Andrew Tate's claim of holding Estonian passport debunked
Estonian outlet Eesti Ekspress has disproven controversial influencer Andrew Tate's 2022 claim of holding an Estonian passport, revealing he only ever had a now-revoked e-residency card.
Estonian publication Eesti Ekspress has debunked a claim by controversial social media figure Andrew Tate that he once held an Estonian passport. Tate made the assertion during a 2022 appearance on the Mars Mindset podcast, describing a personal strategy of maximizing his presence across many countries' systems so that no single government could exert control over him.
The 39-year-old said at the time that he possessed seven passports and 15 driver's licenses, citing an Estonian passport among documents he claimed to carry. However, Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) spokesperson Martin Raid confirmed to Eesti Ekspress that Tate never actually held Estonian citizenship or a passport — only an e-residency digital ID card, which grants neither citizenship nor physical residency rights and cannot serve as a travel document.
Tate's ties to Estonia began in 2018 when he obtained e-residency status. In March 2023, the PPA revoked his e-resident card after supervisory checks found his activities did not align with the program's purpose of supporting Estonia's economic, scientific, educational or cultural development. Raid declined to detail what activities Tate may have conducted in Estonia, citing data protection restrictions.
Eesti Ekspress previously reported in 2023 that Tate had owned a network of online casinos across Eastern Europe and had spoken in interviews about business dealings with partners described as controlling roughly 400 gambling locations stretching from Estonia through Eastern Europe. It remains unclear whether Tate had any genuine business interests in Estonia itself. He holds dual U.S. and U.K. citizenship.
Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan, 38, are currently held in custody in the United States, where they were arrested last month after relocating from Romania to Florida. The United Kingdom has requested their extradition on 59 charges, including rape and sex trafficking, which the brothers deny. On August 10, U.S. authorities denied the brothers' request for bail.
