Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Become Estonia’s e-resident

e-estonia.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

101–110 of 129 posts

Re: Become Estonia’s e-resident

#101

Post by pjc50 »

daveloyall wrote: post #24
jkaljundi wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which scenarios have you thought of? A start would be to do anything an Estonian can do today online in almost real time. Founding a company online: 5 minutes and you're in business. Very simple tax and other legislation, so very simple reporting online - and getting tax refunds if needed in a few days. But this should not be limited to existing legacy services we use. Think of what you could do anything online with…

* Will and testament * Voting * Facebook (or whatever) * Spam * Banking * Contracts * Jury duty (Don't think boring.. think sci-fi!) * Taxes * Whistleblowing * Bar tabs * Power of Attorney (This one has new meaning in this context. It's a technical thing, a provable act of delegation.) * Police reports Basically the same use cases as PKI, but if it were government issued, the common person would know what it means. A…

Whistleblowing? Under your real name?

Re: Become Estonia’s e-resident

#102

Post by tripzilch »

jacquesm wrote: post #97
sudowhodoido wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I see a lot of that across Europe. I've been dying to do a road trip out that way (from the UK) but it's difficult with three children. Everyone I've met and spoken to out there has been through some serious shit right up until the late 1990s from wars to genocides. They really are forward thinking because looking back hurts badly. It might sound cheesy but I have a lot of hope for Europe and most of it comes from th…

> It might sound cheesy but I have a lot of hope for Europe and most of it comes from the East. I very much agree with you. The East of Europe has very recent memory of how not to run countries, the West is already forgetting those lessons and repeating past mistakes. For now the West is still ahead economically, but I suspect that this will not last indefinitely. You can pretty much draw a line through 'Helmstedt' (…

I agree with this in general, especially about forgetting lessons and repeating past mistakes. Privacy-awareness in East-European countries is impressive, it's on the top of their minds because they know what can happen if you let it run loose.

On the other hand, I read a few years ago (and I don't have much reason to suspect much has changed though I'd love to hear I'm wrong) about a village in East-Germany that was entirely in control by neo-nazis. That was scary to find out such things are actually going on today (this was before I heard about Greece's Golden Dawn and how they run refugee camps). When travelling, I was warned about the are that people that looked too "foreign" might have a bad time (I suppose when coloured or Arab, me and my travel companion were both very white, Dutch and half-German).

Maybe it's just an anecdote or some small isolated issues blown out of proportion, but this is what also plays in the back of my mind whenever I consider they're learning from past mistakes.

Either way, no throwing babies out with the bathwater, we can both support and learn from their historical awareness, as well as be vigilant about rising intolerances.

Re: Become Estonia’s e-resident

#103

Post by mrkickling »

mcv wrote: post #79
ikawe wrote: post #11

I was in Estonia two days ago. I just passed through on a whim as part of a European bicycle tour. I am embarrassed to admit, I knew very little about the country before being there. I was only there a week, so my impressions are addmittedly naive, but very positive. There was a lot of technology forward thinking - online voting, constitutional right to internet access, co-working spaces catering to young entrepreneu…

I've never been there, but from what I understand, they love folk music, and kids learn to program in primary school. Sounds like a wonderful country. Also the home of Skype. Not to be underestimated.

I'm quite sure skype is originaly a swedish company

EDIT: seems like it was made in Estonia, but that the founders were swedish and danish.

Re: Become Estonia’s e-resident

#104

Post by kteofanidis »

agilebyte wrote: post #76
imeikas wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Dividends are taxed this year at 21%. And if I'm not mistaken tax rate is lowered to 20% next year, reinvested profit is not taxed.

You are right, don't know where I got that 10% from.

Bulgaria has a corporate tax at 10%. The e-government isn't nearly as developed though. There was some talk about using the Estonian experience to help in building ours but that is still just an idea.

Re: Become Estonia’s e-resident

#105

Post by kteofanidis »

boh wrote: post #41
plainOldText wrote: post #27

I believe this has huge implications for someone who would want to operate a company from a business friendly country, as opposed to say a country where the individual is located physically but is otherwise corrupt or war ridden. My understanding is that this status allows you to form companies, open bank accounts and sign binding documents just like someone living in Estonia. And that is pretty impressive. Add crypt…

"Money laundering has never been so easy! Thanks E-stonia!"

From the website: To apply for one, you need to make visit a Police and Border Guard office in Estonia – there you need to submit an application and provide biometrical data (your facial image and fingerprints) for background check.

I don't think it works for money laundering in any way.

Re: Become Estonia’s e-resident

#106

Post by sudowhodoido »

jacquesm wrote: post #97
sudowhodoido wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I see a lot of that across Europe. I've been dying to do a road trip out that way (from the UK) but it's difficult with three children. Everyone I've met and spoken to out there has been through some serious shit right up until the late 1990s from wars to genocides. They really are forward thinking because looking back hurts badly. It might sound cheesy but I have a lot of hope for Europe and most of it comes from th…

> It might sound cheesy but I have a lot of hope for Europe and most of it comes from the East. I very much agree with you. The East of Europe has very recent memory of how not to run countries, the West is already forgetting those lessons and repeating past mistakes. For now the West is still ahead economically, but I suspect that this will not last indefinitely. You can pretty much draw a line through 'Helmstedt' (…

Thanks for the reply. Interesting theory and one I agree with entirely based on who I know.

I'd love to move out of the UK and will do this if we ever drop out of the EU. Perhaps East of that line.

Re: Become Estonia’s e-resident

#107

Post by netcan »

sudowhodoido wrote: post #46
ikawe wrote: post #11

I was in Estonia two days ago. I just passed through on a whim as part of a European bicycle tour. I am embarrassed to admit, I knew very little about the country before being there. I was only there a week, so my impressions are addmittedly naive, but very positive. There was a lot of technology forward thinking - online voting, constitutional right to internet access, co-working spaces catering to young entrepreneu…

I see a lot of that across Europe. I've been dying to do a road trip out that way (from the UK) but it's difficult with three children. Everyone I've met and spoken to out there has been through some serious shit right up until the late 1990s from wars to genocides. They really are forward thinking because looking back hurts badly. It might sound cheesy but I have a lot of hope for Europe and most of it comes from th…

I am happy to hear you say this.

I live in Ireland and I'm very pro-EU. Not in the sense that I like or dislike policies or structures, but in the sense of the EU's real and original goals: Solidarity. Open Borders. Peace.

It makes me sick to see that countries have sent the EU Parliament their nationalists, populists and outright fascists.

Solidarity. Open Borders. Peace. It's worth making it a generational goal. A thousand years of solidarity, open borders & peace.

I have hope for, with and from our brother east of here (which for me is pretty much all Europe :) .

Re: Become Estonia’s e-resident

#108

Post by smcl »

jacquesm wrote: post #97
sudowhodoido wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I see a lot of that across Europe. I've been dying to do a road trip out that way (from the UK) but it's difficult with three children. Everyone I've met and spoken to out there has been through some serious shit right up until the late 1990s from wars to genocides. They really are forward thinking because looking back hurts badly. It might sound cheesy but I have a lot of hope for Europe and most of it comes from th…

> It might sound cheesy but I have a lot of hope for Europe and most of it comes from the East. I very much agree with you. The East of Europe has very recent memory of how not to run countries, the West is already forgetting those lessons and repeating past mistakes. For now the West is still ahead economically, but I suspect that this will not last indefinitely. You can pretty much draw a line through 'Helmstedt' (…

I'm curious if you deliberately included Austria east of your pivot point or if this is by accident. I hear all sorts of conflicting stuff about the place - high standard\quality of living but not-so exciting career\growth prospects, high prices but generous social\welfare programs - so I've no idea what to think of Austria long-term. I've been to Vienna a few times as I live a couple of hours away, and it's lovely but a few daytrips is obviously not going to reveal a great deal.

Re: Become Estonia’s e-resident

#109

Post by agilebyte »

wiradikusuma wrote: post #100
agilebyte wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is to use Estonia's digital services and does not give you residency. Nothing stops you opening a company in Estonia now, but that does not mean you would only pay corporation taxes there (they are at 10% when distributed as dividends), your physical location plays a role too.

Can you work for your own Estonian company, given that you're non-resident? (You can start your own US company, even remotely, but you can't work for it, unless you have Working Visa)

Maybe you mean you can start a US company but not work for it when you are in US on a non-working visa?

Can't see why a US or Estonian company (whether or not you are a director is irrelevant) can't hire you to do some work. Unless you don't have work visa in the country of your stay.

Re: Become Estonia’s e-resident

#110

Post by agilebyte »

kteofanidis wrote: post #104
agilebyte wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are right, don't know where I got that 10% from.

Bulgaria has a corporate tax at 10%. The e-government isn't nearly as developed though. There was some talk about using the Estonian experience to help in building ours but that is still just an idea.

Yeah I am really hoping that Bulgaria and/or Estonia will be added to a list of countries being incorporated by http://startupr.com/ to make the process easier.
Post reply on HN