To be eligible for the Startup Visa as a founder, you’ll need:

• At least €140 for every month you want to spend in Estonia. This translates to €1,680 for a one-year visa. It is the bare minimum required by law. That said, with decent rental flats costing €500+ a month, plus other living expenses, you’ll need more money to enjoy a comfortable life in Estonia.
• A Technology based, innovative and scalable business. Your business model is expected to pack global growth potential. Think Airbnb and Uber, not restaurants or one-man consultancies. The Startup Visa is aimed at tech-driven startups that solve big problems, disrupt massive industries, and will serve millions of people.
• Approval from the Startup Committee stating that you meet the definition of a startup and can pursue the Startup Visa. Your application will be reviewed by people who work with startups on a daily basis. They have eagle eyes, so traditional companies won’t make the cut.

To run your startup in Estonia, you have two options:

• If you don’t yet have an Estonian company, you can apply for a long-term startup visa (up to 12 months) or a short-term visa (up to 3 months)
• If you you’ve already set up an Estonian company, you can apply for either a startup visa (both short-term or long-term) or a temporary residence permit for startup business (up to five years).