🇱🇻 Latvia visa and immigration options

Work Permit / EU Blue Card / Digital Nomad Visa

Non-EU nationals generally need a visa and work permit from the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA). The EU Blue Card suits highly-skilled professionals (university degree or 5+ years' experience, salary 1.5x the national average, no vacancy registration needed); the Digital Nomad Visa suits remote workers for an OECD-registered employer (up…

Processing time

Not precisely stated by sources reviewed for permit approval itself.

Typical costs

Government processing fees plus document costs.

Government fees

Fee not confirmed by sources reviewed; confirm with OCMA.

Work and study rights

Full work rights tied to the sponsoring employer (standard/Blue Card routes); Digital Nomad Visa holders may only work remotely for their foreign employer, not take local Latvian employment.

Family

Spouse and minor children can apply for family reunification once you hold a valid permit.

Sources reviewed: https://rivermate.com/guides/latvia/work-permits-and-visas

Temporary Residence Permit for Study

Non-EU students admitted to a recognized Latvian educational institution can apply for a study-purpose temporary residence permit.

Processing time

Not precisely stated by sources reviewed.

Typical costs

Financial-proof amount not precisely confirmed by sources reviewed; budget conservatively and confirm current figures directly.

Government fees

Fee not confirmed by sources reviewed; confirm with OCMA or your institution.

Work and study rights

Part-time work rights are generally available to registered students, subject to standard Latvian limits.

Family

Dependants are not typically included under a student permit; a separate family-reunification application would be needed.

Sources reviewed: https://wheretoemigrate.io/guide/programs/latvia/student-lv-s-001/

Investment Residence Permit (Company Share Capital)

Latvia's investor-residency program was significantly reshaped by a new Immigration Law effective 15 September 2026: the real-estate (EUR 250,000) and bank-deposit (EUR 280,000) routes were both ended for new applicants, leaving company share capital as the main active route, plus a not-yet-operational state-investment-fund route.

Processing time

Not precisely stated by sources reviewed.

Typical costs

EUR 50,000 (company with ≤50 employees, ≤EUR 10 million turnover/balance sheet, ≥EUR 40,000/year tax payments) or EUR 100,000 (larger company, ≥EUR 100,000/year tax payments), plus the EUR 10,000 state-budget payment.

Government fees

EUR 10,000 — A EUR 10,000 payment to the state budget is due with the first temporary residence permit application, on top of the EUR 50,000/100,000 share-capital investment itself.

Work and study rights

Residence tied to maintaining the qualifying company and its required annual tax contributions.

Family

Not detailed by sources reviewed for this specific route; confirm with an immigration adviser.

Important: IMPORTANT (major 2026 change): as of 15 September 2026, the previously popular EUR 250,000 real-estate route and the EUR 280,000 bank-deposit route are BOTH CLOSED to new applicants under Latvia's new Immigration Law — do not rely on older guides describing these as current options. The EUR 150,000 state-investment-fund route exists in law but OCMA has…

Sources reviewed: https://getgoldenvisa.com/latvia-reshapes-its-golden-visa-property-route-ends-under-new-immigration-law

Family Reunification

Relatives up to the third step (vertical or horizontal line) of a Latvian citizen, non-citizen, or permanent-residence-permit holder can apply for a family-reunification residence permit, subject to a subsistence-level income test.

Processing time

Not precisely stated by sources reviewed.

Typical costs

Subsistence requirement: EUR 500/month per adult, EUR 150/month per minor.

Government fees

A state duty payment is required; the exact amount was not stated by the source reviewed — check Latvia's State Fees page.

Work and study rights

Family members granted residence on this basis can generally access the labour market, subject to standard Latvian rules.

Family

This IS the family-joining pathway; it covers the qualifying relative(s) themselves.

Important: your inviter (sponsor) must get the invitation APPROVED AT OCMA before you submit your own application documents — a sequencing step that's easy to miss. Latvia's qualifying-relative category (up to the third step, plus in-laws to the third step) is notably broader than many EU peers, which may open this route to relatives who wouldn't qualify elsewhere.

Sources reviewed: https://www.pmlp.gov.lv/en/family-unification

Permanent Residence Permit

Non-EU nationals holding a temporary residence permit for a qualifying period can apply for a permanent residence permit in Latvia, removing the need for further renewals.

Processing time

Not precisely stated by sources reviewed.

Typical costs

Government processing fees plus document costs.

Government fees

Fee not confirmed by sources reviewed; confirm with OCMA/PMLP.

Work and study rights

Full work rights with no employer tie once permanent residence is granted.

Family

Family members already residing with you can apply for their own permanent status in parallel.

Sources reviewed: https://wheretoemigrate.io/guide/programs/latvia/permanent-settlement/

Latvian Citizenship by Naturalization

Naturalization is available from age 15, requiring 5 years of independent, documented residence in Latvia on a permanent residence permit immediately before applying, a Latvian-language test, and a test on the Constitution, the National Anthem, and Latvian history and culture.

Processing time

Tests are scheduled within 2 months of applying; overall decision timeline not precisely stated by sources reviewed.

Typical costs

EUR 28.46 state fee (or EUR 4.27 reduced) plus any language/exam preparation costs.

Government fees

EUR 28.46 — State fee EUR 28.46, or EUR 4.27 if reduced.

Work and study rights

Full citizenship rights upon approval, including an EU passport and unrestricted right to live and work across the EU.

Family

Each applicant is assessed individually from age 15 upward.

Important: applicants with certain criminal records, terrorism or anti-state/criminal-organization links, or unpaid state tax or other payment obligations CANNOT be naturalized at all — this is an absolute bar, not just a negative factor. The 5-year residence period must be on a PERMANENT residence permit specifically and documented independently (not simply claimed).

Sources reviewed: https://pmlp.gov.lv/en/node/599

Visit Latvia (Short-Stay/Schengen Visa)

Latvia is a full Schengen member. Many nationalities can enter visa-free for short stays; others need a Schengen C visa.

Processing time

Standard Schengen C-visa processing (commonly a few weeks); visa-free nationalities need no advance processing. Short business visits of up to 14 days in any 180-day period don't require a work permit.

Typical costs

Standard Schengen visa fee (where applicable) plus travel insurance covering at least EUR 30,000.

Government fees

Standard Schengen short-stay visa fee applies for nationalities requiring a visa.

Work and study rights

None (beyond the narrow 14-day short-business-visit allowance); this category is for tourism, short business trips, and similar short-term purposes only.

Family

Each traveller applies/enters individually.

Sources reviewed: https://rivermate.com/guides/latvia/work-permits-and-visas