Company registration in Estonia using the "new" e-residency

Estonian government has decided to sell is digital signature to anyone who wants it. They are calling it the "e-residency" and claiming that they are first in the world to offer such a service. If you want one your self, you will be able to acquire one at the end of 2014. Whit the cost of just 50 Euros and a visit to Estonia's  Police and Border Guard office. But is there an actual point of this so called "e-residency" - I think not.



They are marketing it as the next best thing, you don't have to visit Estonia to do any business in Estonia, even tho you have to go to the country itself in order to acquire the "E-residency" and then wait 2 weeks, I don't know if they ship you the E-ID card or you have to go them them to get it, but the process of acquiring it loses the whole purpose of the card - that you would be able to sign any document in Estonia form abroad.

Even worse the name "e-residency" has nothing to do with residency. Its the same as with your countries digital signature(if you have one) only this one you can use to legally sign documents in Estonia. Its even stated on their own website "This will not entail full legal residency or citizenship or right of entry to Estonia."

I see this as just another way of a government trying to attract money to it's budget, without making to much of an effort, only this time taking money not from its own citizens but for any non-resident who's willing to spend his time and money. They are claiming that this may make a great increase in the company count in Estonia, but this claim doesn't make to much sense as you would only have to visit the country once in order to register a company there. Also there are many companies that, for a fee, would help you to register a company from a broad, you wouldn't have to come to Estonia in the first place.

I will call this "an another attempt of a government to attract funds," only this time they are offering almost nothing in return, unlike the countries selling "residency" to non residents, only for a way larger fee.