Residence permit in Latvia

RESIDENCE PERMIT IN LATVIA: NEW POSSIBILITIES FROM JULY 1 2010

Map: http://www.rpr.gov.lv/karte/pasvaldibas.html 

Residence permits for large-scale investors for a period of up to five years in Latvia are available from July 1 2010, in accordance with a bill approved by the Saeima's Security, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee on 10.04.2010 at the final reading of the Law on Immigration.

Residence permits of up to five years will be available to persons who hold an investment capital of no less than LVL 25,000; have created five new jobs which provide full-time employment to a workforce of at least 50% Latvian citizens, Latvian non-citizens, citizens of European Union member states or European Economic Area states; and also who pay taxes of at least LVL 10,000 a year into the state or local government budgets, informs LETA.

It will also be possible to grant residence permits of up to five years to persons who have acquired and are the owners of one or more pieces of real estate in Riga, the Riga Planning Region or other republic cities, where the total sum of the transaction was no less than LVL 100,000, or where the total transaction sum for one or several pieces of real estate located outside these areas was no less than LVL 50,000, and where this person has never been in debt with real estate tax payments.

Until now it has only been possible to grant residence permits of up to five years to persons who had LVL 2,000 invested in company shares and who had signatory rights. There are said to be around 500 such persons a year.

The originators of the amendment predict that it will encourage investment in Latvia and the creation of new jobs, as well as stimulate real estate markets.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED IN APPLYING FOR TEMPORARY RESIDENCE PERMIT FOR 5 YEARS

To apply for temporary residence permit, the following documents shall be presented: 

• a valid travel document acknowledged in the Republic of Latvia - passport (valid for 1.3 years after obtaining of the sticker);

• a definite sample form for a residence permit request; 

• a photography; 

• a statement on having no criminal record, issued by a competent institution of country of citizenship or residence (for foreign nationals over 

14 years), if the foreign natioanl has been staying there for more than 12 months;the statement shall be legalized in the Republic of Latvia; 

• a document confirming the necessary subsistence (minimal wage in triple amount – Ls 540 a month; means of subsistence for a year; means

of subsistence for spouse – Ls 180 a month;for a child - 60% of minimum wage – Ls 108 a month); 

• a document approving the envisaged place of residence in the Republic of Latvia and the rights to stay there; 

• a document confirming that payment for purchase of the real estate has been made in the form of clearing settlements;

• a document stating that the foreign national has not any property tax liabilities if the real estate has been the individual’s property for more

than one year; 

• a payment document confirming payment of the stamp duty.

Upon receipt of temporary residence permit, a foreign national shall present: 

• a valid health insurance policy for a year, 

• a health certificate issued by a Latvian health care institution stating that the foreign national does not suffer from tuberculosis in active phase.

If the documents have been submitted outside Latvia:

• after the resolution is passed, a long-term visa is issued to the foreign national, and after entry into Latvia he/she shall appeal to the 

Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs in order to obtain a temporary residence permit; 

IMPORTANT

Resolution on issuing of a temporary residence permit is valid for three months. If the resolution has not been picked up within the said term, the whole procedure shall be repeated. 

The sticker of temporary residence permit shall be issued for one year. 30 days before expiry thereof, a foreign national shall submit the following documents for repeated registration of the residence permit: 

- a health insurance policy for the following year; 

- statement of local government on confirmed payment of property tax;

- a document confirming payment of the stamp duty.

Documents required in applying for residence permit shall be submitted by a foreign national: 

1) to Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs in Latvia, if: 

• the foreigner is a citizen of a country under visa-free regime with the Republic of Latvia; 

• the foreigner is already staying in Latvia or any other member state of Schengen Agreement while holding a valid residence permit and

having at least 30 days before term of expiry thereof; 

2) to diplomatic or consular missions of the Republic of Latvia outside Schengen area – in other cases. 

Along with a foreign national, documents to apply for residence permit may be submitted also by: 

- spouse of the foreign national, 

- their underage (and dependent) children, 

- individuals under the foreigner’s guardianship.