Immigrate to Latvia

Updated on Monday 22nd April 2024

Rate this article

based on 3 reviews

Our immigration lawyers in Latvia can assist you in the immigration process because Latvia, being in the Schengen zone, has different immigration policies for people of varied nationalities. Having the necessary experience, our Latvian lawyers can help you throughout the whole process observing the immigration requirements. You are welcome in this country if you are planning to immigrate to Latvia for work, study or tourism, or any other reasons. In this article, you will find a brief overview of the most important considerations when emigrating to Latvia.

Quick Facts
Entry visa requirement (from EU) (Yes/No)	No
Entry visa requirement (outside EU) (Yes/No)	Yes
Types of visas available	- Schengen Visa, - National Visa
Time frame for obtaining work visa (approx.)	Five business days. More details about how to immigrate to Latvia are offered by our lawyers.
Validity of temporary residence permit	5 years
Temporary residence permit renewal requirements	- a document confirming non-existence of current or pending debts for real estate taxes; - a document confirming the necessary means of subsistence; - a valid health insurance policy
Documents for obtaining a residence visa	- a completed residence permit application form, - a photo; - a confirmation of no criminal record; - proof of subsistence/sufficient funds; - proof of income or funds of at least 430 EUR per month; - a document confirming the planned place of residence; - the proof of payment for the state fees
Time frame for obtaining permanent residence (approx.)	5 – 30 days
Investor visa availability (Yes/No)	Yes
Start up visa scheme availability (Yes/No)	Yes
Sponsorship requirement (Yes/No)	Yes. More information about how to immigrate to Latvia are offered by our team.
Time frame for obtaining citizenship	10 years
Citizenship/ Residency by investment scheme availability (Yes/No)	Yes. More details about how to immigrate to Latvia are offered by our team.
Taxation of foreign citizens	20%
Tax benefits for foreign citizens	Foreign citizens only pay tax on their Latvian-sourced income.
Residence permit issued for real estate investments in Latvia	For property purchase of at least EUR 250,000 to obtain atemporary residence permit available for 5 years
Relocation to Latvia for business purposes	Available option. EUR 50,000 is required as a minimum investment for starting a company in Latvia.
Registration for stays longer than 90 days in Latvia	With the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA)
Registration card issued	By OCMA after registration in Latvia
What is the EU Blue Card?	A residence permit issued for highly qualified workers in Latvia
Retirement visa available in Latvia (YES/NO)	YES
Visa fee exemptions	- for postgraduate students, - scientists from third-world countries, - representatives of non-profit organizations under certain conditions
Family reunification in Latvia	For foreigners having spouses in Latvia, for children of Latvian citizens, etc.
When is a long-term residence permit issued?	After at least 5 years of living in Latvia
Can I work in the EU with a Latvian residence permit?	Yes, Latvia is part of the Schengen area and allows residents to work in any European country without restrictions.
Relocating to Latvia through investments	Available programs requiring investments of at least EUR 250,000 in a property in Latvia
Most popular cities for relocation to Latvia	- Riga (the capital city), - Daugavpils, - Liepaja, - Jelgava, - Jurmala
Benefits of Latvian residence permit	Allows holders to invite family members, and travel to European countries without border controls, varied social privileges, etc.
Reasons to choose Latvia for immigration	- affordable cost of living, - proper education and health systems, - part of Schengen area that comes with other benefits too
Why choose our Latvian lawyers?	Our immigration lawyers in Latvia can assist foreigners throughout all the procedures linked to relocation to this country.

Types of Schengen Latvian visas

As Latvia is a part of the Schengen visa scheme, you can obtain these Latvian types of visas:

Transit visa: this visa is only issued for a maximum of five days. If you are travelling outside the Schengen zone, the transit visa enables you to pass through the territory of one or more Schengen member states;
Airport transit visa: this visa allows you to pass through an airport in the Schengen space, but it does not allow you to exit this area before you fly to your next destination;
Short stay or travel visa: this visa allows you to visit a country for up to three months in a six months period. Most students need this visa to travel within the Schengen Area as tourists or can also attend conferences on this short-stay visa.

If you want to move to Latvia as a student, employed, self-employed or a retired person, you can trust the services of our Latvian immigration lawyers because documentation varies depending on the purpose and status of your immigration application. Below is an infographic about immigration to Latvia:

Necessary documents for Schengen Latvian visa

Immigration to Lativa is available online. You can fill an online application form, helped by one of our local advisors. The necessary documents along online application are as follows:

Two passports sized recently captured photos with light background;
A valid passport;
Confirmation of Europe travel insurance;
A cover letter describing the purpose why you want to move to Latvia;
Proof of adequate financial means that should be enough for your stay in Latvia.

Who needs a visa to enter Latvia?

If you are a citizen of the European Union or European Economic Zone, then here is the good news for you. Latvia does not impose visa requirements on you and you can simply cross the border of this country with a valid passport or an identity card. Being an EU/EEA and non-Latvian citizen, you can stay up to 90 days in Latvia.

However, there are also some non-EU and non-EEA countries, whose citizens can enter Latvia visa-free. For instance Australia, Canada, Israel, Hong Kong (special administrative region of the People’s Republic of China), Japan, New Zealand and many others.

If you are not a EU/EEA citizen or you fall into the list of nationalities that are exempted from Latvian visa requirements, then you need to visit a Latvian embassy in your country for the visa process, so you become eligible to immigrate to Latvia.

To get more detailed information about requirements for immigration in Latvia according to the nationality you bear, you can rely upon our Latvian lawyers.

Who is exempted from the Schengen visa fee?

Here are some categories of individuals who are exempted from paying the Schengen visa fee. This visa fee is waived to the family members of EU/EEA citizens who fall under directive 2004/38:

school pupils and postgraduate students;
teachers who undertake stay for educational training or teaching;
third world country researchers who want to carry out scientific researches;
representatives of non-profit organizations of age 25 or less than 25 years participating in educational, sports, seminars, conferences or cultural events organized by non-profit organizations.

Besides these individuals, Schengen visa cost varies as per the nationality or age of the person accordingly. If you are planning to immigrate to Latvia, you can get help from our law firm in Latvia.

What types of residences are available in Latvia?

Today there are two alternatives for obtaining a residence in Latvia. In very general terms, these two paths are temporary and permanent residency. The vast majority of people who have no pre-existing ties to the country take the temporary residency route, which can be obtained in different ways.

In any case, the type of residency that is right for you when migrating to Latvia is a matter that you should discuss at length with a group of Latvian lawyers who know Latvia's immigration laws inside out.

Application for permanent residence permit in Latvia

In general, this type of residence permit is the most suitable for those who want to relocate to Latvia and meet one of these conditions before applying:

You are a citizen of the European Union.
It is a case of family reunification or integration.
You are of Latvian ancestry.
You are married to a citizen of Latvia etc.

In case you do not meet any of these criteria, do not worry. There are still other ways in which you can manage to migrate to Latvia legally with the help of a law firm in Latvia that can advise you on investment residency in this country.

How to immigrate to Latvia with investment residency?

Those who cannot apply for permanent residency by meeting any of the criteria we developed above still have a chance. Migrating to Latvia successfully is also possible through the economic investment route.

There are two ways to obtain temporary residence in Latvia; let’s see what they are:

Residence permit for real estate purchase

If you purchase a property in Latvia for more than EUR 250,000 it automatically makes you eligible to apply for a temporary residence permit. This is initially valid for five years, but is renewable if you meet certain requirements at the time of applying for renewal.

Residence permit based on investment

Commercial investment - This type of investment is the most suitable for those who are thinking of emigrating to Latvia to start their own business. The minimum investment is EUR 50,000, so this option is much cheaper than investing in real estate.
Financial investment - This option also allows you to take up temporary residence in Latvia. The main requirement is a one-time payment to the state budget of EUR 10,000, proving the source of funds.

These options give you the possibility to initially reside in the country for five years and renew if certain requirements are met. But as you have seen, it is not an easy decision to make. Each of these options for migrating to Latvia has advantages and disadvantages that it is advisable to review with an experienced team of immigration lawyers in Latvia.

Living in Latvia

More and more international investors are discovering the advantages of relocating to Latvia by way of investment, so this jurisdiction may become one of the favorites in Europe. Here are some of Latvia's main attractions:

The cost of living is not as high as in other European countries, and salaries have been increasing.
The inflation rate does not exceed 2%.
Latvia has positioned itself economically as a service economy; this sector represents 73.7% of the Latvian GDP.
Latvia is in the 30th position of the Index of Economic Freedom.
Latvia's trade openness rate has been rising very fast in recent years, reaching an increase of 94% in 2019.

Besides assisting you with immigration to Latvia, our lawyers can also assist you in other matters. For instance, if you are interested in acquiring citizenship in Latvia, our lawyers can assist you. You should know that you are served by two governments if you have dual citizenship. Suppose, if you have a problem while traveling, you can contact the embassies of one or both countries. Furthermore, you will be able to travel visa-free to almost all European, North, and South American countries, as a Latvian citizen.

How to get Latvian citizenship

It is important to state that Latvia does not have a dedicated program for obtaining citizenship, so this status is obtained through traditional ways. A business investment option is a Golden Visa, but this is the road to citizenship, after 10 years of living in Latvia. Here are other interesting aspects in this regard:

The road to citizenship can start with the purchase of a property worth at least EUR 250,000 to obtain residency. Once you prove that you have lived in Latvia for at least 10 years, you can start the process of obtaining citizenship.
The residence can also be obtained with an interest-free state security of at least EUR 250,000. This guarantees the residency of foreign citizens.
You can also invest at least EUR 50,000 in the equity capital of a company in Latvia and also pay a price of around EUR 10,000 to the state budget.
The real estate investment program for getting citizenship in Latvia has been recently suspended, so this is not an option for those interested.
Interested applicants must be at least 15 years old to enter the process of obtaining citizenship in Latvia through naturalization.

Regardless of the program you access to obtain temporary or permanent residence in Latvia, you must live in this country for at least 10 years to apply for citizenship. One of our immigration lawyers in Latvia can provide you with complete details about procedures and formalities.

What does Latvian citizenship by descent mean?

You can apply for Latvian citizenship if you provide proof, with various documents, that you have descendants in this country. Citizens with parents from Latvia are also accepted if the necessary proof is provided in this regard. One can collaborate with our lawyers in Latvia for legal guidance throughout the citizenship process.

A short guide to immigration to Latvia

If you are thinking of relocating to Latvia, it is good to do some checks beforehand and make sure you understand the immigration formalities. But for some of these are complex, it is recommended to have the support offered by one of our specialists with experience in immigration issues at hand. To give you an idea of the whole process, here is a small guide to immigration to Latvia:

First of all, you must make sure that you will have accommodation in Latvia. This is where the services of a real estate agency can be useful.
On the other hand, depending on the country you come from, you must apply for the necessary visa, namely the Schengen visa. Citizens from the European Union do not need a visa to enter Latvia.
The next natural step is to obtain a temporary residence permit in Latvia, which guarantees that you live legally in this country.
If you have accepted a job in Latvia, the relocation process is quite simple, and the documents can be issued quickly. But if you do not work in Latvia, you will have to provide a sum of money in a personal bank account.
It is necessary to register with the local authorities when entering Latvia. Certain documents can be used to obtain a residence permit.
Citizenship in Latvia can be obtained in different ways, but you must prove that you have lived in this country for at least 10 years.

Relocating to Latvia is not difficult, but everything depends on how the formalities and procedures are respected, so as not to have unpleasant surprises along the way. With the help of our immigration lawyers in Latvia, you can benefit from the necessary support in this endeavor, so that you can easily relocate to this country.

Why choose Latvia for relocation

Latvia has always been a discreet immigration destination in Europe, but over the last few years, it has been gaining popularity among foreign investors thinking about starting businesses in European jurisdictions and our Latvian law firm has experience helping them. Here are some of the formalities:

citizens of some nationalities can visit Latvia without a visa for up to 90 days;
to reside in this country for a longer period or indefinitely, you will have to undergo some procedures to obtain a residence permit, the document that gives you the possibility to reside and perform various activities within the country, from working and studying to registering companies;
there is an obligation of registering with the local municipality before starting the process of getting the residence permit in Latvia.

Due to the particularities of the migratory system of this country, we advise you to count on a law firm in Latvia that can help you.

If you are thinking of relocating to Latvia, you will surely need extensive support provided by our lawyers in Latvia who can help you with everything you need. Contact us right away if interested in more about immigration to Latvia.

Immigration statistics for Latvia

People choose to immigrate to Latvia due to many reasons, among which, the fact that this country is in the Schengen zone, enjoys sizeable EU funds, increased investments, and a growing GDP. Below are some details about the Latvian economy:

As the COVID-19 hit the economies on the global level, Latvia still maintained its GDP in 2020 almost the same as in 2019.
The GDP growth reached around 2.8% in 2022, thanks to the solid expansion in exports and private consumption.
In 2022, the government deficit reached 4.4% of the total GDP registered in Latvia, down from 7% as registered in 2021.
According to economists, the GDP in Latvia is forecast to increase by 1.4% in 2023.

You can contact our lawyers at our law firm in Latvia if you are planning to immigrate to Latvia.