Head of the Citizenship and Migration Policy Department at the Ministry of the Interior Ruth Annus said: "The aim of the agreement is to increase access to e-Residency in different parts of the world. In 2019, the programme was extended to the United States and Japan. The reach further expanded this year, and e-residents will soon be able to collect their digital IDs in Johannesburg, Singapore, São Paulo, or Bangkok."

In the future, the plan is to extend the digital ID card issuance network to a further 15 locations, she added.

Annus said e-Residency has a positive impact on Estonia's economy, bringing significant tax benefits to the state treasury and creating jobs.

"Estonian companies created by e-residents rely on local entrepreneurship, which is especially important considering the current economic situation. During and after Covid-19 related crises, e-Residency is a beacon for the rest of the world, proving that an economy can be restarted and boosted despite international travel restrictions," said Annus.

She said so far 73,000 e-residents have created more than 14,600 Estonian companies that employ over 1,400 people, who earn a monthly salary above the Estonian average.

Acting Managing Director of e-Residency Dagmar Vlassov said access to e-Residency digital IDs around the world has been the main bottleneck of the programme since it was launched.

In order to receive their personal digital ID card, an applicant must pick up the document from an Estonian embassy or official service point and prove their identity through biometric authentication.

"The new cooperation with BLS International Services Limited not only opens up possibilities for entrepreneurs in global business and technology hubs, but also gives us the opportunity to expand our business goals and invite new ambitious entrepreneurs into the Estonian economic ecosystem," said Vlassov.

The agreement was signed by the Minister of the Interior Mart Helme (EKRE), the Head of the Identity and Status Bureau of the Police and Border Guard Board Margit Ratnik, and the Co-Managing Director of the service provider BLS International Services Limited Shikhar Aggarwal.

E-Residency offers foreign citizens secure access to Estonian digital services. The holder of an e-Residency digital ID card can log in to all portals and information systems that recognize the Estonian ID card as well as sign documents digitally.

Most companies have been set up by citizens of Germany, Russia, and Ukraine and the most popular areas of business are information technology, communications and professional service. Since its launch in 2014, e-Residency has generated €36.3 million of direct benefits for Estonia's economy in taxes alone.

The e-Residency digital ID card is not an identification or travel document and does not have a photograph. E-Residency does not provide citizenship, tax residence, residence permit, or permission to enter Estonia or the European Union.

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