Guidance written by Elias Verne · last reviewed 2026-07-17
Who this visa is for
The income floor shown above is high next to Spain or Portugal, and it must come from an employer or clients registered outside Estonia - the same remote-income test every fiche on this site applies. That combination points the visa at established, well-paid remote professionals rather than someone just starting out or building a local client base.
Estonia is best known for e-Residency, its separate digital-business programme; this visa is the residence route for actually living there while working remotely, not the company-formation service.
The net-vs-gross question
The official e-Residency page states the income figure as NET per month, but several secondary guides describe the same requirement as GROSS income over the preceding six months - the opposite reading. That is not a rounding difference: gross vs net on a five-figure salary changes what you actually need to earn.
Confirm which one applies with the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) before you assemble bank statements, rather than trusting either figure blind. This fiche will update the moment that is independently resolved.
One year, not renewable
The visa runs for up to a year and is explicitly not renewable from inside the programme - a firm contrast with Spain's renewable route or Portugal's D8, which leads toward permanent residence. Treat an Estonian stay as a defined, single-year season and plan your next step (a different permit, or a move) before it runs out.
If a multi-year base or a path to residence is the goal, Spain and Portugal are built for that in a way this visa is not.
Tax, insurance, and family
Stay past 183 days and you become an Estonian tax resident, taxed on worldwide income at Estonia's flat personal rate; stay under that and Estonia generally does not tax your foreign income. A spouse or child may accompany you on the same route.
Health insurance covering the stay is required, and the state fee differs by visa type - reported around EUR 120 for the long-stay route used for the digital nomad visa versus EUR 80 for a short-stay visa. Processing runs up to 30 days from application at an embassy or consulate.
The figures above are the sourced, dated record; this guide explains and compares them and is not legal or tax advice.