Residence permit in Latvia - European Union

EU LAW FIRM immigration lawyers in Latvia provide clients with the opportunity to acquire European Union residence permits.

There are various options and possibilities to migrate to Latvia and acquire a residence permit in Latvia.

Latvia distinguishes two types of residence permits:

- temporary residence permit in Latvia;

- permanent residence permit in Latvia.

Temporary residence permit in Latvia is issued for persons who qualify under one of the Latvian immigration programmes. 

Permanent residence permit in Latvia is issued after person has held the temporary residence permit in Latvia for at least 5 years period.

There are various residence permit programmes available in Latvia under which foreigners can acquire a residence permit in Latvia. It is notable to mention that Latvian residence permit is European Union residence permit, therefore, the person will be entitled to all the rights of free movement between all Schengen countries without VISA requirements. 

Available temporary residence permit programmes in Latvia:

EU Blue Card in Latvia/European Blue Card - temporary residence permit in Latvia available for highly skilled professions who are employed in Europe. The EU Blue Card is issued for 5 years period, and can be renewed. After 5 years the person can apply for permanent residence permit in Latvia. The requirements are:

• • valid passport
  • professional experience minimum of 5 years or higher education degree in at least 3 years programme;
  • employer in Latvia;
  • minimum monthly salary of 1291 EUR;
  • clean criminal record.

EU Work permit/Work permit in Latvia - temporary residence permit in Latvia available for all workers without limitation, there are no requirements for professional experience or education as with EU Blue Card. The EU work permit in Latvia is issued for 5 years, and can be renewed. After 5 years the person can apply for permanent residence permit in Latvia. The requirements are:

• • • valid passport;
    • employer in Latvia;
    • minimum monthly salary of 1076 EUR;
    • clean criminal record.

EU Golden Visa in Latvia - temporary residence permit in Latvia available for foreigners who have bought real-estate in Latvia for minimum of 250 000 EUR. The EU Golden Visa in Latvia is issued for 5 years and can be renewed. After 5 years the person can apply for permanent residence permit in Latvia. The requirements are:

• • valid passport;
  • purchase of real-estate in Latvia for minimal market value of 250 000 EUR (market value is determined by licenced evaluator);
  • payment of state fee in total amount of 12 500 EUR (total amount for whole family - one time payment);
  • sufficient funds of living (will need to submit bank account statement confirming that the persons have at least minimum of 6000 EUR yearly savings for each adult, and at least 1800 EUR yearly savings for each children below 18 years old);
  • documents to prove source of income (savings, salary, dividends, loans or any other source of income);
  • clean criminal record.

Investor Residence Permit in Latvia - temporary residence permit in Latvia for investors who have invested at least 50 000 EUR in company's share-capital. Investor residence permit in Latvia is issued for 5 years period and can be renewed. After 5 years the person can apply for permanent residence permit in Latvia. The requirements are:

• • valid passport;
  • investment in company's share-capital minimum of 50 000 EUR;
  • payment of state fee in total amount of 10 000 EUR (total amount for whole family - one time payment);
  • sufficient funds of living (will need to submit bank account statement confirming that the persons have at least minimum of 6000 EUR yearly savings for each adult, and at least 1800 EUR yearly savings for each children below 18 years old);
  • documents to prove source of income (savings, salary, dividends, loans or any other source of income);
  • clean criminal record.

Start-up Residence Permit in Latvia - residence permit in Latvia for start-up companies who bring innovative ideas to Latvia and create jobs. The start-up residence permit in Latvia is issued for 3 years with right to renewal. If person is present in Latvia for at least 5 years, the person can apply for permanent residence permit in Latvia. The requirements are:

• • valid passport;
  • establishment of company in Latvia with a high growth potential the basic activity of which is related to the development, production or improvement of scalable business models and innovative products;
  • within 3 months when residence permit in Latvia is issued must register a board member in company which is incorporated in Latvia for not longer than 1 year;
  • within 12 months after issuing of the temporary residence permit, the foreigner has submitted information regarding an early stage venture capital investment received in the minimum amount 15 000 - 30 000 EUR , or has submitted a progress review on the activities implemented by the capital company within this period which attests that the capital company continues the development, production or improvement of the innovative product;
  • clean criminal record.

Permanent Residence Permit in Latvia:

After person has lived in territory of Latvia with temporary residence permit for at least 5 years, the person has a right to apply for permanent residence permit in Latvia. After permanent residence permit is received, it is possible to apply to the citizenship of the Republic of Latvia.

The permanent residence permit in Latvia will ensure that the person can reside in Latvia without any limitions permanently. 

Frequently asked questions regarding residence permits in Latvia:

1. Is Residence Permit in Latvia Issued For All Family Members?

Residence permit both temporary and permanent is issued for all family members of the residence permit receiver, including the spouse and all children who are below 18 years old. 

2. What documents are required to apply for residence permit in Latvia?

The documents to apply differ from programme to programme, but generally required is valid passport, clean criminal record, and documents proving sufficient living means. Our lawyers will assist you in preparation of all required documentation, and inform you on what exactly documents will be required, as document requirements differ from programme to programme. 

3. Is document legalization necessary?

Document legalization and apostilles will be necessary for public documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, passport copies and all other documents which are issued by public authorities.

Our immigration lawyers will provide you with full asisstance regarding the document legalization process, and will inform you what are the necessary documents in each particular case.

4. How long it takes to acquire a residence permit in Latvia?

The time to acquire residence permit varies from programme to programme, but the general time-frame is from 2 to 6 months. In case the Latvian Immigration Authorities request additional information or carry out in-depth person's criminal clearance, then maximum term could be extended to 1 year. 

5. Can I acquire residence permit in Latvia regardless of nationality or country of residence?

Absolutely! Latvia have no limitations on nationalities or countries of residence who can apply for Latvian residence permit. People from all nationalities are welcome to apply for Latvian residence permit. Latvia generally is a very welcoming country to foreigners with paramount values in human rights protection and solidarity. 

During more than 14 years of our legal experience, we have assisted thousands of third country nationals from Russia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Armenia, China, Pakistan, India, Vietnam, Australia, U.S.A., Japan and other countries to acquire an European Union and Latvian residence permits. 

EU LAW FIRM offers residence permits in the European Union by investment, real-estate, employment, government bonds, and other.

Contact EU LAW FIRM immigration lawyers today to find out more information about the European Union residence permit opportunities for you and your family - info@eulawfirm.eu