Residence Permits in Latvia | FAQ

1.1  What is the difference between a TRP and a “golden visa”?

There is no difference: they refer to the same thing. “Golden visa” is an unofficial but widely used term familiar to many clients from other jurisdictions such as Portugal, Spain or Greece. The official Latvian term is a temporary residence permit (TRP) granted on the basis of an investment in real estate or in a company’s share capital. The two expressions are used as synonyms on this page.

1.2  Why Latvia, and how does it compare with other EU “golden visa” programmes?

In 2026, Latvia is one of the last EU countries in which a real-estate investment still permits an application for residence at a proportionate cost, and one of the few in which the minimum qualifying amount can secure direct ownership of a newly built apartment in the centre of the capital. Spain ended its “golden visa” programme in April 2025. Portugal removed the real-estate route in 2023, while retaining fund investments from EUR 500,000. Greece requires EUR 800,000 in its most sought-after areas (Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos and Santorini) and EUR 400,000 elsewhere; the EUR 250,000 threshold remains only for conversions and the restoration of cultural heritage properties, coupled with a prohibition on short-term letting. Malta requires approximately EUR 300,000–375,000 to be invested in property and approximately EUR 100,000 in government contributions, while Hungary requires EUR 250,000 to be placed in a real-estate fund without the investor acquiring the property directly.

In Latvia, EUR 250,000 can still purchase a modern apartment in central Riga with full ownership rights; alternatively, an investment of EUR 100,000 in the share capital of a Latvian company is sufficient to apply for a permit. Other advantages include a five-year permit for the entire family, only one brief visit each year, travel throughout the Schengen Area, Latvia’s membership of the euro area, a transparent Land Register system and standard processing within 30–90 days. The conditions of other countries’ programmes are stated as at July 2026 and may change.

1.3  Why do many clients choose the Riga Waterfront project?

The decisive considerations are who is developing the project and how well it fits within the residence permit programme. Riga Waterfront is being developed by Eagle Hills, a company registered in Abu Dhabi whose founder and chairman, Mohamed Alabbar, is also the founder of Emaar Properties and the developer behind Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall.

According to information published by the developer, it is one of the largest development projects in the Baltic States: an investment programme of approximately EUR 3 billion across 55 hectares and five kilometres of Daugava riverfront, based on an integrated master plan comprising marinas, retail and office premises and residential neighbourhoods. The project is being developed under a memorandum of cooperation with the City of Riga.

For residence permit purposes, it is especially convenient because both of the most commonly used qualifying routes are available within one project: an immediate investment in share capital, and a newly built apartment from EUR 250,000 for the real-estate route — but only after the building has been commissioned and title registered in the Land Register. An apartment still under construction does not in itself create eligibility for a TRP. We have guided Riga Waterfront investor cases through the authorities from registration of the invitation to a positive decision, so the legal process is well established.

At the same time, we emphasise that we are sworn advocates, not investment advisers. We do not assess the commercial merits of an investment and are equally willing to handle your residence permit matter on the basis of any other qualifying investment.

1.4  Are you an official cooperation partner of Riga Waterfront?

Yes. CORVUS is an official cooperation partner of Riga Waterfront and assists buyers in the project with the residence permit process from beginning to end. At the same time, we are an independent firm of Latvian sworn advocates and advise on any Latvian immigration matter, whether or not connected with this project. If you select another route — real estate elsewhere in Latvia, an investment in the share capital of another Latvian company, or employment, for example under the EU Blue Card scheme — we will assess whether your chosen solution meets the TRP requirements and provide legal support at every stage.

We are sworn advocates, not investment advisers, and do not assess the commercial merits of an investment. Our status as a cooperation partner does not affect our independence: our legal fees are paid by the client, and our opinion on whether the client’s chosen solution satisfies the TRP requirements is the same irrespective of the project selected.

1.5  What investment routes are available for obtaining a residence permit in Latvia?

In our practice, the two routes used most frequently are: (1) an investment in the share capital of a Latvian capital company — at least EUR 50,000 where the company meets the statutory criteria for a smaller company, and at least EUR 100,000 where it exceeds those thresholds (explained in 1.6 and 1.7); and (2) the acquisition of real estate in Latvia worth at least EUR 250,000, paid for by bank transfer, with construction completed and title registered in the Land Register. Both routes entitle the investor to apply for a temporary residence permit for up to five years together with the investor’s spouse and children under 18. We assist under both routes, including structures in which a share-capital investment initially serves as the basis for the permit and is later replaced by real estate once the property has been commissioned.

Importantly, the amount required under the share-capital route is not a matter of investor choice: it is determined by the size of the company receiving the investment. Before the transaction, we therefore verify the company’s number of employees, turnover and balance-sheet total. An error at this stage means that no qualifying basis for a permit arises at all. Some companies fall outside all of the statutory subparagraphs, in which case an investment in that company gives no right to a TRP at either EUR 50,000 or EUR 100,000 (see 1.7).

1.6  What does the law mean by a “smaller company” in which an investment of EUR 50,000 is sufficient?

The criteria are set out in section 23(1)(28)(a) of the Immigration Law and must be met concurrently. The investment in share capital must be at least EUR 50,000 and must be made either by increasing the share capital of an existing Latvian capital company or by incorporating a new company. The company must have no more than 50 employees, and its annual turnover or annual balance-sheet total must not exceed EUR 10 million. The latter test is alternative: it is sufficient for either one of those two indicators to be below the threshold. This reflects the grammatical reading of the statutory text; borderline cases are addressed in 1.7.

The investor pays EUR 10,000 into the state budget for the first residence permit and EUR 5,000 on applying again after five years; this payment falls due only after a positive OCMA decision, before the cards are issued (see 1.10). No more than ten foreign nationals may obtain residence permits on the basis of investments in the share capital of the same company. This restriction appears specifically in subparagraph (a) and does not apply to the routes for larger companies. Family members make no investment of their own and apply through family reunification.

A separate tax condition must also be taken into account. Section 23(7.1) of the Immigration Law provides that a residence permit issued on this basis remains valid only if, during the permit’s validity, the company in which the investment was made pays at least EUR 40,000 in aggregate state and municipal taxes in each financial year, according to its tax returns. If the first financial year is incomplete, a reduced minimum applies: at least EUR 3,300 for each month of that year. This is not an entry condition but a condition for the continuing validity of the permit, verified annually. It is therefore legally correct to say that “the permit remains valid if the company pays at least EUR 40,000 in taxes each year”, rather than that “the company must pay EUR 40,000 in taxes in order for the permit to be granted”.

In practice, this means that before an investment is made we assess not only the amount invested but also the company’s tax profile and its capacity to maintain the threshold throughout the five-year period, because that affects the validity of your permit rather than merely the company’s own obligations.

It is this condition that, in practice, rules out most EUR 50,000 options offered on the market. Annual tax payments of EUR 40,000 imply a genuinely operating business with turnover and employees. Newly incorporated or small companies marketed primarily for the purpose of obtaining residence permits cannot sustain that level for five consecutive years, and the permit loses its basis of validity as early as the first or second financial year. To reduce this risk, we therefore usually recommend first considering the EUR 100,000 route through a larger, established operating company (see 1.7). The formal annual tax threshold there is higher — EUR 100,000 — but it is met through the company’s existing business activity rather than through a structure created specifically for the permit, so the investor’s practical risk is lower. Moreover, the limit of no more than ten foreign nationals per company does not apply under that route. In return for a higher initial investment, the investor obtains a substantially more durable legal basis for the permit. Each company’s indicators and tax history must nevertheless be assessed individually; a general recommendation cannot replace a case-specific review.

1.7  What conditions apply to an investment of EUR 100,000 in a larger company?

Two subparagraphs of the same section 23(1)(28) apply. Under subparagraph (b), the investment must be at least EUR 100,000 in a company that employs more than 50 people and whose annual turnover or annual balance-sheet total exceeds EUR 10 million. Under subparagraph (c), the same investment may be made in a company which, together with one or more subsidiaries registered in the Republic of Latvia, employs more than 50 people and whose aggregate annual turnover or balance-sheet total exceeds EUR 10 million.

The figure of EUR 100,000 is therefore not an option chosen by a “larger investor”; it follows from the objective fact that the company has outgrown the statutory thresholds for a smaller company. The restriction of no more than ten foreign nationals per company is not contained in these subparagraphs and applies only to the EUR 50,000 route. Some companies satisfy the full set of criteria in none of subparagraphs (a), (b) or (c) — for example, a company which, together with its subsidiaries, employs more than 50 people but whose turnover and balance-sheet total are both below EUR 10 million. In borderline cases, where the company’s indicators are close to a threshold or the company moves in and out of compliance over time, we agree the applicable subparagraph and consequently the required investment amount with the authority before the transaction.

A tax condition also applies here, at a higher level. Under section 23(7.2) of the Immigration Law, a permit issued on the basis of subparagraph (b) remains valid if the company pays at least EUR 100,000 in taxes in each financial year. For an incomplete first financial year, the reduced minimum is at least EUR 8,300 for each month of that year. The payment into the state budget is the same as under the smaller-company route — EUR 10,000, and EUR 5,000 on a subsequent application — and here too it falls due only after a positive decision (see 1.10).

For structures involving subsidiaries under subparagraph (c), the application of the tax condition is assessed individually because the statutory wording does not expressly regulate that situation. The issue should be clarified with the authority before the investment is made.

1.8  Can two investors divide one property or investment and obtain two permits?

No. Under the real-estate route, in Riga, Jūrmala and the municipalities listed in the law, the applicant must own one functionally connected property with a value of at least EUR 250,000. In the rest of Latvia, one applicant may own no more than two properties with an aggregate value of at least EUR 250,000. The threshold cannot, however, be divided between two persons. If two persons jointly own a property worth EUR 250,000, each share (EUR 125,000) is below the threshold and neither person acquires a qualifying basis for a permit. Each principal applicant requires a separate investment worth at least EUR 250,000.

Under the share-capital route, each investor must make the full qualifying investment: at least EUR 50,000 in the case of a smaller company and at least EUR 100,000 in the other cases. No more than ten foreign nationals may obtain permits on this basis in the same smaller company, but each must make a separate investment. No such numerical restriction applies under the larger-company routes. Family members — the spouse and children — do not make an investment of their own; they apply by family reunification on the basis of the investor’s status.

1.9  What is the process for applying on the basis of real estate?

The principal stages are: selecting and acquiring a suitable property; collecting documents, including passports, criminal-record certificates, civil-status documents, proof of funds and health insurance; submitting the TRP application at a Latvian embassy abroad or in Latvia; examination by OCMA; the OCMA decision; after a positive decision, payment of 5% of the property’s value into the state budget and payment of the state fees; obtaining a D visa where a visa is required for entry; and finally travelling to Latvia for the medical examination, submission of biometric data and collection of the cards. No invitation is required under the real-estate route — an invitation is needed only under the share-capital route (see 1.10).

The payment into the state budget — 5% of the property’s value — falls due only after a positive OCMA decision and before the residence-permit cards are issued. It is payable neither on submission of the application nor while it is being examined. In practice this means that the applicant takes no risk with that sum: if the decision is negative it is never paid at all, and the only amounts paid before the decision are the comparatively modest examination fees (see 3.2). The same order applies under the share-capital route (see 1.10).

1.10  What is the process for applying on the basis of an investment in company share capital?

The sequence of stages is broadly the same as under the real-estate route (see 1.9), but the beginning differs. The principal stages are: selecting and reviewing the company — its number of employees, turnover and balance-sheet total determine whether the qualifying investment is EUR 50,000 or EUR 100,000 (see 1.6 and 1.7); making the investment and being registered as a shareholder of the company; registering an invitation with OCMA — the inviting party is the company in which the investment was made, and an approved invitation is valid for six months (see 5.2); collecting documents, including passports, criminal-record certificates, civil-status documents, proof of funds and health insurance; submitting the TRP application at a Latvian embassy abroad or in Latvia within the validity of the invitation; examination by OCMA; the OCMA decision; after a positive decision, the investment payment of EUR 10,000 into the state budget and payment of the state fees; obtaining a D visa where a visa is required for entry; and finally travelling to Latvia for the medical examination, submission of biometric data and collection of the cards.

The principal procedural difference between the two routes is the invitation. No invitation is required when the basis is the purchase of real estate: the basis of the permit is the applicant’s own title to the property, and there is no inviting party in that route. An invitation is required precisely in the case of an investment in share capital — it is registered by the company in which the investment was made, and the residence-permit application may be submitted only after the invitation has been approved. In practice this means one additional stage and approximately two weeks: an invitation is examined within 10 working days, and the fee is EUR 10 electronically (EUR 17 on paper) plus EUR 10 for each person included in it.

The investment payment into the state budget — EUR 10,000 on a first application and EUR 5,000 for each subsequent permit — likewise falls due only after a positive OCMA decision, before the cards are issued. As under the real-estate route (see 1.9), it is payable neither on submission nor during examination, and if the decision is negative it is not payable at all.

What happens after the card is issued also differs. Under the share-capital route the validity of the permit depends on the taxes the company pays in each financial year (see 1.6 and 1.7), and the annual registration verifies both that the investment is maintained and that this condition is met; under the real-estate route it verifies that title and value are maintained. The minimum means of subsistence also differs: EUR 780 per month under the share-capital route, against EUR 2,340 per month under the real-estate route.

1.11  Is Latvia’s “golden visa” being abolished?

At present, no. The existing Immigration Law remains in force, including the real-estate route. Amendments that entered into force on 20 May 2026 abolished the government-securities investment route and narrowed the start-up route, but the real-estate and share-capital routes remained in force. A new Immigration Law was adopted by Parliament but has not entered into force: the President returned it for reconsideration and asked Parliament to review whether the real-estate route should be retained for citizens of NATO, OECD and EEA countries and other countries friendly to Latvia. Significantly, the new version of the law also retained the company share-capital route. We continuously monitor the legislative process and advise clients on solutions that reduce the risks arising from possible changes.

1.12  When will the final version of the new Immigration Law be known?

Within the coming months. On 19 June 2026, the President of Latvia returned to Parliament for reconsideration the Immigration Law adopted on 11 June, asking Parliament to review the provisions governing temporary residence permits in exchange for investment. A five-day period was set for proposals, and Parliament is expected to consider the law on 20 August 2026. Publicly available information indicates that the issues under consideration include both retaining the real-estate route for citizens of NATO, OECD and EEA member countries and reviewing the types of investment and duration of permits. The adopted version contemplated a new route based on an investment of at least EUR 150,000 in an alternative investment fund for five years, removal of annual registration and a shorter permit term under the share-capital route. Investment in a company’s share capital has been retained in every version to date.

The final wording will not be known until the law has been adopted and promulgated. Until the new law enters into force, the current Immigration Law continues to apply in full, including the real-estate route. Transitional provisions normally protect applications already submitted and existing permit holders, but their precise content will be known only from the final version. We monitor the legislative process and inform clients of changes affecting their cases.

1.13  My apartment is still under construction. Can I apply for a TRP now?

Not on the basis of the unfinished apartment itself: under the real-estate route, the property must be completed and registered in the Land Register (see 5.1). There is, however, an alternative. The share-capital route does not depend on the property’s completion date. The qualifying amount — EUR 50,000 or EUR 100,000 depending on the company’s size — may be invested in the developer company’s share capital during construction, and a TRP for up to five years may then be requested. Once title to the property has been registered, a new TRP may be requested on the basis of the real estate by submitting the documents while the earlier permit is still valid. The share-capital investment may then be repaid if and to the extent permitted by the relevant project documentation.

1.14  May the qualifying apartment be rented out?

Yes. Long-term letting does not affect the basis for the permit: the qualifying basis is the investor’s ownership of a property whose value is not below the statutory threshold, and personal residence in or use of the property is not required. At annual registration, the authority verifies that ownership and the qualifying value are maintained.

Three points should nevertheless be noted. First, short-term tourist letting constitutes economic activity and requires registration with the State Revenue Service; accommodation of guests may also require registration in the tourism-services register. Second, sale of the property or transfer of title terminates the basis for the permit. Third, rental income arising in Latvia is taxable regardless of the owner’s tax residence. There is no direct prohibition on renting out the qualifying apartment.

1.15  What rights does a TRP provide in addition to the right to live in Latvia?

It provides several practical advantages: access to a qualified electronic signature valid throughout the EU and remote access to Latvian public services, allowing companies to be incorporated and property registered quickly and remotely; easier access to banking, insurance and medical services; the ability to acquire and register vehicles in Latvia; and the possibility of applying for visas for other countries at embassies in Riga.

A TRP issued on the basis of an investment confers an unrestricted right to work: it is not tied to a particular employer, and no separate invitation conferring employment rights is required. The spouse who receives a residence permit through family reunification has the same unrestricted right to work. Business activities may likewise be carried on freely in Latvia.

1.16  Can Russian or Belarusian citizens use the investment route?

No. Latvian law currently prohibits Russian and Belarusian citizens from acquiring real estate in Latvia, subject to narrowly defined exceptions such as a sole home for certain categories of persons, and residence permits based on investment are not issued to citizens of those countries. In addition, section 23.1 of the Immigration Law exhaustively lists the circumstances in which Russian and Belarusian citizens may apply for a temporary residence permit, and investment is not included. The possibility of applying for an EU Blue Card on the basis of highly qualified employment remains available (see section 11).

2.1  Which family members can be included in the application?

You apply as the investor; your spouse and children under 18 submit separate applications through family reunification. A child is not granted a permit automatically — a separate application is required for every family member. Both the investor and the spouse who receives a permit are entitled to work in Latvia without restrictions and without changing the legal basis of their residence permit.

2.2 How is a child’s age determined, and what happens if the child turns 18 while the application is being examined?

The decisive date is the date on which the child’s application is submitted. If the child is a minor on that date, the application may be made through family reunification. If the child turns 18 while the application is under examination, an application submitted while the child was still a minor will normally continue to be examined on the same basis, although a practical risk remains. We therefore recommend submitting children’s applications at the same time as the principal applicant’s application and not postponing them, particularly where a child is approaching the age of 18. Adult children require an independent legal basis, such as studies.

2.3 Am I required to live in Latvia?

No. There is no actual-residence requirement for an investment-based TRP; many clients use a TRP as a long-term means of entry. You and your family members must visit Latvia once a year to register the permit and obtain a new annual card.

Permanent residence, however, may be requested only after five years of actual and continuous residence in Latvia. An exception applies to EU Blue Card holders, who may count part of the period spent in other EU Member States towards EU long-term resident status (see 11.1). Absences are restricted: for EU long-term resident status, no more than six consecutive months and ten months in total; for EU Blue Card holders, respectively 12 and 18 months. For a national permanent residence permit under section 24(8) of the Immigration Law, absence may not exceed six consecutive months or one year in total. One brief visit per year does not build the period of residence required for permanent residence.

2.4  Can I live in Germany or another EU country with a Latvian TRP?

No. A Latvian TRP entitles you to live and work in Latvia and to visit the other countries of the Schengen Area, including Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. It does not create a right of residence in other EU countries.

Those 90 days may be divided freely among several Schengen countries — for example, part of the time in Germany, part in Switzerland and part in Spain. Importantly, the 90 days are counted collectively across the entire Schengen Area, not separately for each country: the limit is 90 days of total stay in the other Schengen countries, and moving from one country to another does not reset it. This follows from Article 6(1) of the Schengen Borders Code (Regulation (EU) 2016/399), which refers to stays in the “territory of the Member States” as a single territory, and from Article 21 of the 1990 Schengen Convention, which allows the holder of a residence permit issued by one country to move within the territories of the other contracting parties under the same 90/180-day rule.

Time spent in Latvia is not included in those 90 days: in Latvia you reside on the basis of your own residence permit, and Article 6(2) of the Schengen Borders Code expressly excludes periods covered by a residence permit or long-stay visa from the calculation. The 180-day period is calculated on a rolling basis: on each day of stay, the preceding 180 days are reviewed. The European Commission’s short-stay calculator operates on the same principle.

In practice, overstays are detected infrequently. There is no systematic control at internal Schengen borders, and residence permit holders are not registered in the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), which has operated since October 2025 and automatically records short stays at external borders; holders of residence permits and long-stay visas are excluded. A breach is therefore usually discovered only in exceptional situations — during a police or employer inspection, on leaving the area, when seeking a service from a public authority, or when next applying for a permit or visa.

This is nevertheless no reason to disregard the limit. A detected breach may result in an entry ban covering the whole Schengen Area and may also complicate renewal of the Latvian permit itself. If you intend to spend a prolonged period in another country, the correct solution is a residence permit from that country, not attempting to overextend the 90-day regime.

2.5  Do I or my family need to know Latvian?

No. There is no language requirement for obtaining or registering a TRP. Under the current rules, a new temporary permit may be requested every five years without an examination; the law does not limit the number of repeated permits, although the rules may change. Applying for permanent residence after five years of actual residence is an option, not an obligation. The requirements are stricter, including a Latvian language proficiency examination at level A2, but the advantages are exemption from annual registration and the possibility of applying for Latvian citizenship after five years of permanent residence.

2.6  Do I need to visit Latvia during the process, and must I go to Riga?

A visit to Latvia is required, but it does not have to be to Riga. The process normally involves no more than two visits: one at the beginning if notarised documents are required — this can often be avoided by signing electronically or sending documents to us by courier (see section 4) — and one after the positive decision, together with all family members, to submit biometric data and collect the cards.

The second visit may take place at any territorial office of OCMA, not only in Riga. Offices also operate in other Latvian cities; the current list and appointment options are available at pmlp.gov.lv. This is often useful for clients whose property or company is outside Riga, and for those who can obtain an earlier appointment in another city. Appointments should be booked in good time because availability differs between offices.

The initial application may be submitted at the Latvian embassy in the country of your citizenship or residence. Later, once you have the card, one brief annual visit is sufficient for annual registration, which may likewise be completed at any office.

2.7  How long does the process take?

In our experience, a realistic period from signing the engagement agreement to receiving the cards is approximately three to six months. In simpler cases, where the documents have been issued in the EU, the matter may be completed in approximately three months.

By stage: the agreement and client due diligence (KYC) take 1–3 weeks; formalising the investment — registration as a shareholder or registration of title to the property — takes from two weeks, depending on the developer and the registers; the invitation is formally examined within 10 working days and, including preparation, takes 2–4 weeks in practice; collecting documents and obtaining an apostille takes 1–3 weeks, while consular legalisation takes 3–8 weeks and is the most frequent source of delay, particularly for documents from countries outside the Hague Convention; submission at the embassy takes from a few days to three weeks depending on appointment availability; and OCMA examination formally takes 30 days, or 90 days for certain categories of third-country nationals, with expedited examination available for a higher fee within 10 or 5 working days.

Investor cases may be extended by a further two to three months for additional questions and an opinion from the State Security Service, in which case the overall period reaches approximately six to eight months. This is followed by the D visa, usually one to two weeks, and several days in Latvia for the medical examination, biometrics and collection of the card.

Citizens of countries subject to additional screening should plan on a period closer to the upper end of the range. We plan and monitor the deadlines at every stage: documents prepared in good time, expedited fees and appointments booked early can significantly shorten the overall duration.

2.8  How long is a positive decision valid, and how quickly must I travel to Latvia after it is issued?

An approved invitation is valid for six months, and the TRP application must be submitted within that period. Following a positive decision, you have three months to enter Latvia, undergo the medical examination and obtain the residence permit card. We monitor and remind you of these deadlines; where a D visa is required, we plan the visa application so that the three-month period is not missed.

2.9  What financial means must I demonstrate?

Every applicant must demonstrate sufficient means of subsistence in Latvia (a bank statement or employment agreement). The minimum monthly amounts are linked to the minimum monthly wage and are revised annually. In 2026, the principal applicant must show EUR 780 per month when applying on the basis of a share-capital investment and EUR 2,340 per month when applying on the basis of real estate; lower amounts apply to the spouse and children. Where a permit is requested immediately for five years, the authority may in some cases require evidence of means for the entire period. We confirm the amounts applicable in the particular case before submission.

3.1  What are the legal fees?

Our legal fee for applying for a TRP on the basis of an investment, whether in share capital or real estate, is fixed and clearly agreed before the engagement agreement is signed. The current fee schedule is available upon request.

The fee includes preparation of the necessary documents, review of the application forms before submission, communication with the authorities, and accompanying you to OCMA for biometrics and collection of the card. Assistance with annual registration is also available for a fixed fee.

Please note the scope of the service: the fee covers immigration assistance after the investment transaction has been concluded. Legal support for the transaction itself — such as the sale and purchase agreement, due diligence or acquisition of shares — is a separate engagement, and assistance with obtaining the D visa is a separate service subject to an additional fee. Fees for EU Blue Card matters are determined individually.

3.2  What state fees are payable?

Registration of an invitation costs EUR 10 electronically or EUR 17 on paper, plus EUR 10 for each person included in the invitation. Under the employment route, an additional EUR 85 is payable for each request to grant employment rights.

Examination of documents costs EUR 160 per applicant under the standard procedure, EUR 280 for examination within 10 working days, or EUR 560 for examination within 5 working days. Issuing the card costs EUR 45 within 10 working days or EUR 80 under the expedited procedure. The national long-stay (D) visa costs EUR 90.

In addition, the investor makes a payment into the state budget: under the share-capital route, EUR 10,000 for the first TRP and EUR 5,000 for each subsequent permit requested every five years; under the real-estate route, 5% of the property’s value for the first permit and EUR 5,000 on renewal. That payment falls due only after a positive OCMA decision, before the cards are issued (see 1.9 and 1.10).

A state fee is also payable for registering title in the Land Register: 1.5% for a natural person and 2% for a legal person, calculated on the highest of the values prescribed by Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 1250 (the transaction price, cadastral value or appraised value), but capped at EUR 50,000. Minor registry-office and notarial costs also arise when registering title.

3.3  Are there any recurring costs?

Yes, several. First, annual registration of the card: the state examination fees are EUR 75 for 30 days, EUR 140 for 10 working days or EUR 290 for 5 working days, plus EUR 45 or EUR 80 for issuance of the card — separately for each family member (see 9.1).

Second, every applicant requires health insurance from a Latvian insurer valid for the entire period of validity of the residence permit card. The indicative cost is approximately EUR 50 per person per year. The policy is synchronised with the annual residence card and is selected for 3, 6 or 12 months; it must cover emergency and necessary medical care, treatment and repatriation.

Third, our legal assistance with annual registration is a recurring cost. It covers document preparation, monitoring the insurance policy and deadlines, submitting applications and communicating with OCMA. This is agreed separately from the initial engagement agreement, and the fee is fixed and known in advance, so it may be included in the annual budget together with the state fees and insurance.

Under the real-estate route, the immovable property tax on the property itself is also a recurring cost. It is a small amount compared with the other items — the statutory rates for residential property are 0.2% to 0.6% of the cadastral value, as specified further by the municipality in its binding regulations — but the tax must be paid: arrears are an obstacle both to obtaining the permit and to annual registration (see 5.1).

Once every five years, when a subsequent permit is requested, the EUR 5,000 state-budget contribution is also payable again (see 3.2), and legal assistance with that application is agreed separately. Translation, apostille and legalisation costs arise for documents issued abroad.

4.1  Why entrust the matter to a sworn advocate rather than a lawyer or consultant?

Residence permit documents can formally also be prepared by a lawyer who is not a sworn advocate or by an immigration consultant. Prices for those services are comparable to the fees charged by sworn advocates’ firms, so in practice the choice is not between an expensive and a cheap solution. The distinction lies elsewhere: there may be little difference in the technical preparation of documents, but there is a substantial difference in what happens to your information and what safeguards remain available if the matter develops unexpectedly.

The principal difference is confidentiality, and that is a matter of statute rather than contract. A lawyer’s or consultant’s duty of confidentiality derives from a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). Such an agreement binds only that service provider and does not protect you against third parties or the state: the lawyer or consultant may be questioned as a witness about what you told them, their office may be searched and your file seized, and a contractual confidentiality clause does not prevent this.

For a sworn advocate, protection derives directly from law. Section 6 of the Advocacy Law prohibits state institutions from requiring information or explanations from an advocate or questioning the advocate as a witness about facts learned while providing legal assistance. It also prohibits inspection or seizure of documents received or prepared by the advocate in the course of providing legal assistance, as well as searches. Section 67 of the Advocacy Law prohibits disclosure of the confidences of the person granting authority (pilnvardevējs) both during and after the matter. This protection operates against the outside world, not merely between you and the service provider.

Professional supervision and the form of authority also differ. A sworn advocate is admitted to the Latvian Bar Association (Latvijas Zvērinātu advokātu kolēģija) after a professional examination and is subject to its disciplinary supervision under section 71 of the Advocacy Law. A lawyer without that status is not subject to equivalent professional oversight, and claims against such a person may be pursued only under general civil law. There is also a practical difference: section 38 of the Administrative Procedure Law normally requires a notarised power of attorney for representation of a natural person, whereas a sworn advocate may act under a written power of attorney without notarisation. For an international client, this removes one notarial appointment and one apostille chain.

The practical conclusion is straightforward. Because prices are comparable, instructing a sworn advocate provides, for the same expenditure, statutory confidentiality, professional supervision and a simpler form of authority. Investor matters almost always involve sensitive information about the source of funds, corporate structures, family circumstances and future plans. We therefore recommend choosing a legal regime in which such information is protected by statute rather than only by contract.

4.2  Is my initial message protected by legal professional secrecy even before an agreement is signed?

Yes. Your approach to us is protected by an advocate’s duty of secrecy from the very first message, before any agreement is signed and irrespective of whether an agreement is ultimately concluded. The protection extends not only to the content of the information provided but also to the very fact that you contacted us. The duty is unlimited in time, survives completion of the matter and applies to every member of the firm, not only to the individual advocate.

The initial approach does not itself establish an advocate-client relationship or mean that the matter has been accepted; mutual consent is required for that relationship to arise. Nevertheless, even if we cannot accept the matter, for example because of a conflict of interest, the information received remains protected. The identification of you and your issue, which is necessary for the conflict check, is itself information whose disclosure could harm you and is therefore protected from the outset.

The legal basis includes section 67 of the Advocacy Law, which protects the confidences of the person granting authority — a concept broader than “client” and encompassing a prospective client; section 6 of the Advocacy Law, which prevents an advocate from being questioned about circumstances learned while providing legal assistance; paragraph 2.3 of the Latvian Code of Ethics for Sworn Advocates, which expressly includes the fact of a person’s approach and that person’s identity; and paragraph 2.3.2 of the CCBE Code of Conduct for European Lawyers.

Two practical observations are relevant. First, a website form and ordinary email are not encrypted channels. The legal obligation not to disclose lies on our side, but for especially sensitive information we will offer a more secure transmission method. Second, once the engagement is accepted, we are obliged to conduct client due diligence and verify the source of funds (KYC/AML). This is not disclosure and is not inconsistent with legal professional secrecy.

4.3  How much does the first conversation cost?

We assess an initial enquiry free of charge: you describe your situation, and we indicate whether and on what basis a residence permit may be possible and what the next steps would be. This is a preliminary assessment of prospects, not legal advice on a particular case. A consultation, document review and any further legal assistance are provided under an engagement agreement for a fee agreed in advance, as required by section 57 of the Advocacy Law. Whether or not an agreement is ultimately signed, everything disclosed to us in the initial conversation is protected by legal professional secrecy.

4.4  What is required to begin working together?

Initially, simple uncertified passport copies for all applicants are sufficient, together with your residential address, telephone numbers and information on sources of income. Please do not send this information by ordinary email or through the website form; we will propose a secure transmission method when replying to your first message.

We then send the engagement agreement. Each adult applicant completes a brief client due-diligence (KYC/AML) questionnaire and undergoes remote video identification. We begin work once the agreement has been signed and the full fee received, because we operate on a 100% advance-payment basis (see 4.6). If you do not speak English, an interpreter may take part in the conversation.

4.5  Can I sign remotely?

Yes. Qualified electronic signatures issued in the EU can normally be used; we check compatibility using a sample document. Alternatively, documents may be signed in hard copy and sent to us by courier.

4.6  What are the principal terms of your agreement?

The engagement agreement for the provision of legal services is concluded with ZAB Corvus Vanags Legal SIA (CORVUS) in a bilingual Latvian-English version and identifies the advocates personally responsible for your matter. The assistance to be provided is clearly listed — legal assessment and advice, preparation of documents and applications, communication with Latvian authorities and representation before OCMA — for a fixed fee. Expenses such as state fees, translations, notarial services, legalisation and courier charges are agreed separately and documented.

We work on the basis of the 100% advance payment principle, which is an essential term of the engagement: work begins after the agreement has been signed and the full agreed fee has been received. The same rule applies to separately agreed assignments, including annual registration, a subsequent permit, a D-visa application and challenging a decision. This arrangement permits a fixed, known fee without hourly billing or additional invoices during the process.

If a change in the law makes the application impossible, the unused part of the advance payment is refunded (see 4.7). The investment transaction itself, a challenge to an adverse decision and the D-visa application are separate assignments and are not included in the engagement agreement.

4.7  Do you guarantee that I will receive a residence permit?

No. Under the professional rules applicable to Latvian advocates, no advocate may guarantee a particular outcome to a client. Our obligation is one of professional care: we prepare your application to the standard required by the authorities, but the decision remains with OCMA and depends, among other things, on your cooperation and the outcome of security screening. Experience shows that a carefully prepared case substantially reduces the risks of additional requests, extensions and refusal. The agreement also expressly addresses a change in law that makes the application impossible, in which case the unused portion of the advance is refunded.

4.8  What are my obligations as a client?

Active cooperation: providing complete, truthful and up-to-date information within the prescribed deadlines, immediately informing us of any change in circumstances and responding to communications. The authorities work to strict deadlines, and delay or incomplete information is the greatest avoidable risk in immigration matters. Everything entrusted to us is protected by legal professional secrecy from the first message and regardless of whether an agreement is signed (see 4.2), and personal data are processed in accordance with the GDPR (see our Privacy Policy).

5.1  What requirements must a property meet for the EUR 250,000 investment route?

The applicant must acquire real estate worth at least EUR 250,000 that is fully completed, commissioned and registered in the applicant’s name in the Land Register. A property under construction does not create a qualifying basis regardless of whether the sale and purchase agreement has been signed and the price paid: until title is registered in the Land Register, the applicant does not yet own real estate within the meaning of the law.

In Riga, Jūrmala and the municipalities listed in the law, the investment must consist of one functionally connected property. In the rest of Latvia, no more than two properties are permitted, with a combined value of at least EUR 250,000. The cadastral value must be at least EUR 80,000 (or at least EUR 40,000 for each of two properties). Where it is lower, a certified valuer must confirm a market value of at least EUR 250,000 (or at least EUR 125,000 for each of two properties). Undeveloped land, agricultural land and forest land do not qualify.

The purchase price must be paid by cashless transfer; in practice, the authority expects the payment to come from the investor’s own account. In addition, the seller must fall within the category of persons specified by law; the applicant must have no tax arrears at the time of submission, which includes the immovable property tax on the property itself having been paid, a small amount compared with the other costs (see 3.3); and the applicant must pay 5% of the property’s value into the state budget, which is done after a positive decision on the first temporary residence permit and before the card is issued (see 1.9).

5.2  What is an invitation, and how is it registered?

An invitation is an application submitted by the inviting party — for example, the company receiving the investment, an employer or another eligible inviter — and registered with OCMA before the residence permit application. It is examined within 10 working days; employment invitations are handled more quickly in practice, normally within five working days. An approved invitation is valid for six months, and the TRP application must be submitted within that period.

The state fee is EUR 10 electronically or EUR 17 on paper, plus EUR 10 for each person included in the invitation. Correcting data in an invitation costs EUR 14 for each correction. Under the employment route, including the EU Blue Card, an additional fee of EUR 85 is payable for each request to grant employment rights.

5.3  In which languages may documents be prepared?

The application forms and submissions completed by the applicant may be prepared in Latvian, English, French, German or Russian. This choice does not apply to documents issued by foreign authorities: they require legalisation or an apostille and, where issued outside the EU in a language other than English, may additionally require a certified translation.

5.4  Which documents are required for the application?

The standard set for the investor and every family member includes: passport copies; current passport-format photographs; completed application forms; criminal-record certificates for every person over 14, issued in the country of residence in paper form, bearing a stamp and legalised or apostilled; marriage and birth certificates with an apostille or legalisation; evidence of the required financial means, such as a bank statement or bank certificate bearing an original stamp, no more than three months old and containing identifying details; additional investor questionnaires and CVs; bank-account statements for the preceding 12 months for both the investor and spouse; documents evidencing the source of the investment funds; proof of a Latvian address; evidence of payment of state fees; and health insurance.

At the start of the engagement, we provide an individual document checklist. We prepare any certifications that can be executed at our office.

5.5  Who physically submits the application — the client or the advocate?

Under our standard agreement, you submit the application yourself, either at the Latvian embassy in the country of your citizenship or residence, or in Latvia if you are lawfully present here. Submission at an embassy must be made in person. In Latvia, the application may be submitted at an OCMA office or sent by post (see 5.10). Where the case involves an invitation, submission must take place during its six-month validity. We prepare and review the documents before submission; please send us scanned copies before your appointment.

5.6  Can you review my completed application form before it is submitted?

Yes, and we recommend doing so. The forms are completed electronically through OCMA’s official e-service. Clients export the completed form and send it to us for review before submission. We check every field, including the accuracy of the inviter’s details, because a small error is easy to correct before submission but expensive and time-consuming afterwards.

5.7  How are additional documents requested by OCMA delivered?

When the authority requests additional documents during examination, the final versions are submitted in hard copy — printed, signed where necessary and sent by courier directly to the OCMA Residence Permits Division in Riga. At the same time, we submit the same documents electronically and attach the courier receipt and tracking number, ensuring that the authority has both the originals and an immediate electronic copy. If the applicant has a qualified electronic signature, fully electronic submission is also possible.

5.8  Which documents require an apostille, and which require legalisation?

This depends on the country that issued the document, not on your place of residence. Documents from countries party to the Hague Apostille Convention require only an apostille. Documents from countries outside the Convention require full legalisation: first by the foreign ministry of the issuing country and then by the Latvian embassy accredited to that country.

As at 2026, an apostille is sufficient, for example, for documents from the United States, Turkey, India, Canada (since January 2024), Saudi Arabia (since December 2022), Oman, Pakistan (since March 2023) and Bangladesh (since March 2025). Full consular legalisation is required, for example, for documents from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.

Indicative times are approximately 1–3 weeks for an apostille and 3–8 weeks for consular legalisation. Criminal-record certificates must be in paper form, bear a stamp and be authenticated accordingly.

5.9  Can I apply while the apostille or legalisation is still pending?

It is possible, but we do not recommend it. The authority will normally extend the examination by two to three months and set a short deadline — approximately two weeks — for submitting the corrected document. It is preferable to apply only once all formalities have been completed. We review every document before submission.

5.10  Where are the documents submitted?

At the Latvian embassy in the country of your citizenship or residence, or in Latvia if you are lawfully present here, either by post from within Latvia or at an OCMA office. Embassy appointments should be booked early; at busy consulates, the waiting time may be two to three weeks.

6.1  Why has examination of my application been extended, and what is the role of the State Security Service?

Extensions in investment applications are common. OCMA may examine the inviting company, request additional information from you and obtain an opinion from the State Security Service (see 6.5); the checks conducted by that service are confidential. An extension does not mean a refusal. The appropriate response is to provide the requested information promptly and accurately.

6.2  The amount of information requested seems enormous. Is this normal?

Yes. Detailed questionnaires are a standard procedure resulting from the large number of third-country nationals and Latvia’s strict immigration policy; they are not directed against you personally. Requests are subject to strict deadlines, so it is essential to respond fully and in time. We organise the preparation, translations and submission logistics.

6.3  What will the authorities ask me about?

The range of questions is broader than many applicants expect, but it is predictable. The most frequent topics include: personal details and every citizenship, including a second citizenship or one previously held; education and employment history, normally for the preceding ten years, including positions, employers and periods; military service — whether you served, your rank, specialisation, reserve status and any connection with mobilisation; previous travel, visas and residence permits in other countries, together with refusals and entry bans; the source of funds, sources of income, tax residence and servicing banks; relatives and family connections, including those outside Latvia; and your intentions — why you chose Latvia and whether you intend to live, work or educate your children here.

Investors and their spouses are additionally asked about the company receiving the investment: its actual business activity, office, number of employees, management, shareholders and ultimate beneficial owners, business partners and projects, the amount invested, its source and the expected return. Applicants are also frequently asked to explain how they selected the particular investment.

Answers must be truthful, factual and mutually consistent with the application file, CV, travel history and publicly available information. Where a request has several parts, every part must be answered. In practice, the authority sometimes identifies not a false answer but the complete omission of an answer to one of the questions. We translate the request, prepare and discuss the answers with you, and verify them point by point before submission.

6.4  Why must every citizenship be disclosed, and why are questions asked about military service?

Every citizenship must be disclosed because the authorities have their own sources of information. If a second citizenship is omitted and the authority discovers it independently, the issue is no longer the citizenship itself but the truthfulness of the information provided. That is an independent ground for refusal and may also affect later applications. It is one of the most common mistakes and one of the easiest to avoid.

Questions concerning military service, rank, specialisation, reserve status and connections with mobilisation have become a standard part of the questionnaires in recent years. They do not arise from a suspicion directed specifically at you but from the general security situation in the region. Here too, the answers should be accurate and to the point. If you do not remember something, say so rather than guessing.

6.5  I have been invited to an interview at the State Security Service. What does this mean?

First, it does not mean that the case has been lost. The State Security Service provides an opinion to OCMA and may verify information for that purpose, including by inviting a person to an interview. The Law on State Security Institutions gives the institution the right to summon a person in connection with verification of information, so the invitation should not be ignored. Failure to attend without a valid reason is a separate problem and creates an unfavourable impression in itself.

Second, the interview is normally clarificatory. Its most frequent cause is not a specific accusation but a need to clarify an individual circumstance: a period of employment, a family relationship, a journey, a former position or the source of funds. In our practice, every matter in which such an interview took place with our participation ended in a positive decision. This is not and cannot be a promise of the result in another case (see 4.7), because every outcome depends on its particular facts. The experience does, however, clearly demonstrate the importance of preparation and the presence of an advocate at the interview.

Third, you may take a sworn advocate with you — and in practice only a sworn advocate (see 6.7). The interview is not public and its contents are not intended for disclosure. Preparation therefore also takes place privately, with a sworn advocate whose handling of the information is protected by legal professional secrecy.

6.6  How should I prepare for an interview at the State Security Service?

The principal rule is simple and constant: answer truthfully. No tactic is worth the risk created by a false or embellished answer. The second rule is not to try to appear more knowledgeable than necessary. The purpose of the interview is not to demonstrate knowledge of law or politics but to set out the facts.

In practice, this means speaking neutrally — facts, dates, positions and places without value judgments or emotional characterisations; ensuring that what you say corresponds with your CV, travel history, employment periods and publicly available information; and avoiding speculation. It is entirely normal not to remember every detail of events ten or fifteen years ago. In that situation, say so and describe what you genuinely do remember. Be prepared for follow-up questions and for questions to be asked by more than one official.

Our preparatory work consists of reviewing the entire chronology with you, identifying and organising in advance any places where documents conflict or appear incomplete, explaining how the interview usually proceeds and, where necessary, attending with you (see 6.7). In our experience, this stage is the most important. Most problems arise not because a person is concealing something, but because an unstructured chronology causes answers to sound uncertain or inconsistent.

6.7  May I take a sworn advocate with me to an interview at the State Security Service?

Yes, but only a sworn advocate. In our practice, the State Security Service permits only a sworn advocate to attend such interviews; a lawyer without that status, an immigration consultant or another representative is not admitted.

There is a clear legal basis for this. The final sentence of Article 92 of the Constitution of Latvia (Satversme) provides: “Everyone has the right to the assistance of an advocate [advokāta palīdzība].” The right is framed specifically as a right to assistance from an advocate, not to a representative freely chosen by the person. Article 116 of the Satversme, which lists fundamental rights that may be restricted by law, does not include Article 92. The Law on State Security Institutions regulates only the institution’s right to summon a person in connection with verification of information — section 19(1)(11) — and says nothing about the presence of other persons. Because the matter concerns counter-intelligence activity under section 3(3) of that law, the institution is not required to admit a person whose presence is not protected by the Satversme; in practice, it does not do so.

An advocate forms part of the justice system, may conduct matters before any Latvian court or pre-trial investigation authority, and proves authority by an advocate’s warrant. In administrative proceedings, a notarised power of attorney is not required for an advocate. In practice, the advocate’s presence makes the interview more structured and professional, helps where several officials ask questions in rapid succession and reduces the risk of the interview becoming a pressured conversation.

The most important distinction, however, is legal. The Advocacy Law prohibits requiring information or explanations from a sworn advocate concerning a client’s matter and prohibits questioning the advocate as a witness about circumstances learned while providing legal assistance. A lawyer or consultant without the status of sworn advocate does not have that protection (see 4.1) and may themselves be summoned and questioned like any other person. The issue is therefore not only who may sit next to you during the interview, but whether the preparation for the interview is itself protected. Where the matter is handled by an advocate from the outset, the entire chain of communication is protected, not merely the hour spent in the interview.

6.8  How must the investment be proved?

For an investment in share capital, the authority requires a document issued by the bank specifically confirming the investment; an ordinary bank-account statement is often not accepted. We assist in obtaining the appropriate bank confirmation and submit it with an explanatory covering letter.

6.9  Can an adverse decision be challenged?

Yes. Within one month, the decision may be contested before the Head of OCMA, whose decision may then be appealed to the Administrative District Court. A judgment of the District Court may be appealed to the Administrative Regional Court, and the Regional Court’s judgment may be challenged on points of law before the Senate of the Supreme Court. We assess the prospects individually in every case.

Typical grounds for refusal are failure to satisfy formal criteria or considerations of national security; in the latter case, the reasons are usually not disclosed. Administrative challenges and court proceedings are not included in the main engagement and are agreed as a separate assignment.

6.10  Can I reapply after a refusal, and is there a waiting period?

There is no prescribed waiting period following a refusal. A new application may be submitted once the deficiencies that caused the refusal have been remedied. A refusal should be distinguished from revocation of a residence permit and inclusion on a list of persons prohibited from entering: those measures create specified periods of prohibition, for example five years, and may prevent entry.

In practice, where the refusal is based on formal grounds, we remedy the shortcomings and submit a fresh application. Where the basis is a security consideration, a new application with no change in circumstances will normally produce no different result. The refusal may also be challenged in parallel; that is a separate assignment.

7.1  I have received a positive decision. What happens next?

The decision grants the TRP, under the current procedure normally for a period of up to five years, with annual registration of the card. After the decision, the state fees must be paid, you must enter Latvia within three months, undergo a medical examination and obtain the residence permit card from OCMA. If a visa is required to enter Latvia, a national long-stay D visa is obtained on the basis of the positive decision before travel.

7.2  What is a D visa, and why is it required?

A D visa is a national long-stay visa issued on the basis of a positive OCMA decision for one purpose: to enable you to enter Latvia and obtain the residence permit card. A short-stay Schengen C visa is not suitable for this purpose. Citizens of visa-exempt countries do not need a D visa; they enter without a visa and proceed directly to OCMA.

Once obtained in Latvia, the residence permit card replaces the D visa: after the card has been issued, no visa is required for entry or travel within the Schengen Area.

7.3  How is a D visa obtained in practice?

The process is as follows. First, the visa application is completed through OCMA’s electronic service at epak.pmlp.gov.lv; this may be done independently or through a visa centre, and the form is printed. The documents are then submitted to a Latvian embassy or its authorised visa service provider, for example VFS Global, in the country where you reside.

An important practical point: according to official confirmation received by us in July 2026 from one Latvian consular mission, a person who has already received a positive OCMA decision granting a TRP may submit an application there for a long-stay D visa without a prior appointment. This may save time because waiting for an appointment at a busy mission can take several weeks. It is not, however, a general rule: the requirements of every mission and visa centre differ, and we verify them before travel. After submission, the embassy examines the application and returns the passport containing the visa to the visa centre for collection.

7.4  Which documents are required for a D visa?

In practice, only a limited set is required: the passport; the OCMA decision granting the TRP; the completed and printed visa application; a passport-format photograph; travel medical insurance; an identity card or residence permit from the country of residence if the application is submitted in a country of which you are not a citizen; and evidence that the fee has been paid. Every family member submits a separate application and receives a separate visa. Where you have instructed us separately to assist with the D visa, we review the complete set and the form before submission.

7.5  What should I pay attention to when completing the visa application?

In our experience, the most frequent mistakes concern the following fields: the inviting party’s details, which must correspond exactly to the invitation and decision; passport type, normally “ordinary”; personal code or national identity number, where one is assigned by the issuing country; intended date of entry, which should include a reasonable margin because the OCMA appointment for collecting the card may take place later and the visa must remain valid for the journey; intended duration of stay, normally 90 days; and accommodation details, where the residential premises, Latvian address and landlord’s contact details are entered.

We recommend sending the form to us for review before submission. This review is included in the separately charged D-visa assistance service.

7.6  How much does a D visa cost, and how long does it take?

The state fee for a national long-stay D visa is EUR 90. Where the application is submitted less than three working days before expiry of the applicant’s lawful period of stay, the fee is EUR 180. The fee is uniform and does not depend on the country; visa centres additionally charge their own service fee.

Timing depends on the workload of the particular consulate, not on the amount of the fee. A D visa is normally issued approximately 5–10 working days after submission, and we allow about two weeks when planning. In our practice, where a positive decision had already been made, there have been cases in which the period from submission to receipt of the visa was only several working days. No one can guarantee a particular time, so the visa is applied for immediately after the decision is received.

7.7  Is assistance in obtaining the D visa included in your service?

No. It is a separate, additionally charged assignment and is not included in the engagement agreement for obtaining the TRP. Assistance includes completing or reviewing the form, preparing the document set, confirming the submission procedure and visa-centre requirements in the relevant country, and coordinating the timing with the OCMA appointment. This stage may also be completed independently; the procedure is described in 7.3 and 7.4.

7.8  How should the visa and the OCMA appointment be coordinated?

The sequence matters: first the positive decision, then the D visa, followed by entry and the OCMA visit to obtain the card. The intended date of entry stated in the visa application should include a margin, and the OCMA appointment should be scheduled several days after arrival (the appointment booking is available only week before) so that there is time for the medical examination. It is usually more convenient for the entire family to travel and complete the formalities together. Everything must be completed within three months of the decision.

8.1  What must be done before the appointment to obtain the card?

Before visiting OCMA in Latvia, each family member over the age of 12 must undergo a chest X-ray examination (children under the age of 12 must undergo tuberculosis testing at a specialised laboratory) and all family members must obtain a medical certificate confirming the absence of tuberculosis. The certificate is issued within 1–2 business days.

Health-insurance policies are arranged; we prepare the quotation before your arrival, and the policies are issued electronically within one day. The statutory investment payment into the state budget is made through online banking if it has not already been paid. The OCMA appointment should be scheduled several days after arrival.

8.2  How quickly is the card issued?

The standard period is 10 working days and the state fee is EUR 45. An expedited card, costing EUR 80 per person, is issued within two working days. With careful planning and expedited issuance, the entire trip — medical examination, payments, biometrics and card collection — can fit within one brief visit. Under the standard procedure, up to 10 working days elapse between submission of biometrics and collection of the card.

9.1  What does “annual registration” mean?

A TRP is issued for up to five years, but the residence permit card is registered annually: you confirm that the investment remains in place and that the other conditions continue to be met, after which OCMA issues a new annual card. The state examination fees are EUR 75 for 30 days, EUR 140 for 10 working days or EUR 290 for 5 working days, plus EUR 45 or EUR 80 for issuance of the card. The period of health-insurance coverage is aligned with the validity of the card.

9.2  What happens if I sell the property or withdraw the investment?

The investment is the legal basis for your TRP, and at every annual registration you confirm that it is still maintained. If the property is sold or the investment withdrawn without another statutory basis being put in place, the basis for the TRP ceases to exist.

We advise on planning a change of basis, for example a transition from an investment in share capital to real estate. A new TRP on the alternative basis must be requested in good time while the existing permit remains valid, so that the right of residence is not interrupted and accumulation of the residence period required for permanent residence does not cease.

9.3  Does a TRP make me a Latvian tax resident?

Not by itself, but particular care must be taken when declaring a place of residence. Tax residence is determined by section 14(2) of the Law on Taxes and Duties, and any one of three criteria is sufficient: the person’s declared place of residence is in Latvia; the person is present in Latvia for 183 days or more in any 12-month period beginning or ending in the tax year; or the person is a Latvian citizen employed abroad by the Latvian State.

In practice, the first criterion is often decisive: declaring a place of residence in Latvia may in itself make you a Latvian tax resident even if you spend almost no time here. TRP holders who visit only for annual registration and do not declare a place of residence in Latvia will therefore normally remain tax residents of their home country. We assess every situation individually together with our tax practice and can prepare an opinion on how your presence and transactions affect tax-residence status. Rental income from real estate in Latvia is taxable in Latvia regardless of tax residence.

10.1  What happens after five years?

The choice is yours. You may simply request another temporary residence permit for the following five-year period and pay EUR 5,000 into the state budget; transitional provisions prescribe a different procedure for certain categories of permits issued previously. Under the current rules, the number of subsequent temporary permits is not limited by law, and no Latvian language examination is required.

Alternatively, after five years of actual and continuous residence in Latvia, you may apply for permanent residence. The requirements are stricter and include knowledge of Latvian at level A2, but annual registration is no longer required; after five years of permanent residence, the right to apply for Latvian citizenship arises.

10.2  What is the difference between temporary and permanent residence?

They differ in almost every respect. A temporary permit is based on the investment: the investment must be maintained, and every five-year renewal requires a payment of EUR 5,000 into the state budget. Permanent residence is an independent status: once it has been granted, the investment is no longer required.

A temporary residence card is registered annually; a permanent residence card is re-registered once every five years. There is no minimum-residence requirement for a temporary permit, whereas permanent residence is granted only after five years of actual and continuous residence. An exception applies to EU Blue Card holders, who may accumulate part of that period in other EU Member States for the purpose of obtaining EU long-term resident status (see 11.1).

Permitted periods of absence depend on the status concerned: for EU long-term resident status, no more than six consecutive months and ten months in total; for EU Blue Card holders, respectively 12 and 18 months; and for a national permanent residence permit under section 24(8) of the Immigration Law, no more than six consecutive months and no more than one year in total.

No knowledge of Latvian is required for a temporary permit. Permanent residence requires knowledge of Latvian at level A2 and income not below the Latvian minimum wage during the preceding 12 months, with taxes paid. A temporary permit ceases together with its underlying basis; permanent residence may be lost through prolonged absence. Only years of permanent residence count towards naturalisation: after five years in that status, an application for naturalisation may be submitted. We assist under both options.

10.3  What are the fees and processing times for permanent residence?

Examination of the application costs EUR 160 under the standard 30-day procedure or EUR 280 for examination within 10 working days; issuance of the card is charged separately. A permanent residence card is re-registered once every five years. The examination fee upon re-registration is EUR 60 for 30 days, EUR 140 for 10 working days or EUR 290 for 5 working days, plus the card-issuance fee. Once permanent residence has been granted, the investment no longer needs to be maintained or confirmed annually.

10.4  How does the Latvian language proficiency examination at level A2 work?

The examination for permanent residence is organised by the State Education Development Agency (VIAA) within the state examination system, with registration during the periods announced by that system. The fee is EUR 52. Persons who have the status of a low-income or needy household and persons holding the status of a Ukrainian civilian are exempt from the fee. The examination has four parts — listening, reading, writing and speaking — and at least 60% must be achieved in each part.

10.5  How can I obtain Latvian citizenship, and may I retain my existing citizenship?

The route is through permanent residence: after five years in that status, an application for naturalisation may be submitted. The examinations are organised and administered by OCMA. There are two: knowledge of the Latvian language, and knowledge of the basic provisions of the Satversme, the text of the national anthem, and Latvian history and culture. Each part is assessed separately, and only the failed part needs to be retaken — the language examination no earlier than three months later, and the knowledge examination after one month, with no more than three attempts in total.

The state fee for naturalisation is EUR 28.46, and the reduced fee for certain categories is EUR 4.27; some persons are fully exempt. The decision to admit a person to citizenship is taken by the Cabinet of Ministers, normally within one year. Realistically, where the examinations have already been passed, the period from submission to receipt of a passport ranges from several months to approximately one year. A lawful source of means of subsistence and a pledge of loyalty are also required.

Latvia’s rules on dual citizenship are more liberal than is often assumed. Dual citizenship is permitted with EU and EFTA Member States, NATO countries including Turkey, and Australia, Brazil and New Zealand. Citizens of those countries may naturalise in Latvia without renouncing their existing citizenship. Previous citizenship may also be retained where the second citizenship arose automatically through marriage or adoption, or with special permission from the Cabinet of Ministers.

Citizens of other countries — for example India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, China, Russia, Belarus or Kazakhstan — must renounce their previous citizenship in order to naturalise; some of those countries also prohibit dual citizenship under their own law.

10.6  What are the rules regarding my child’s citizenship?

The rules for children are more liberal than those for adults. A child of a Latvian citizen may acquire the citizenship of any other country, including one with which dual citizenship is not permitted for adults. The only difference concerns the period for which both citizenships may be retained.

If the child’s other citizenship is that of a country listed in the preceding answer — an EU or EFTA Member State, a NATO country, Australia, Brazil or New Zealand — no choice is required and the child may retain both citizenships for life. If it is the citizenship of another country, the child may retain both during childhood but must choose one before reaching the age of 25.

10.7  Which is more advantageous — continuing to renew a temporary permit or moving to permanent residence?

That depends on how you actually live. If Latvia is your principal place of residence, permanent residence removes the obligation to maintain the investment and removes annual registration and recurring renewal fees; it also starts the period of residence required for citizenship.

If you use the permit mainly for travel and live in another country, you may continue requesting a new temporary permit every five years — under the current rules without a limit on the number of repetitions, without a language examination and without a minimum-residence requirement. Before the first five-year period expires, we help assess both options.

11.1  What is the EU Blue Card?

It is a residence permit for highly qualified employees and their family members — a spouse and minor children — issued for up to two years. Under current practice, the card is issued immediately for the full period without annual registration. Its duration is linked to employment: an employment agreement or job offer for at least six months is required; if the agreement is shorter than two years, the card is issued for the term of the agreement, with a certain additional allowance.

Continuous presence in Latvia is not required, and remote work is possible. One visit to Latvia is sufficient where the initial documents are submitted at a Latvian consulate abroad.

EU Blue Card holders benefit from more favourable conditions on the route to EU long-term resident status. Such status may be requested after working in Latvia for two years as an EU Blue Card holder, provided the five years required by law have been accumulated within the EU as a whole. This is an exception to the general requirement to spend all five years in Latvia (see 2.3 and 10.2). Permitted absences are also longer: 12 consecutive months and 18 months in total.

11.2  Can Russian and Belarusian citizens still apply for residence in Latvia?

Yes, but the legal basis selected is decisive. The investment route is closed to Russian and Belarusian citizens: Latvian law currently prohibits them from acquiring real estate in Latvia, and investment-based permits are unavailable to them. Section 23.1 of the Immigration Law exhaustively lists the circumstances in which citizens of those countries may apply for a temporary permit; investment is not included, whereas the EU Blue Card is.

The available route is therefore the EU Blue Card for highly qualified employees. It is issued for up to two years without annual registration and covers the spouse and minor children. Under current practice, the card is issued immediately for the full period; where the employment agreement is shorter than two years, it is issued for the term of the agreement plus the statutory additional period (see 11.1). Continuous presence in Latvia is not required, and remote work is possible.

We have handled the complete process for applicants from both Belarus and Russia, from initial submission at Latvian diplomatic and consular missions abroad through extensions of the examination period and responses to additional information requests from the authority. Dual nationals are assessed separately: where the person also holds the citizenship of an EU Member State, they may reside in Latvia under EU free-movement rules and do not require the investment route.

11.3  My spouse is a Russian or Belarusian citizen, but I am not. Can they join me through family reunification?

As a general rule, no. Russian and Belarusian citizens are subject to a special regime: they may apply for a permit only in the cases expressly listed in section 23.1 of the Immigration Law. Family reunification in that list is limited to marriage or family relationships with a Latvian citizen or non-citizen, or with the holder of a permanent residence permit, and does not extend to the holder of an ordinary temporary permit, including an investment-based permit.

Accordingly, for example, if a Kazakh citizen obtains an investment-based TRP and their spouse is a Russian or Belarusian citizen, that spouse will normally be unable to obtain a permit under the ordinary family-reunification route. Another solution is required: the spouse needs an independent legal basis, such as an EU Blue Card, other employment under EU law, studies or a comparable ground.

Family admission for EU Blue Card holders is governed by a separate regime under EU law, and the general restriction described above does not therefore apply to their family members. Where the spouse is a citizen of another country, for example also Kazakhstan, ordinary family reunification applies. Dual-citizenship cases are assessed individually; citizenship of an EU Member State removes the restriction.

11.4  What are the qualification and salary requirements?

The applicant must have either higher education — a programme of at least three years in a field relevant to the work under the employment agreement — or at least five years of documented professional experience in the relevant occupation. For managers and senior specialists in information and communications technology, at least three years of experience during the preceding seven years is sufficient.

The salary must meet the threshold recalculated annually. From 1 April 2026, it is EUR 2,723 gross per month, or EUR 2,178 for occupations included in the official shortage-occupation list, which includes software developers, financial analysts, engineers and other specialists.

11.5  Which occupations qualify for an EU Blue Card?

Positions in major groups 1 and 2 of the Latvian Classification of Occupations: managers (group 1) and professionals (group 2), including engineering, information technology, natural sciences, medicine, education, law, finance and comparable professional roles. A lower salary threshold applies to positions on the official shortage-occupation list.

11.6  I do not have a university degree. Can I still qualify?

Yes. For occupations in groups 1 and 2, Latvian law expressly provides an alternative to three years of higher education: at least five years of professional experience in the relevant occupation. The experience is evidenced by certificates identifying every employer, the period, the position and principal duties. In our practice, even a statement from an overseas pension-fund account has been accepted as evidence.

Importantly, experience is assessed by reference to your occupation — for example, company manager — rather than the specific industry, and a career break does not cancel the qualification.

11.7  How long does an EU Blue Card application take, and how much does it cost?

A shorter period applies to the EU Blue Card than to an ordinary TRP. Standard examination takes 10 working days and costs EUR 160; expedited examination takes 5 working days and costs EUR 280. By comparison, the EUR 160 fee corresponds to 30-day examination for an ordinary TRP. Applications by family members of an EU Blue Card holder are examined within 10 working days for a fee of EUR 160.

The period may be extended for objective reasons: generally up to three months, and by no more than 30 days for applicants applying after at least 12 months of residence in another EU Member State as an EU Blue Card holder.

11.8  How is the EU Blue Card renewed, and may I change employer?

An application for renewal is submitted while the existing card remains valid. The procedure and fees are the same as for the first application: examination within 10 working days costs EUR 160, within 5 working days EUR 280, plus issuance of the card. The employer registers a new invitation conferring employment rights.

A change of employer during the first 12 months requires notification to and approval by OCMA; after 12 months, the regime is more flexible. If employment is lost, a period is allowed for finding a new position, the duration of which depends on the card holder’s length of service.

11.9  What should I do if the authority refuses the application?

The refusal may be contested before the Head of OCMA within one month. In our practice, an EU Blue Card refusal questioning the applicant’s qualifications and the “true purpose” of the application was revoked after our challenge, and the card was granted. The reviewing authority confirmed the five-year professional-experience standard and rejected as unfounded the argument that a break in employment cancelled the applicant’s qualifications.

A well-prepared case — a detailed job description, the employer’s business profile and a complete set of evidence of experience — substantially reduces the risk of refusal, although the decision always remains with the authority.

11.10  What must the employer do?

Before the application is submitted, the employer must register an invitation with OCMA, provide the employment agreement and pay the invitation fee, together with an additional EUR 85 for employment rights. The employer must have no tax arrears at the time of submission. The documents may be signed and submitted electronically using qualified electronic signatures.

Maintenance of a dependent spouse is evidenced either by the card holder’s salary or by sufficient funds for one year’s residence held in an account with a credit institution registered in Latvia. We prepare the supporting documents.

11.11  What is the process?

First, the employer registers an invitation with OCMA; employment invitations are normally examined within five working days. The employee then applies at a Latvian consulate with the employment agreement, qualification documents and criminal-record certificate, receives the decision and, where a visa is required for entry, obtains a D visa. After arriving in Latvia, the employee undergoes the medical examination and provides biometric data.

Our support covers the entire process for both employer and employee. Fees for EU Blue Card engagements are determined individually according to the matter.

• • • Minimum means of subsistence in 2026: EUR 780 per month for the principal applicant under the share-capital route and EUR 2,340 per month under the real-estate route. The EU Blue Card salary threshold from 1 April 2026 is EUR 2,723, or EUR 2,178 for shortage occupations. The minimum means of subsistence are linked to the minimum monthly wage, and the EU Blue Card salary threshold is revised annually. State fees are prescribed by Cabinet of Ministers regulations and change when those regulations are amended.

We have handled immigration matters since 2004. During that time, we have assisted hundreds of clients from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Israel, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, the United States and Canada.

In the field of security screening, we have prepared responses to hundreds of requests from state security authorities, participated in dozens of interviews — including interviews at the State Security Service for which our sworn advocates prepare and represent clients — and conducted litigation arising from such screening. The firm is a member of Russell Bedford International, a global network of independent professional-services firms.

The examples are fully anonymised, without names, company names, precise amounts or dates, in compliance with legal professional secrecy and personal-data protection requirements. Only the applicant’s citizenship and the substance of the matter are stated. The outcome of every case depends on its particular circumstances; the examples do not guarantee the same outcome in another matter.