The Digital Nomad Visa is subject to standard rules and procedures for issuing visas to stay in Estonia, including making the relevant visa application, having a valid travel document, paying the state fee, having adequate health insurance and financial resources, as well as passing a background check.
When applying for a DNV, you can apply for either an Estonian long-stay visa (D-visa) or a short-stay visa (C-visa), depending on your planned period of stay (Japanese nationals can already stay in Estonia visa-free for 90 days in a 180-day period and thus can only apply for D-visa). The state fee for a D-visa is €100 and for a C-visa is €80. The state fee should be paid in cash in JPY at the embassy, the exact amount depends on the currency rate on the day. Appointment should be made beforehand via email with your full name, desired date and online visa application number.
The main difference for the DNV in contrast to other visas to Estonia is that, in addition to the standard visa application procedures, you will need to provide information and documents proving your eligibility as a digital nomad.
Who is eligible to apply?
You can apply for the digital nomad visa if you meet the following requirements
- You are able to work independent of 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 provide evidence that your income met the minimum threshold during the six months preceding the application. Currently, the monthly income threshold is €4500 (gross of tax).
When applying for a visa for the purpose of teleworking, you have to submit additionally:
- documents proving that the applicant’s work does not depend on location and he/she can use telecommunication technology for performing his/her duties as telework
- documents proving that the applicant continues working for an employer registered in a foreign country with whom he/she has a contractual relationship, or business activities for a company registered in a foreign country in which he/she has holdings, or providing services mainly to customers whose place of business is in a foreign country and with whom he/she has a contractual relationship
- documents proving the applicant’s legal income during six months before the submission of the application and showing the size, regularity and sources of the income
- description of studies and job history (CV).
The following examples of proof of the facts regarding teleworking mentioned in points 1 and 2 shall be submitted:
- a written explanation by the applicant regarding the intention to use the visa for teleworking
- a written confirmation by the employer stating that it is possible for the applicant to perform their work duties in the form of teleworking
- an employment contract or another contract under the law of obligations
- a certificate issued by a competent authority of the applicant’s country of location in proof of the payment of state taxes, local taxes or social security contributions mandatory in the applicant’s country of location
- a certificate issued by a competent authority of the company’s country of registered office, indicating the name, registered office and area of activity of the company, the applicant’s holdings in the company and details of the legal representatives of the company
- a certificate issued by a competent authority of the company’s country of registered office in proof of the payment of state taxes, local taxes or social security contributions mandatory in the company’s country of registered office and on the absence of tax arrears.
- any other documents.
More information and other useful links about DNV can be found here.