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LVEntry · residence · long-term status

Legal ways to live in Latvia.

Latvia currently offers 6 active paths relevant to remote workers, including a digital nomad visa (income requirement 4,538 EUR/month). Conditions below come from official immigration sources — filter by your citizenship.

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7 legalization paths · 24 sources · official immigration sources only

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7 legalization paths

01

Choose your route

A compact map of every documented option for Latvia. Start with eligibility and duration, then open the full conditions below.

  1. 01Visa-free short stay (Schengen)Getting in · Visa-free stayWho qualifiesUS citizens, UK citizens, Ukrainian citizens, Venezuelan citizensDuration3 moNo direct PR path
  2. 02Long-stay (D) visa for remote workStaying long-term · Digital nomad visaWho qualifiesAll except EU citizens, Russian citizensDuration1 yr +No direct PR path
  3. 03EU/EEA/Swiss citizens — registration certificateStaying long-term · Special programWho qualifiesEU citizensDuration5 yrs +→ PR path
  4. 04Temporary residence permit for self-employed persons and sole proprietors (ended 15 September 2026)Staying long-term · Freelance permit· expiredWho qualifiesAll except EU citizensDuration1 yr +No direct PR path
  5. 05Temporary residence permit for a company board member (SIA)Staying long-term · Temporary residenceWho qualifiesAll except EU citizens, Russian citizensDuration2 yrs +→ PR path
  6. 06Temporary protection for Ukrainian civilians (pagaidu aizsardzība)Staying long-term · Special programWho qualifiesUkrainian citizensDuration17 mo +No direct PR path
  7. 07Temporary residence permit for descendants of Latvians and LivsStaying long-term · Special programWho qualifiesAll except EU citizensDuration6 yrs +→ PR path

02

Getting in

Who can enter Latvia and on what terms — visa-free windows and entry visas.

01Getting in
Visa-free stayactive

Visa-free short stay (Schengen)

For: US citizens, UK citizens, Ukrainian citizens, Venezuelan citizens

Duration
3 months
Path to PR
No

Requirements (4)

04
  1. 01Latvia is in the Schengen area: citizens of the countries on the Foreign Ministry's list may enter and stay without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counted across all Schengen states
  2. 02The list includes the United States, the United Kingdom and Venezuela; Ukrainian citizens are covered only with a biometric passport; Russian citizens are not on the list
  3. 03A valid health insurance policy covering care in Latvia, including repatriation in case of serious illness or death, is expected on entry
  4. 04Not a work or residence status; staying longer needs a long-stay (D) visa or a residence permit

03

Staying long-term

Grounds for residence — business, employment, special programs — with the conditions to qualify.

02Staying long-term
Digital nomad visaactive

Long-stay (D) visa for remote work

For: All except EU citizens, Russian citizens

Duration
1 year, renewable
Path to PR
No
Fee
90 EUR
Processing
15–60 days
Income requirement
4,538 EUR/month

Requirements (7)

07
  1. 01Third-country national who is not a Russian citizen, works remotely for an employer registered in an OECD member state or as a self-employed person registered in an OECD member state, and can do the duties remotely while living in Latvia (Immigration Law, Arts. 17(6) and 18)
  2. 02Employee: a document from an OECD state's tax administration or social insurance body proving current employment, an employer certificate of at least six months of prior employment with that employer, and pay of at least 2.5 times the previous year's average gross monthly wage in Latvia (4,538 EUR per PMLP)
  3. 03Self-employed: a document from an OECD state's tax administration showing registration as self-employed and income from the activity over the last six months of at least the same 2.5-times amount (4,538 EUR), plus a free-form statement of the field of work and how it can be done remotely; the rule does not say whether the amount applies per month or to the six months in total
  4. 04Valid passport, photo, proof of where you will live in Latvia and health insurance valid in Latvia and the Schengen states with cover of at least 42,600 EUR; state fee 90 EUR
  5. 05Decision within 15 days of the application, or within 60 days if more information or checks are needed (Immigration Law, Art. 20); apply no earlier than three months before the planned entry
  6. 06Issued for up to one year; one repeat long-stay visa of up to one year can be requested, and after it expires no new long-stay visa on the same ground can be issued for six months (Art. 18(2))
  7. 07Holders have no right to employment in Latvia, so the work must stay with the foreign employer or clients; the visa does not count toward permanent residence, which needs five years on a residence permit (Art. 31)
03Staying long-term
Special programactive

EU/EEA/Swiss citizens — registration certificate

For: EU citizens

Duration
5 years, renewable
Path to PR
Yes
Family
Included

Requirements (5)

05
  1. 01No permit is needed: entry and stay for up to three months from the first day of entry with a valid travel document (Law on the Entry and Residence of EU, EEA and Swiss Citizens, Art. 9)
  2. 02Anyone staying longer than three months registers with PMLP and requests the Union citizen's registration certificate, which has no expiry date; an ID card marked 'Union citizen's registration certificate', valid for up to five years, can be requested instead (Art. 19)
  3. 03Eligible if you work as an employee or self-employed person in Latvia, provide services, study with sufficient means and health cover, or have sufficient resources: monthly income at least the low-income level set in Latvian regulations, plus a valid EHIC-type document or health insurance covering at least necessary and emergency care (Art. 25)
  4. 04The certificate is issued without delay once the documents set by the Cabinet are submitted (Art. 34); Cabinet Regulation No. 133 sets state fees for passports and ID cards only and lists none for the paper certificate
  5. 05After five years of continuous lawful residence, a permanent residence card (Art. 28)
04Staying long-term
Freelance permitexpired

Temporary residence permit for self-employed persons and sole proprietors (ended 15 September 2026)

For: All except EU citizens

Duration
1 year, renewable
Path to PR
No
Income requirement
3,630 EUR/month

Requirements (4)

04
  1. 01Ended on 15 September 2026: the new Immigration Law lists no residence-permit ground for self-employed persons or sole proprietors, and its employment rights for business activity name only board members, procurators, liquidators, partners and company representatives (Arts. 27 and 42)
  2. 02Until 14 September 2026 the previous law gave a temporary residence permit for up to one year to a self-employed person and for up to five years to a registered sole proprietor (Section 23(1), points 4 and 2)
  3. 03Under the previous rules a self-employed applicant submitted a business plan checked by a sworn auditor and proof of personal funds to start the activity (Cabinet Regulation No. 564, point 45), and needed monthly means of twice the previous year's average gross wage (Cabinet Regulation No. 225, point 11.1); renewal needed proof of at least 9,960 EUR in taxes paid in the previous reporting year (Regulation No. 564, point 67)
  4. 04Permits issued before 15 September 2026 stay valid until their registration or expiry date; holders of permits with a registration term can request one more permit on the old basis for one year, or up to the end of the granted rights if that is no more than one year and three months (transitional provisions 6 and 7)
05Staying long-term
Temporary residenceactive

Temporary residence permit for a company board member (SIA)

For: All except EU citizens, Russian citizens

Duration
2 years, renewable
Path to PR
Yes
Family
Included
Fee
160 EUR
Processing
30–120 days
Income requirement
25,000 EUR/year

Requirements (7)

07
  1. 01Be registered in the Commercial Register as a board or supervisory board member, procurator, insolvency administrator, liquidator or partner entitled to represent a partnership, or be authorised to act for a company's branch; the permit runs for up to two years (Immigration Law, Art. 27(1)(9))
  2. 02The company or branch must pay at least 25,000 EUR a year in taxes to the state and municipal budgets while the permit is valid; refunded or refundable tax amounts do not count
  3. 03For a limited liability company (SIA) the paid-up share capital must be at least 2,800 EUR
  4. 04No invitation (izsaukums) is needed when you are the sole officer with representation rights of a registered company (Art. 25(1)(1)); the permit carries the right to carry out business activity (Art. 42(1)(2))
  5. 05State fee 160 EUR for a decision within 30 days (280 EUR in 10 working days, 560 EUR in 5 working days); the permit card costs 45 EUR (10 working days) or 80 EUR (2 working days)
  6. 06Cabinet Regulation No. 225 (point 11.1, written for the previous law) sets the monthly means for board members at twice the previous year's average gross wage, 3,630 EUR from 1 April 2026; how it is applied under the new law is not stated
  7. 07The decision comes within 30 days, extendable to at most four months from submission of all documents (Art. 33); permanent residence needs five years on a residence permit, A2 Latvian and a Latvian culture and history course (Art. 31)
06Staying long-term
Special programactive

Temporary protection for Ukrainian civilians (pagaidu aizsardzība)

For: Ukrainian citizens

Duration
17 months, renewable
Path to PR
No
Family
Included

Requirements (7)

07
  1. 01Latvia grants Ukrainian civilians temporary protection under the Law on Support of Ukrainian Civilians and the Asylum Law; the Cabinet sets the term in line with the EU Council decision (Asylum Law, Art. 61(3))
  2. 02PMLP, 12 August 2026: the EU has 'extended temporary protection' for people fleeing Ukraine 'until March 4, 2028'; the Law on Support of Ukrainian Civilians in its version of 1 September 2026 still treats expired Ukrainian travel documents as valid until 4 March 2027 (Art. 4), and no Latvian document read states the end date printed on Latvian permits
  3. 03Holders receive a temporary residence permit, a third-country national's ID card, for three years with no state fee (Law, Art. 3(2) and 3(4)); PMLP examines the application within 10 working days and makes the card within 2 working days after the biometric data are handed over
  4. 04Renewal is by application, not automatic: PMLP says Ukrainian civilians must hold a valid residence permit to keep living in Latvia, a holder of an earlier permit submits a copy of the travel document and a free-form application, and protection is lost if the permit expires and no new application is filed within a month (Law, Art. 23(1)(3))
  5. 05The permit gives an unrestricted right to employment (Immigration Law, Art. 44(7)); employers need not register a vacancy or pay the average wage (Law, Art. 7(6)), but the duties require A2 Latvian within two years of protection (Art. 16(1.1)); the Law's tax rules refer to Ukrainian civilians with registered economic activity (Art. 8.3(7)), though no source states a self-employment right in terms
  6. 06New applicants must, where relevant, show they have met their military obligations in Ukraine; people already under temporary protection in an EU state who keep it continuously are exempt (Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1912, Art. 2)
  7. 07PMLP's version: from 31 July 2026, first-time applicants must prove they have met their military obligations in Ukraine or are exempt, with an exit stamp showing legal departure or an official paper or digital document such as Reserv+; if service is deferred, protection runs only to the date in the document; people already under protection who keep it continuously are not affected
07Staying long-term
Special programactive

Temporary residence permit for descendants of Latvians and Livs

For: All except EU citizens

Duration
6 years, renewable
Path to PR
Yes
Family
Included
Fee
160 EUR
Processing
30–120 days

Requirements (4)

04
  1. 01One of your ascending relatives in the direct line must be a Latvian or a Liv (Immigration Law, Art. 27(1)(6)); the permit is issued for up to six years
  2. 02No invitation (izsaukums) is needed for this ground (Art. 25(1)(16)); the permit gives an unrestricted right to employment (Art. 44(4))
  3. 03State fee 160 EUR for a decision within 30 days (280 EUR in 10 working days, 560 EUR in 5 working days); the permit card costs 45 EUR (10 working days) or 80 EUR (2 working days); the decision comes within 30 days, extendable to at most four months (Art. 33)
  4. 04Family members can request a permit for the same term (Art. 27(3)); permanent residence needs five years on a residence permit, A2 Latvian and a Latvian culture and history course (Art. 31)

Latvia

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