If you do not have e-Residency and are not prepared to wait a couple of months for it, you can register the company without having to be physically present in Estonia. You draw up a notarised power of attorney at home; we take it to an Estonian notary and submit the documents to the register on your behalf.
It’s important to clarify straight away what the power of attorney does not cover. It handles the registration but not the bank: the bank will still want to verify your identity in person – either via a video call or at a branch. We can help with this too, but it’s a separate step, not part of the registration process.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Presence in Estonia | Not required |
| e-Residency | Not required |
| Power of attorney | Notarised + apostille + certified translation |
| Company forms | OÜ, AS, MTÜ, branch |
| Authorised capital of an OÜ | From €0.01, to be paid in later |
| Time taken for registration | Up to five working days |
| Total processing time | 2–4 weeks, depending on the apostille |
| Bank account | Cannot be opened by power of attorney — you will need to provide proof of identity |
The third step takes up all the time. Find out in advance how many days it takes to obtain an apostille in your country – in some places it takes a day, in others three weeks.
There are two ways to register a company without travelling to Tallinn. The choice depends on how soon you need the company and whether you plan to manage it online going forward.
| Registration method | Power of attorney | e-Residency |
|---|---|---|
| Time to registration | 2–4 weeks | 1–3 months (processing + card issue) |
| Do I need to go anywhere? | To your notary | To the embassy to collect the card |
| Managing the company afterwards | Through us or a notary | On your own online |
| Initial cost | Higher (notary, apostille, translation) | Lower |
| Subsequent changes | Documents required each time | Free and quick |
A sensible practical approach: we register the company by power of attorney now and, at the same time, submit an application for e-Residency. When the card arrives, you take control, and by that point the business is already up and running.
There are three requirements, all of which are mandatory: notarisation, an apostille (or consular legalisation — if the country is not a party to the Hague Convention), and a certified translation into Estonian.
However, the main reason for rejections is the content. The power of attorney must specify the powers by name: to incorporate a company with such-and-such a name and such-and-such share capital, to sign the memorandum of association and articles of association, to appoint the board of directors, to submit an application to the commercial register, and to receive documents. A general power of attorney ‘to conduct all affairs’ does not work here.
Therefore, the procedure is always the same: first we provide the text, then you go to the notary. Not the other way round.
This is something that is often not mentioned until payment is due. You cannot open a company bank account by power of attorney: anti-money laundering regulations require the bank to see the ultimate beneficial owner in person. A representative with a document cannot act as a substitute.
There are other options: video identification via an EMI (Wise, Payhawk, LHV for some customers) or a single trip to Estonia at a later date, once the company has been registered. We go into this in detail on the page about bank accounts.
And here’s some good news: from 2023, the minimum share capital for an OÜ will be €0.01, and it won’t be necessary to pay it up at the outset. In other words, not having a bank account won’t hold up the registration process — only the start of operations.
If you’re unsure whether it’s worth paying for a power of attorney or whether it’s better to wait for e-Residency, please let us know the deadline by which you need the company set up. If there’s no rush, we’ll let you know.
Three typical situations. First: a transaction or contract requires a legal entity in the EU within the coming weeks, but e-Residency has not yet been approved. Second: there is no Estonian embassy in the country, or travelling to collect the card is not possible. Third: there are several founders in different countries, and bringing them all together at the same time is more difficult than collecting their powers of attorney.
There are also cases where a power of attorney is the only option: the founder is a foreign legal entity which, by definition, cannot hold e-Residency. In such cases, its director or authorised representative signs on its behalf.
Under the power of attorney, our representative carries out the actions listed therein: signs the memorandum of association and articles of association before a notary, submits the application to the registry, and receives the decision.
What they do not do: they do not become a shareholder or a member of the board, do not gain access to funds, and do not manage the company after registration. You are immediately registered as the owner and director.
The power of attorney is a one-off document: once registration is complete, it no longer has any effect and can be revoked.
You will need to provide: a notarised power of attorney with an apostille, a copy of your passport (often notarised), and proof of address for KYC purposes.
If the founder is a company, an extract from the register and a document confirming the authority of the person signing the power of attorney must also be provided. All documents must bear an apostille.
On the Estonian side, we prepare the articles of association, the memorandum of association, consent to the use of the address and the contact person’s details.
The quote comprises four items, and only two of them depend on us: our services and the state registration fee – these amounts are predictable; the power of attorney and apostille in your country – these are subject to local rates, and there is a wide range of prices.
The services of an Estonian notary are charged at fixed rates and depend on the size of the authorised capital. Declaring a capital of one million euros ‘for the sake of credibility’ will make registration significantly more expensive, and you will have to pay it in at some point anyway.
| Step | Timeframe |
|---|---|
| Agreeing on the terms and text of the power of attorney | 1–2 days |
| Execution of the power of attorney at a local notary’s office | 1–3 days |
| Apostille | From 1 day to 3 weeks — depending on the country |
| Delivery of the original to Estonia | 3–7 days |
| Sworn translation | 1–2 days |
| Notarisation and submission to the register | 1 day |
| Registration decision | Up to 5 working days |
If an apostille is issued in your country within a day, the entire registration process can realistically be completed within two weeks.
Income tax is payable when profits are distributed, not when they are earned. If you reinvest your earnings back into growth, the tax burden is deferred.
The rest is more practical and often more important: a legal entity in the EU with a verifiable register, the ability to work with European payment services, access to a VAT number for intra-EU trade, and fully electronic reporting.
Three steps in the first month: open a bank account, set up your accounts, and sort out VAT. VAT registration is mandatory for a turnover exceeding €40,000, but it is sometimes done straight away — if you buy from European suppliers and wish to claim back tax.
An annual return is mandatory even if there has been no business activity – the deadline is six months after the end of the financial year.
All it takes is two lines: the country and the type of company you wish to register. In response, you will receive a ready-made power of attorney template for your notary, a quote and a timeframe, taking into account how long it takes to obtain an apostille. You’ll receive a reply within one working day; the consultation is free of charge.
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