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One update worth knowing before anything else:
- Latvia's investor residence rules are mid-rewrite. On 11 June 2026, the Saeima passed a new Immigration Law by 65 votes to 17, which would remove the real estate and subordinated liability routes described below, keep the share capital route, and introduce a new EUR 150,000 state investment fund route. President Edgars Rinkēvičs declined to sign it and referred it back to Parliament on 19 June 2026, flagging unresolved questions about source-of-funds verification and the scope of delegated authority to the Cabinet of Ministers. Parliament's spring session had already ended when the law was returned, so further consideration will take time; no applicant should assume the June 2026 text will enter into force unchanged or on any particular date. The law is not currently in force, and applications continue to be accepted under the existing rules described on this page.
Everything below reflects the investment routes and figures currently in force. We confirm the live status of the new law before any client commits funds.
Latvia has run some version of an investor residence programme since 2010, longer than most of its European competitors, and it remains one of the lowest entry points into the EU by investment. That history is exactly why the current legislative uncertainty matters: applicants comparing Latvia against other Golden Visa countries need to know whether the numbers they are reading will still apply by the time their application is filed.
As immigration lawyers advising on Portugal, Greece, Malta, and Hungary alongside Latvia, we position this programme against those alternatives rather than presenting it in isolation, and we flag legislative risk plainly rather than only after a client has already committed funds.
How the Investment and Residence Application Interact
For most current investor categories, evidence of the qualifying investment forms part of the residence permit application file, and the exact sequence depends on the route and the institution involved. There is no language, education, or business-history requirement for the main applicant, and no general obligation to relocate permanently to maintain the permit.
The programme has never offered direct citizenship. Citizenship remains a separate, later step, reached through ordinary naturalisation rules rather than through the investment itself.
Two Laws, One in Force and One Still Pending
The investment routes currently in force are set out in the existing Immigration Law, which has governed foreign residence permits since 2002 and was most recently amended for the investor routes in 2014. The programme is administered by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA). A new Immigration Law, passed by the Saeima on 11 June 2026 and returned by the President on 19 June 2026 for a second review, would replace this framework once, and if, it is finally adopted; it is not yet in force.
The Three Routes Currently Available
Under the rules in force today, applicants choose one of the following. The main applicant must also provide the health insurance and medical documentation required for their route, hold a clean criminal record, and meet the applicable tax-compliance and source-of-funds requirements, which for the real estate route include confirming no outstanding Latvian real estate tax debts:
| Route | Minimum Investment | Details |
|---|---|---|
| A: Real Estate Currently Most Popular | €250,000 | One qualifying property in Riga, Jurmala, or a listed surrounding municipality, or up to two properties combined outside those areas, subject to minimum cadastral-value thresholds. Plus a 5 percent state-budget payment, paid on receipt of the first permit. Non-cash payment, no real estate tax debts, agricultural and forest land excluded. This route would be removed under the pending Immigration Law. |
| B: Share Capital Investment | €50,000 | Investment in the equity of a Latvian company with no more than 50 employees and annual turnover or balance sheet under €10 million, plus a €10,000 state-budget payment. Larger companies require a €100,000 investment instead. Up to 10 foreigners may qualify through a single company at the €50,000 tier. This is the only current route expected to survive under the pending law. |
| C: Subordinated Bank Liability | €280,000 | A subordinated financial liability toward a Latvian credit institution, with a transaction term of at least five years, plus a separate €25,000 state-budget payment on receipt of the first permit. This route would be removed under the pending Immigration Law. |
Practical Note: Real Estate
This has generally been the most straightforward route for clients who want a tangible asset rather than a business stake, but the qualifying conditions are more specific than the headline €250,000 figure suggests: cadastral value floors, non-cash payment, restrictions on agricultural and forest land, and requirements around who the seller is all apply. Because the pending Immigration Law would remove this route entirely, we treat timing as a live variable rather than a formality: applications submitted and accepted before any new law takes effect are expected to continue under the existing rules, but a client weighing this route now should decide with that legislative risk in view, not after the fact.
Practical Note: Share Capital Investment
The qualifying threshold depends on the target company's size, not a flat annual tax obligation. Smaller companies (up to 50 employees, turnover or balance under €10 million) qualify at €50,000; larger companies require €100,000. We verify the company's actual size classification before recommending an investment, since getting this wrong at application stage is a common and avoidable rejection risk. This is worth particular attention right now, since it is the one current route the pending Immigration Law is expected to retain regardless of how the broader rewrite is finally settled.
Practical Note: Subordinated Bank Liability
This is a subordinated liability arrangement with a Latvian credit institution, not a standard interest-bearing deposit, and it carries bank counterparty risk over the five-year term. It also carries the highest total upfront cost of the three routes once the separate €25,000 state-budget payment is added to the €280,000 liability. As with the real estate route, its removal under the pending law is a live risk rather than a settled fact, and we confirm current availability and terms with the credit institution before any commitment is made.
Not Sure Which Route Fits Your Situation?
Our legal team will review your circumstances, confirm which rules currently apply, and recommend the most suitable route, at no obligation.
Get in Touch Call Us: +90 532 132 92 33From Investment to Residence Card
The exact order of steps depends on the route, but the outline below reflects how most applications proceed:
- Eligibility review: clean criminal record, required health insurance and medical documentation, and confirmation of applicable tax-compliance requirements
- Selection of the qualifying route and completion of the investment itself, generally requiring travel to Latvia
- Submission of the residence permit application to OCMA, with proof of investment, health insurance, and supporting documents
- National-security and background checks by the competent Latvian authorities
- Approval and issuance of the 5-year residence permit
- Annual registration or re-issuance of the residence document for the first five years, while the qualifying investment is maintained
Application Timeline
The application stage typically takes 2 to 4 months once the investment is complete, though this depends on the route chosen and the background check. The underlying temporary residence entitlement can run for up to five years, but the residence document itself generally requires annual registration or re-issuance while the qualifying investment is maintained, which is a separate administrative step from a full renewal application. Current in-person and physical-presence requirements for this annual step should be confirmed before each registration, since practice can vary by route and by year.
The Practical Upside, Beyond the Investment Figures
- 5-year residence permit covering the investor, spouse, and children under 18
- Visa-free travel within the 29-country Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period
- No language, education, or business-history requirement for the main applicant
- No general minimum-stay obligation, subject to the annual re-registration requirement
- One of the lower entry thresholds among current EU residency-by-investment programmes
- A possible path toward permanent residence and, later, citizenship, both requiring actual residence in Latvia rather than simply holding the permit, addressed in detail below
Who Qualifies, and What Comes With the Investment
Applicants must be non-EU, non-EEA, non-Swiss nationals, able to provide the health insurance and medical documentation required for their route, with a clean criminal record and the tax-compliance evidence applicable to their chosen investment.
- Main applicant meeting the financial and background requirements for their chosen route
- Spouse
- Minor children, including children under custody where applicable, with kinship documents and the non-accompanying parent's notarised consent generally required
Comprehensive health insurance covering the applicant and any included family members, valid for at least one year, is required as part of the application. Under the pending Immigration Law, the new state fund route would carry an explicit restriction on applications from Russian and Belarusian nationals, confirmed directly in the President's own letter on the legislation; this restriction does not apply to the routes currently in force, which are not nationality-restricted in the same way.
The Tax Rate Most Guides Get Wrong
Latvia applies progressive personal income tax, not the flat 10.5 percent figure that circulates in some older program summaries. Current rates are 25.5 percent on annual income up to €105,300 and 33 percent above that threshold, with an additional 3 percent solidarity surcharge on income exceeding €200,000. The 10.5 percent figure appears to originate from a confusion with employee social-insurance contributions, which are governed by separate rates and rules from personal income tax.
Corporate income tax is 20 percent, but Latvia only taxes distributed profits: retained earnings can remain untaxed as long as they stay in the business, which is relevant for anyone using the share capital route. Tax residency itself generally follows physical presence and centre of vital interests, so holding the permit without relocating does not automatically create Latvian tax residency.
Where This Leads After Five and Ten Years
Permanent residence is not obtained merely by holding the investor permit for five years on paper. It generally requires at least five years of continuous, actual residence in Latvia immediately before applying, together with the applicable language, income, and integration conditions. Naturalisation to Latvian citizenship, in turn, generally becomes possible only after first qualifying for permanent residence and then completing a further required period of habitual residence under permanent status, subject to a Latvian language test, a basic history assessment, and knowledge of the national anthem. A total period of around ten years is often cited for the combined path, but the actual timeline depends on continuous physical residence and satisfaction of all naturalisation conditions, not on the calendar alone.
Latvia permits dual citizenship only in specified cases, including citizenship of most EU, EFTA, and NATO member states and a limited number of other countries with which Latvia has a relevant agreement or exception. Applicants from other jurisdictions may be required to renounce their existing citizenship to naturalise, so this should be confirmed against the applicant's specific nationality before treating dual citizenship as available. Citizenship by descent remains available separately for those with Latvian ancestry.
Latvia Against the Other Low-Threshold EU Options
Latvia's positioning has shifted since Spain closed its own Golden Visa entirely in April 2025, leaving Latvia and Greece as two of the more accessible remaining EU entry points, though the comparison is not simply about price.
Lower Entry Point
The €50,000 share capital route sits below Greece's €250,000 real estate minimum and well below Portugal's €500,000 fund threshold.
Minimal Presence
Annual re-registration rather than a day-count minimum stay makes this manageable for investors who do not plan to relocate.
Eurozone Membership
Latvia uses the euro directly, removing currency conversion considerations that apply in some other EU residency markets.
Family Coverage
Spouse and children under 18 are included under the same application as the main investor.
Established Programme History
Running since 2010, Latvia's programme has a longer operating history than several newer EU alternatives.
Live Legislative Risk
Two of the three current routes may not survive the pending Immigration Law, a factor worth weighing against the lower entry cost.
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Start Your Application [email protected]Why Clients Ask Us to Watch This File Closely
With over 40 years of senior legal experience, Ketenci & Ketenci advises across several EU residency-by-investment programmes, which is why we treat a live legislative rewrite like Latvia's as something to disclose upfront rather than downstream.
- Legislative monitoring: we track the pending Immigration Law's progress and confirm current status before any application is filed
- Route-specific risk disclosure: we explain which routes face removal, not just which routes are cheapest
- Cross-programme perspective: we compare Latvia against Portugal, Greece, Malta, and Hungary so a client sees the full picture, not just one country's pitch
- Multilingual support: assistance available in English, Turkish, Arabic, and Mandarin
- Transparent fee structure: full cost breakdown, including government fees, provided upfront
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This page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Investment thresholds and procedural requirements are subject to change by the Latvian authorities, and the legislative situation described above is actively developing. For advice specific to your circumstances, please contact our legal team directly.