Latvia Permanent Residence - Help from Our Latvian Lawyers
Residence Permit in Latvia
Updated on Monday 08th August 2022 Rate this article
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EU citizens can live in Latvia for three months based on their valid travel documents alone. If they want to move to Latvia after these three months, it is required to apply for a temporary residence permit. After five straight years of residence, they can obtain Latvia permanent residence. Non-EU citizens, on the other hand, benefit from a special program that grants them the right to live in Latvia. In addition, these citizens may apply for a residence permit for foreign investors.
You can trust the legal services of our immigration lawyers in Latvia if you are interested in acquiring a temporary or permanent residence permit.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Temporary residence permit types | - residence permit based on the purchase/aquisition of real estate; - residence permit based on investment |
| Time needed to obtain the temporary residence permit (approx.) | 5 to 30 days |
| Temporary residence permit validity | 3 months |
| Documents for obtaining temporary residence | - a completed residence permit application form; - a photo; - confirmation of no criminal record; - proof of subsistence/sufficient funds; - a document confirming the planned place of residence in the Republic of Latvia; - a document confirming payment of the state fees. |
| Mandatory registrations with state authorities (i.e. with the population/municipality register) | - City Council Registration; - Population Register |
| Dependents can join the temporary permit holder | Yes |
| Temporary or permanent residency for investment purposes | Investors can gain a five year residency permit by investing €250,000 in property. |
| Minimum temporary residence before applying for permanent residence | 5 years |
| Documents for obtaining permanent residence | - completed residence permit application form; - a photo; - confirmation of no criminal record; - proof of subsistence/sufficient funds; - document confirming the planned place of residence in the Republic of Latvia; - document confirming payment of the state fees. |
| Naturalization requirements | - should be over the age of 15; - the permanent place of residence has been in Latvia for not less than the last five years; - fluecy in the Latvian language; - have a legal source of income; - should give a pledge of loyalty to the Republic of Latvia |
| Citizenship after permanent residence | It can be obtained after five years. |
Temporary residence permits in Latvia
The temporary residence permit in Latvia may be obtained by foreign citizens only if they have a minimum monthly income of 360 euros. The Immigration Department issues residence permits in Latvia. The following documents are required when applying for a temporary residence permit in Latvia:
- A copy of the applicant’s passport;
- Information about the applicant’s marital status, family members and education;
- Proof of residential address in Latvia;
- A document confirming the applicant’s stay in Latvia, such as an employment contract;
- Proof of payment of the registration fee.
The skilled lawyers at our law firm in Latvia can guide you through the residence permit application procedure.
EU citizens and residence in Latvia
Yes, Latvia is a member state of the European Union. Therefore, the citizens of EU/EEA, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom become permanent residents of this country from the moment they acquire their ID number and the EU citizen’s registration certificate. Here are some requirements for EU citizens to be fulfilled to qualify for acquiring a registration certificate:
- The EU citizens must have sufficient financial means to support themselves during their stay in Latvia;
- He/she is receiving education in Latvia along with sufficient financial means to support expenses;
- EU citizen is a service-provider, employed or self-employed in Latvia.
An EU citizen can also obtain Latvia permanent residence if he/she is a family member of a local citizen. Get more details from our skilled lawyers if you are an EU citizen and want to obtain Latvia permanent residence.
Legal legal ways to get a residence permit in Latvia
Please find below several ways for obtaining residency in Latvia, provided by the authorities of the state. In addition, you can qualify as a resident of Latvia by fulfilling the obligations of any of the following options:
- An aspirant can deposit 280,000 euros in a bank for five years, plus the applicant also needs to pay a government fee of 25,000 euros for the issuance of a residence permit. The applicant cannot withdraw the deposit from the bank before maturity;
- If an individual has a labor contract with a company, he/she can get residency in Latvia;
- The applicant can invest in real estate if he/she is interested in obtaining a permanent or temporary residence permit in Latvia. However, the investment amount in real estate must be at least 250,000, plus the 5% from property price, as mentioned in the purchase contract will be the government fee for issuance of residency permit;
- If an individual owns a company in their home country, he/she can incorporate its representative office in Latvia for obtaining residency. You can trust the legal assistance of our immigration lawyers in Latvia in this regard;
- Here is the last investment option by which an investor can get residency in Latvia. In this option, instead of incorporating a representative office of a home company in Latvia, the applicant can himself/herself incorporate a company here. But it has strict requirements; the Latvian immigration law says that the company must pay 40,000 euros in taxes yearly.
Besides this, the investment amount for obtaining residency in this way must be at least 50,000 euros along with a one-time payment of 10,000 euros to the government to issue a residence permit. This investment option is risky because the investor will not get a residence visa if the company fails to comply with the tax obligations.
You can get the legal help of experienced lawyers at our law firm in Latvia because obtaining a residency is a complex and lengthy process. At first, the applicant gets a temporary residence permit in Latvia, which needs annual renewal. Then, after five years of legal residence, an individual can apply for a Latvia permanent residence. Finally, after ten years of legal residence under the title of a permanent resident, an individual can apply for citizenship in Latvia. If you are dealing with any of these stages, you can get in touch with our Latvian lawyers for their comprehensive legal assistance.
What benefits can you acquire from Latvian residency as a third country national?
As a third-country national, if you get Latvia permanent residence, you can get the following social security benefits:
- Housing;
- Assistance services if suffering from Group I visual disability;
- Compensation for transport expenses in case of any disability;
- Proper care in case of any disability;
- As a third-country national, you can get birth of child benefit;
- Receive allowance for child care;
- Get proper care for your child in case he/she is disabled;
- If you are a guardian of a child, Latvian authorities provide you with support payments;
- You can get support payments for performing the role of foster parents;
- You also receive support payments from Latvian authorities for adopting a child.
As a third-country national interested in permanent immigration to Latvia, you can also receive various other benefits if you have paid social insurance contributions or worked in Latvia. The following benefits are offered no matter whether you are in Latvia or any other EU/EEA country:
- Paternity and maternity benefit;
- Compensation for any accident that happened at the workplace;
- Compensation for any work-related illness;
- Pension once you get old;
- Unemployment benefit;
- Sickness benefit;
- Funeral benefit.
If you want to know more about Latvia permanent residence permit benefits, you can rely on the services of our lawyers who will help you with immigration to Latvia.
Taxes in Latvia
It is necessary for foreigners enjoying Latvia permanent or temporary residence to comply with the taxes in this country. In Latvia, The Tax and Duties Act determines the general taxation, and under this Act, taxes are imposed either by state or municipalities.
- In Latvia, the value-added tax (VAT) rate is 12%;
- For distributed profit, corporate income tax (CIT) is 20%; otherwise, it is 0%;
- Personal income tax in Latvia varies from 20%, 23% and 31.4% based on the earnings.
Contact our Latvian lawyers for details about visa application procedures. You can also get in touch with our lawyers if you are wondering about any additional Latvia permanent residence permit benefits.