A residence permit in Latvia is an opportunity to live for a long time in a country that is a member of the European Union and is part of the Schengen area. But in order to get it, you need to secure a reason for moving, prepare a fairly extensive package of documents and prove that the candidate's reputation is not tarnished, he has financial potential, has learned the language and respects local laws and traditions.
What gives a foreigner a Latvian residence permit
The legislation of the republic provides for two types of documents that are received by persons who are not citizens of the country and the EU:
- temporary residence permit in Latvia;
- permanent residence permit.
The first type of document entitles its holder to reside in the territory of the state for 5 years with the need to renew the status annually. The reason for moving can be reunification with relatives, work in a Latvian company, medical treatment.
Temporary residence permit permits residence only in Latvia and does not give the right to a long stay in Schengen.
In 2021, new rules came into force, which open up not only the Baltics to a foreign citizen, but the whole of Europe, but only if immigration is carried out on the basis of an investment infusion, work in a large company or participation in an international research project.
The list of what gives a temporary residence permit in Latvia is not too long:
- childbirth allowance;
- compensation for damage received at work;
- sickness benefit (if an employee misses work);
- disability benefit;
- funeral funds.
Social guarantees, as you can see, can be obtained so far only in a limited amount. And the right to use preferential terms of medical care is completely inaccessible.
A permanent residence permit is also issued for a period of 5 years, but no longer requires an annual renewal. Other benefits include:
- the opportunity to use free primary medicine;
- certain benefits for business lending, mortgages, financial and social assistance from the state, studies;
- free movement in other Schengen countries without a visa and stay in them for 90 days in each half of the year.
In other words, a permanent residence permit expands the rights of a foreigner to almost the extent in which they are used by citizens of the country. The exception is the opportunity to participate in elections and vote, serve in the army and get a job in the civil service.
It is worth remembering other advantages of a residence permit in the Republic of Latvia:
- when going through all stages of legalization - the right to obtain citizenship;
- the possibility of the relatives of the main migrant moving to the country;
- a simpler procedure for obtaining visa permits from other states, such as Canada and the United States;
- living in a country with a mild climate, clean ecology and a large number of seaside resorts;
- the opportunity to work in local companies (without the right to work in other EU countries for the main candidate and his family members);
- the right to issue invitations for other foreign persons to enter Latvia.
What can serve as a reason for moving
The legislation of Latvia provides for over 20 grounds giving the right to a residence permit. Each of them involves the preparation of a separate package of documents and has a number of features. Let's dwell briefly on the main ones.
Employment
Working in Latvia is one of the most popular ways to emigrate to the EU. Considering the fact that it is quite difficult to find a job with high wages in the republic (the average wage is 650–820 euros), many use employment as a launching pad for moving to Europe.
In 2021, the unemployment rate in the country was recorded at around 6.9% (in some cities, for example, Daugavpils - 11%). This means that foreigners will have to face high competition in the labor market.
The emigration process begins with the search for a company and obtaining a permit to hire a foreign citizen. Having received an invitation from the employer, a copy of the employment contract and a work permit, the candidate submits an application to the Latvian consulate for the issuance of a national visa.
Education
Study in Latvia is paid for all students, including citizens of the country. The cost of training starts from 1.5 thousand euros per year, to which you need to add another 500-700 euros monthly for food, accommodation and other expenses. The advantage of getting an education in Latvia can be considered the availability of programs not only in Latvian, but also in Russian and English.
To be able to apply for a residence permit on this basis, it is necessary to obtain from the university a document confirming the fact of enrollment in the ranks of students. On its basis, a national visa is issued, according to which a student of a Latvian educational institution can enter the country and issue a residence permit.
Doing Business
Another way to move to the Baltics is to do business in Latvia. The candidate can open his own company or buy a ready-made company. The most suitable form would be an individual entrepreneur or LLC: for both forms, there is no capital limit with which a company should open.
The most demanded areas are agriculture, service sector, tourism, construction, freight transport.
The registration procedure is not too complicated, but it takes place in Latvian. For this reason, it will be correct to enlist the support of an experienced lawyer who understands local legislation and speaks well the state language.
Emigration for refugees
According to the Geneva Convention, a person who, for objective reasons, is persecuted for reasons of belonging to a particular race of people, religious group, political party, or citizenship can be recognized as a refugee. This means that it is impossible to obtain refugee status if the candidate flees his country for economic or criminal reasons.
To settle in Latvia as a refugee, three conditions must be met:
- have a history that falls within the scope of the Geneva Convention and other documents governing the issue of refugee;
- have documents confirming the fact of persecution;
- comply with all the rules provided in the case of a request for this status.
A recognized refugee receives a permanent residence permit in Latvia.
Getting married and reuniting with relatives
A foreign citizen who moves with the aim of getting married or living together with the main migrant can also apply for a residence permit. Spouses of Latvians receive a residence permit for a period of 1 year, after which they are given the opportunity to extend it for another 4 years.
If after this time the marriage continues, the applicant can apply for a permanent residence permit. If the union is terminated or the spouse of the foreign candidate dies, the extension of the temporary residence permit becomes impossible; moreover, it is canceled.
The following persons can use the basis of reunification with relatives:
- relatives up to the third degree in a straight or indirect line;
- spouses;
- minor children.
At the same time, the main applicant does not have to be a Latvian citizen, it is enough to have a residence permit.
Investing and buying real estate
In order to attract financial resources to the economy of the state, in 2021, some changes were made to the legislation.Now it is possible to obtain a Latvian residence permit when buying real estate by becoming the owner of one or several objects in Riga, other republican cities, the Riga planning region (includes the capital, the city of Jurmala and 4 districts - Ogre, Riga, Tukumsky, Limbazhsky).
The total cost of objects must be at least 250 thousand euros, and the cadastral value - from 80 thousand euros. In 2021, the authorities allowed foreigners to buy objects not only from Latvian individuals and legal entities, but also from companies that are members of the EU.
Residence permit in Latvia through investment is possible in the following cases:
- when investing from 150 thousand euros in companies whose annual turnover exceeds 10 million euros per year with a staff of more than 50 people;
- with the injection of an amount of 35 thousand euros or more in a company with a staff of at least 50 people, the annual turnover does not exceed 10 million euros per year, and the amount of taxes starts from 40 thousand euros annually;
- when opening a bank deposit in the amount of 280 thousand euros for a period of 5 years.
Receiving a primary temporary residence permit, a foreigner must additionally pay 25,000 euros to the state budget
Other grounds
Another popular way of emigration is repatriation. The program can be used by persons whose ancestors were Latvian citizens. Citizenship in a year can be obtained by those whose mother or father were Latvians.
Other categories of persons who can apply for a residence permit include:
- foreigners who intend to undergo long-term treatment in the country;
- scientists who have signed a cooperation contract with local scientific institutions;
- religious leaders;
- persons who graduated from high school in Latvia in the Latvian language;
- those who were in Latvian citizenship before June 1940;
- holders of "Blue Cards";
- participants of educational exchange programs.
If we talk about the immigration of pensioners, then they will receive pension payments from the country of their citizenship.
Minor children will be supported by parents or guardians who will have to prove their financial viability.
How to apply for a residence permit
After the reason for moving is determined, you can move on to the question of how to obtain a residence permit in Latvia. The process includes several stages:
- Submission of a complete package of documents to the Migration Service of the country. If the applicant is outside the Latvian state, he can apply to his diplomatic mission in his home country. To get to an appointment, you must first register in the electronic queue and appear at the department on the appointed day and time.
- Payment of duties, consideration of documents. When it comes to temporary status, it usually takes 5 to 30 days to make a decision. A permanent residence permit will have to wait from 14 days to 3 months. The period of consideration of a petition may also depend on the place of its filing and on the amount of the fee.
- Receiving a message about the decision. You can find out about the status of the submitted application by calling the department to which the documents are submitted.
If the decision turns out to be positive, you can receive a ready-made document within three months from the date of receipt of the notification. To do this, you will need to provide an insurance policy for medical care and a certificate from the hospital about the absence of tuberculosis.
Since April 2021, permanent and temporary residence permits have the form of a plastic ID card, which is an identity card of a foreign citizen. For its production, you will have to pay a fee of 15 euros if you are ready to wait 2 weeks, or 30 euros if you want to receive the document in 2 days.
The card confirms that its owner has the right to reside on the territory of the state for a long time, and also assigns him a code by which you can find out the permitted period for stay and work.
After each extension of the residence permit, a new code is issued. The card is not tied to the migrant's passport, so if you need to replace it, you do not need to get a new residence permit and code.
In the process of issuing an ID-card, you will have to go through fingerprinting and digital photo production.
It is important to remember that for crossing the Latvian border and entering other countries, a card alone is not enough: you need to have a passport with you.
The cost of obtaining a residence permit in Latvia is determined by how long the request will be considered. Prices for 2021 for Belarusians, Russians, Ukrainians and representatives of other CIS countries are shown in the table (euros):
| Term | Duty / consular fee for spouses, minors / students | Duty / consular fee for investors, property owners | Fee / consular fee for all other categories of applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | 400/80 | 450/110 | 400/110 |
| 10 days | 200/80 | 300/110 | 200/110 |
| 5 days | 70/80 | 150/110 | 100/110 |
The term for consideration of the application can be increased if it is necessary to send papers through diplomatic channels or additional verification of information. There is a charge of 45 euros for postage.
Package of documents
All documents for a residence permit in Latvia, which were issued in other countries, must be legalized by the consular department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia. This takes no more than two days.
The package of papers should include:
- Statement.
- Passport, valid for more than 6 months, and a copy of it.
- A copy of the national passport (pages with photo and registration). The original document is presented upon submission to the department and immediately returned to the owner.
- Photo 35 x 45 mm.
- Certificate confirming that the applicant has no previous convictions.
- Bank statement on the availability of funds in the account: the minimum wage multiplied by 12 months (from January 2021 - 430 euros) for the main applicant, and 280 euros per month for each family member.
- An agreement on the lease of housing or on the purchase and sale of real estate.
- Receipt of payment of the duty.
Depending on the basis of migration, it is necessary to prepare a document confirming its existence:
- for students - confirmation from the university;
- for employees - an invitation from the employer;
- for investors - availability of funds;
- for real estate owners - a document for purchased objects or object;
- for spouses of Latvian citizens - a marriage certificate, etc.
If a request for a permanent residence permit is submitted, it is necessary to attach a certificate of passing the examination for proficiency in the Latvian language (the acceptable level is A2).
How to renew a residence permit
For the first time, a residence permit will be issued for a year or for the period that is due to the reason for the move (study time, duration of the employment contract, etc.). In the future, the renewal of the residence permit will need to be carried out every year.
You need to submit a package of documents 1.5-2 months before its expiration date. It will take a month to consider the request, another 10 days will be needed to make a new card.
The cost of renewing a residence permit is the same as for the initial application. You need to apply with the Migration Department at the place of registration in Latvia.
If the circumstances have not changed, the package of papers will be the same as indicated above. Additionally, you will need a certificate of payment of all taxes and fees. The decision will be made only after conducting an interview and studying all the information about the applicant.
Citizenship
Residence permit in Latvia for Russians in 2021 is only a starting point in the legalization process. It is issued on the basis of a visa category D (national). According to it, a candidate can enter the Republic and apply for a temporary status.
Having lived in the country for 5 years with a temporary residence permit, he will be able to apply for a permanent document.
If the applicant has no grounds for acquiring citizenship under a simplified scheme, he will be able to become a citizen of Latvia as a result of naturalization, that is, having lived for another 5 years as a permanent resident. The period of absence outside the country should not be more than 6 consecutive months and not more than a year in total.
To become a citizen of Latvia, you will have to renounce your previous citizenship, show your financial viability, availability of housing, knowledge of laws, constitution and language.
Choosing a place to live
You need to start applying for a residence permit only after the region and settlement in which you plan to settle has been selected. In order to understand where it is good to live in Latvia, it will not be superfluous to visit this country as a tourist, travel around the cities and their environs, live a little to get used to the infrastructure and mentality of citizens.
Help in choosing will be provided by forums, which bring together those who already have experience in legalizing and settling in the state. Some useful information:
- even in the capital of Latvia you will not find the bustle that many are accustomed to at home. There are not many cars here, and the cities are not too big;
- for those who want to realize themselves in the professional field, it is better to choose Riga or resorts. It is here that the unemployment rate is lowest, and there are slightly more jobs than in other regions;
- life in the provinces is based on the maintenance of household plots, therefore it is better to move here for those who intend to engage in farming or simply want to live in a quiet Latvian hinterland.
Outcomes
There are two types of residence permit in the Republic of Latvia - temporary and permanent. It is issued if there is a certain basis and a national visa.
The reason for the move can be employment, education, reunification with a relative, investment in the local economy, purchase of real estate. The main thing is that the chosen basis is documented.
A temporary residence permit is issued for a year and is then subject to annual renewal for a 5-year period. After that, it is possible to apply for a permanent residence permit and after another 5 years - for citizenship.
