e-Residency. As those digital IDs are accepted by almost all e-services in Estonia. Recently, we've published
an article with an overview of all Baltics Digital IDs, check the info about them here.
Incorporation of an Estonian company on the behalf of the foreign entity can't be done with e-Residency (but a company will benefit from e-Residency later). If you are looking to incorporate a company by a non-Estonian legal entity, e-Residency won't be much help at this stage. In this case, a company must be registered strictly through a notary. Nevertheless, future company maintenance will be easier if a director will get an e-Residency card.
Those who aim to get a residency permit or Estonian citizenship. As mentioned above, e-Residency gives you no right to travel to Estonia and doesn't simplify the process of any visa or citizenship obtaining.
Those who cannot visit a pickup location or don't have enough time to obtain a card. To become an e-Resident, you're obliged to visit one of the pickup locations to verify your identity and receive a card. So, decide how you're going to receive your e-Residency kit in advance. If you cannot physically attend a pickup point anyhow, you won't be able to get your e-Residency.
Notice that the whole process usually takes up to 2 months, so there are cases when it's better for you to open a company through a notary which will take about 1 month. The exact duration will vary highly from country to country, so contact us to get precise information on your case.