Estonia’s e-Residency Moves Toward a Card-Free Journey with Remote Biometric Verification
Estonia’s e-Residency programme will introduce remote biometric identity verification on 2 March 2027, marking an important step toward a more digital, convenient and card-free application journey.
The new process will allow applicants and renewing e-residents to verify their travel documents remotely using an official app released by the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board.
Key Dates to Remember
Applicants and existing e-residents planning to renew their status should take note of two important dates:
Before 26 February 2027: Applications and renewals under the current process must be fully submitted.
From 2 March 2027: The new remote biometric verification process will go live, with the official app available for checking document compatibility.
What Does This Mean for Applicants?
The impact will depend on the country that issued the applicant’s travel document and whether the document can be read and verified by the Estonian authorities’ systems.
For certain nationalities, applicants will not be able to apply or renew using a passport in this category after 26 February 2027, unless they hold an eligible EU biometric identity card or another qualifying passport. There is no exact list available for the countries but the Police and Border Guard have recommended to use this link:
Solution
Countries effected can still apply for a new card before February 2027 and this way extend the use of e-residency by at least 3 years. As countries start to use biometric passports more and more, the situation might also change favourably.
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