Permanent residence in Latvia is granted to those who have been legally residing in the country for at least 5 years, know the national language at A2 level or higher, demonstrate law-abiding behavior and are able to support themselves. The permanent resident card equalizes you in most rights with a citizen of the country, but does not allow you to participate in elections and work in government agencies. The status is granted indefinitely and does not require a reason for staying in the country.

The Republic of Latvia is a member of the EU, so when you apply for a residence permit you also acquire EU residency with all its privileges. The main ones are visa-free travel within the Schengen zone, the right to work and commercial mobility within the EU, access to developed health care and education systems. The state does not provide simplified options for obtaining permanent residence, for example, for large investments or by descent.

It is possible to move to Latvia for permanent residence with a passport of any EU country. In some countries, such as Romania and Bulgaria, the second citizenship is granted under accelerated procedures within 4-6 months without opening a residence permit. To learn more about this, book a free appointment with an international law specialist at Immigrantinlaw.

How does a relocation for a permanent residence to Latvia look like step by step?

To move to Latvia for permanent residence, you need to do the following:

1. Select a reason for moving and prepare documents.
   All available grounds for opening a residence permit are listed in the Immigration Law of Latvia. You can move, for example, through official employment, investment in the economy of the republic, purchase of real estate, for family or humanitarian reasons. You check the pros and cons of different programs, make sure you meet the conditions for issuing a residence permit, and then form the necessary dossier.
2. Open a temporary residence permit.
   You can apply for a Latvian residence permit through the consulate or embassy in your country of residence. You can also apply to the Migration and Citizenship Board upon arrival in the territory of the republic, if you have a visa or the right to freely visit the state. You make an appointment with the authorized body in advance, submit a dossier, pay an administrative fee and submit fingerprints.
3. Live in the country with a residence permit and renew it.
   Usually, the primary card of Latvian resident is issued for a period of 1-5 years, depending on the reason for moving. If required, you extend it by re-applying to the migration authority. To do this, you need to keep the reason for living in the country and have the necessary dossier. Also, during the five-year period of residence you learn Latvian language for subsequent naturalization.
4. Apply for a permanent residence card.
   Permanent residency can be requested after 5 years of legal residence in the country. You can leave the country during this period for no more than 6 consecutive months or a year in total. Longer absence must be justified - for example, you were on medical treatment abroad. A residence permit card is opened through the Migration and Citizenship Board in the same way as a residence permit. It is necessary to know Latvian language at the level of A2 and have an income of 740 EUR per month during the previous year.

Grounds for obtaining a residence permit in Latvia

According to the law “On Immigration” of Latvia, you can get a residence permit with the right for subsequent naturalization on the following grounds:

• Official employment.
  It is possible to relocate to a company registered in Lithuania. This also applies to those who transfer to a local branch of an international organization or come on a long business trip. The employee's income must be not lower than the national average, i.e., from 1537 EUR per month in 2025.
• Highly qualified work.
  Highly qualified specialists who are employed in Latvia with a salary of 150% of the national average, i.e., not lower than 2306 EUR per month, can obtain a residence permit with the right to mobility in the EU countries. If your profession belongs to the list of scarce professions in the country, your salary can be from 1844 EUR.
• Commercial activity.
  Immigration to Latvia is possible for businessmen whose income in the country will equal or exceed EUR 3074 per month. The scope of activities of foreign businessmen is not regulated by law. Top managers of companies entered in the Trade Register and having the authorized capital of 2800 EUR or more can also move to Latvia.
• Opening a startup.
  Latvia grants the right of residence to those who have a business plan promising for the local economy and the means for its realization (including with the support of venture funds). At the same time, it will be required to provide regular information to the authorized bodies on the development and income of the startup after the move.
• Investing.
  Moving to Latvia is available to those who are ready to invest from EUR 50 thousand in the capital of an existing company, from EUR 250 thousand in state securities or from EUR 280 thousand in a subordinated loan of a local credit organization for a period of 5 years or more. In addition, EUR 10,000-28,000 must be paid to the country's budget, depending on the method of investment.
• Purchase of real estate.
  It is possible to buy one or two (depending on the location) real estate objects in Latvia for the amount of 250,000 EUR or more for personal or commercial use, then pay 5% of the transaction amount to the state budget and obtain residence on this basis. The cadastral value of the object should not be lower than 80 000 EUR, and the payment should be made by non-cash method.
• Latvian or Livonian origin.
  Those who have ethnic belonging to the Republic can obtain a Latvian residence permit with the right for subsequent naturalization. A residence permit is also granted to those who held a local passport before 1940. The country has a simplified repatriation procedure for natives, under which one can immediately apply for citizenship.
• Reunification with family members.
  It is possible to immigrate to Latvia as a spouse or close relative of the holder of a local residence permit, permanent residence permit or passport. Reunification is approved for legally married husband and wife, children (including adopted children and children under guardianship), parents. Naturalization for family reasons follows the standard procedure.
• Obtaining humanitarian status.
  Recognized refugees and asylum seekers can stay in Latvia permanently. Each case is considered individually by migration and law enforcement authorities. It is necessary to prove that you cannot reside in your home country for objective reasons that threaten your life and/or health.

Latvia grants the right to temporary residence for other reasons as well, but they do not allow you to naturalize in the country. Examples are getting an education, doing an internship, participating in volunteer activities. You can open one of these residence permits, and after immigration find another reason to re-issue a residence permit, as an option - to finish your studies at a university and get a job.

International law specialists of Immigrantinlaw will help you to determine the best way to immigrate to Latvia. The participation of specialized lawyers is your guarantee of successful relocation in a short period of time and with minimal costs.

Required documents for emigration from other countries to Latvia

In order to apply for a permanent residence permit in Latvia, a dossier will be required, which includes the following documents:

• a personally completed application form (available on the official website of the Office of Migration and Citizenship Affairs);
• a recent 3 x 4 cm photo;
• a valid travel document (usually a passport) with copies of the completed pages;
• proof of a regular and legal source of income during the previous year in an amount not lower than the national minimum wage (740 EUR per month in 2025);
• certificate of Latvian language proficiency at the level A2 or higher, according to the CEFR Common European Framework of Reference;
• receipt of payment of the administrative fee for processing the request;
• additional application form (if applicable).

At the stage of moving to Latvia, you will also need a certificate of no criminal record in your home country, a health insurance policy and proof of immigration eligibility, such as:

• employment contract;
• investor's certificate;
• company charter documents;
• business plan of the startup;
• metric documents (marriage, birth).

State authorities accept documents with an official translation into Latvian if they were issued abroad. In some cases, apostilization and/or legalization is also required (depends on your citizenship). You can prove your financial security, for example, by a work contract with your salary or a bank account statement. A certificate of no criminal record is issued through the Ministry of Internal Affairs of your home country or at a diplomatic mission.

Cost and terms of permanent residence in Latvia

Decisions on issuance of Latvian residence permit are made within 5-30 working days, depending on the amount of administrative fee you have paid. Temporary resident card is issued from 2 to 10 days. A residence permit is issued within the same period of time, i.e., from a week to 40 days in total. Before that, it is necessary to live legally in the country for at least 5 years. You should also take into account the time required to wait for the reception in the authorities. In general, it takes 5 and a half years to obtain the status of permanent resident.

The cost of obtaining a Latvian permanent residence permit includes administrative costs at each stage of the move. In addition, it is necessary to pay for notary services, assistance of an interpreter (if applicable) and migration specialists. The current rates of state fees are presented below.

Reasons for refusal to grant a permanent residence

Those who are found guilty of actions against the state, have previously violated migration laws, have a criminal record and/or are recognized as an undesirable person in the Schengen area will not be able to obtain a Latvian residence permit. Often applications are rejected due to errors in the procedure, for example, you have provided an incomplete dossier, incorrect translation of documents or failed to provide important information about yourself in the application form. You may be rejected if you do not meet the requirements. In order to avoid rejection, you should carefully consider each stage of the migration procedure and, ideally, enlist the support of lawyers.

Permanent residence status can be revoked if it turns out that it was obtained illegally, for example, through a fake marriage to a Latvian or by submitting a false dossier. Permanent residence status can be revoked if you have been sentenced for a serious or especially serious crime in the country, or if you have been included in the list of persona non grata in the country. If you leave the country for more than a year without a valid reason, your residency is also terminated. Illegal migrants are immediately deported from the state with a ban on re-entry.

Alternative solution for moving to Latvia

The easiest way to emigrate from other countries to Latvia for permanent residence is to obtain a passport of an EU country. You can apply for European Union citizenship under a simplified procedure with exemption from integration testing, fulfillment of norms on prior residence in the country with residence permit/permanent residence permit, demonstration of financial security and renunciation of passport in your home country. As an EU citizen, you get the right to reside in the Republic of Latvia without any time limit and without having to search for a reason to move. You can immigrate as a family without additional requirements.

Immigrantinlaw's international law specialists will help you to choose the best program of accelerated EU passport obtaining. Our specialized lawyers will conduct a comprehensive analysis of your documents free of charge, after which they will advise you on the best options for obtaining a second EU citizenship, taking into account your wishes and intentions.

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What gives immigration to Latvia for permanent residence

Immigrants mainly decide to move to Latvia for permanent residence in order to live in an economically developed country of the European Union without regular visits to migration authorities. Residency status is also beneficial because of access to such advantages:

• access to new commercial markets for entrepreneurs, participation in European grant programs and tenders;
• the possibility to invite close relatives to live together and obtain local residency for them;
• the prospect of profitable employment not only in Latvia, but also in other EU countries;
• the right to obtain a passport on naturalization for yourself and your children;
• access to highly developed health care and education systems on favorable terms;
• the possibility to leave the country for up to 12 months without the threat of status revocation (e.g., if you want to live in two countries);
• the right to enjoy social guarantees in the republic, to count on fair protection of judicial and law enforcement authorities.

How to choose a Latvian city to move to

To decide where to move to in Latvia, it is worth considering several things - the prospect of employment or starting a business, the level of infrastructure development, the size of salaries, the situation in the real estate market. The most popular cities for expats are:

• Riga.
  The capital and at the same time the most populous city in Latvia will appeal to those who are looking for a promising job in the country, as well as those who value an active lifestyle. Riga is characterized by cultural diversity, diverse career opportunities, high level and availability of education, and good infrastructure. One person needs about 840 EUR for a month here. Rental prices start from 400-500 EUR for a one-room apartment. The average salary net is 1200 EUR.
• Jurmala.
  The largest resort on the shore of the Gulf of Riga attracts those who dream of living by the sea and plunge into a cheerful, youthful atmosphere. Most of the vacancies here are offered in the fields of tourism, logistics, services and entertainment, there are good prospects for the development of small consumer business. For a comfortable life in Jurmala you will need about 800 EUR per month. Renting a one-bedroom property will cost 300-400 EUR, but prices rise in summer. The average monthly salary after taxes is 1130 EUR.
• Daugavpils.
  Latvia's second largest city is characterized by ethnic diversity. Many expats from the post-Soviet space live here (about one third of the permanent population), and the Russian language is widely spoken. Daugavpils is considered an important railway junction, cultural and industrial center of Latgale. Approximate costs here are about 700 EUR. Real estate in the city is cheaper compared to Riga and Jurmala, but salaries are also lower - on average about 900 EUR net.
• Jelgava.
  The former Latvian capital is considered to be the industrial center of the country. It is one of the main transportation hubs, where railway lines and highways intersect, which makes the city attractive for businessmen. Jelgava is home to the Latvian University of Biosciences and Technology, several large industrial plants, so technical specialists have a high chance of employment. The average income of the population is about 1100 EUR per month, with estimated expenses from 800 EUR per person and from 400 EUR for rent.

Life in Latvia after moving  

Level and quality of life in Latvia

The average monthly salary in Latvia is 1537 EUR at the end of 2024. The minimum salary is 740 EUR. At the same time, according to Numbeo, the expected expenses per person in the republic are at the level of 800 EUR per month, excluding rent. Doctors, managers in the sphere of information and communication technologies, ship and airplane drivers, technical specialists earn the most. Their salary can reach 4000-5000 EUR per month. To live comfortably in Latvia, you need to have at least average income, especially if you need to rent a place to live.

Attitude towards migrants

Rather strict migration policy of Latvia leads to the fact that the number of foreigners here is not very large. Locals are characterized by a benevolent mentality. Discrimination of people on any of the grounds, including nationality, is prohibited by law.

Taxation of income of residents

If you reside permanently in Latvia, you must pay taxes to the local treasury. Personal income tax is withheld at a progressive rate - from 20% to 31%, depending on the salary level. Micro-enterprises and individual entrepreneurs with annual turnover within 50 000 EUR must pay 25% of the total income. The basic VAT rate in the country is 21 %. Corporate tax for businessmen is 20 %.

Feedback from immigrants who have moved to Latvia

As reported by immigrants who live in Latvia, it is not so easy to legalize a stay here. The list of grounds for moving is limited, and there are no privileges for naturalization even for those who are of Latvian origin. Generally, residence permits are granted to foreigners whose activities may be of economic interest to the state. One of the advantages of the local migration policy is the possibility of obtaining a residence permit through the purchase of real estate, but its prices are regularly rising, and its liquidity and payback are in question.

In reviews about moving to Latvia, one can often read advice about cooperation with international law specialists. Immigrants claim that the assistance of specialized lawyers allows to avoid mistakes in complex procedures, as most of the tasks can be delegated. Step-by-step support of Immigrantinlaw specialists guarantees successful citizenship or residency in the European Union with minimal waiting time and without large investments. You can request a free consultation to determine the best way of immigration.

About the author

Diana Weber

Lawyer of international law

Diane Weber is an international law specialist with 10 years of legal practice experience. Her portfolio includes successful stories of citizenship in different European Union countries under simplified procedures. Diana provides detailed advice and helps many people to achieve their immigration goals in a short period of time, including resolving visa issues, assisting in obtaining residence permits and citizenship in the EU countries. In her blog, Diana Weber enjoys providing readers with detailed information about the features of most popular programs for obtaining a second passport.