e-Estonia refers to a movement by the government of Estonia to facilitate citizen interactions with the state through the use of electronic solutions. E-services created under this initiative include i-Voting, e-Tax Board, e-Business, e-Banking, e-Ticket, e-School, University via internet, the e-Governance Academy, as well as the release of several mobile applications.
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History
In 1991, Estonia restored its independence as a sovereign nation, defeating the Soviet occupation. Prior to this, there was little in the way of technology. Under half of its population had a phone line and the only method of communication with those outside the country was a Finnish phone hidden in the garden of the foreign minister. Following independence, the first Prime Minister Mart Laar helped push the country through a period of modernization, establishing the foundation needed to bring the country into the digital age.
Digital reform followed through to the present. Early during the reform Estonia refused an offer from Finland to give it its old analogue telephone exchange for free, electing instead to build its own digital phone system. An initiative to provide schools with computers succeeded in granting every school in the country with internet access by 1998. In 2000, the government declared internet access to be a human right, causing its spread into rural areas.
Such changes allowed members of both the public and private sectors of the country to innovate through the use of technology. The internet-based telecommunications software Skype originated in Estonia, and is often cited as an example of the success of these reforms.
e-Residency
In late 2014 Estonia became the first country to offer electronic residency to people from outside the country, a step that the Estonian government terms as "moving towards the idea of a country without borders." Under this program, non-residents can apply to have a smart ID card issued to them by the state, providing the same access to Estonia's various electronic services that a physical resident would be given. Use of the card for authentication with these services requires a four digit pin code. The card, in conjunction with a separate pin code, also allows e-residents to digitally sign documents over the internet, a practice that is legally binding anywhere in the EU.
While e-residency provides access to these services, it does not grant physical residency, the right to enter the country, or the ability to use the smart ID card as physical identification or as a travel document.
Beta phase
The beta phase of the project began on December 1, 2014, and is projected to end in the spring of 2015. During this phase, e-residents are granted access to a limited set of e-services compared to that which they are eventually planned to have in later phases. During the beta phase, e-residents can:
Applications during this phase must be submitted physically at a Police and Border Guard service point within Estonia. After the beta phase ends, it is expected that applicants will be able to go through any Estonian embassy or consular office in the world to submit their applications.