The migration legislation of the state provides for several options for obtaining a residence permit in Latvia. Depending on the reason, the validity period of a residence permit in Latvia varies. Usually, resident status is granted for 1 year or 5 years. Extension of a residence permit in Latvia is provided if the foreigner complies with the conditions of immigration legislation.
The grounds for issuing a residence permit are:
Doing business. A residence permit in Latvia is issued to individual entrepreneurs who want to enter the European market. It is necessary to confirm the existence of a business plan designed for a certain time and approved by a sworn auditor. An additional condition is the availability of funds to ensure life in the country and start an activity.
Registration of a residence permit also applies to representatives of companies in Latvia - members of the management board or board of directors and other officials, provided that the part of the authorized capital that they own is at least 2,800 EUR.
Employment opportunities. Having a contract signed with a Latvian employer allows you to submit documents for obtaining a permit to move and stay in the country for a long time. A residence permit is most often issued for the period specified in the work contract. The maximum validity period of a residence permit obtained in connection with employment in Latvia is 5 years.
Creating a family. The right to issue such a certificate applies to the wife/husband, children, parents of retirement age and others. The procedure provides for the need to confirm the degree of kinship and the possibility of financial self-sufficiency for staying in the state.
Scientific cooperation. Entering into a contract with an organization registered in the Register of Latvian research institutions allows foreigners to acquire the status of a resident of Latvia. To apply for a residence permit, you must provide evidence of cooperation and availability of funds covering living in the country. The type is issued for the period specified in the contract, the maximum period can be 5 years.
Religious activities. Moving to Latvia is possible through participation in religious organizations located in the country. To apply for a residence permit, you must confirm your financial security and provide a letter from the relevant organization. A residence permit is issued for the period of implementation of this activity with a maximum validity period of 1 year.
Purchase of real estate. The legislation provides for the possibility of obtaining a residence permit in Latvia through the purchase of real estate worth from 250,000 EUR. The purchase of agricultural land and forests is prohibited. The residence permit for owners of Latvian real estate is valid for 5 years.
Undergoing treatment. If it is necessary to receive medical care in clinics in Latvia, which provides for the stay of a foreign citizen in the country for more than 90 days in half a year, a temporary residence permit is issued. To grant a residence permit, you will need a contract for the provision of medical care by a Latvian health care institution. the permit will be issued for the specified period corresponding to the period of treatment.
Getting an education. Admission to a Latvian educational institution, participation in an exchange program for students within the framework of the international network of cooperation of educational institutions - is one of the ways to obtain a residence permit in Latvia. To apply for a temporary residence permit, you must provide an appropriate confirmation of enrollment or completion of courses. A residence permit will be issued for the period of study.
Investment. Making a contribution to the capital of a new or existing enterprise is the basis for obtaining a Latvian residence permit. This option involves investing from 50,000 EUR and hiring up to 50 employees, or from 100,000 EUR with more than 50 employees. The applicant will also have to pay EUR 10,000 of the state fee. A temporary residence permit for the investment will be issued for a period of 5 years.
List of documents
The list of documents for obtaining a temporary residence permit in Latvia depends on the available grounds. Each option provides an individual package for confirming the purpose of moving. Common to all methods of obtaining a residence permit are:
valid travel documents;
standard questionnaires;
bank account status statement;
color photos;
receipt of payment of the state fee;
valid Social Security Policy;
certificate of absence of tuberculosis issued by a Latvian medical institution;
confirmation of temporary residence in Latvia.
Having a permanent residence permit gives you the right to free movement around the territory of the Schengen Area countries, official employment in Latvia and access to other benefits of living in the EU. Unlike a temporary residence permit, permanent residence is issued immediately for 5 years and provides almost equal rights with citizens. The only difference is that residents don’t have voting rights.
Registration of the status of a permanent resident of Latvia is possible after 5 years of official residence in the country with a temporary residence permit.
Applicants for permanent residence must stay in Latvia for 5 years. Applicants should confirm that they have sufficient funds to live in the country and provide for family members. the income level should be stable and correspond to the minimum wage in Latvia. A mandatory condition is the payment of taxes on profits received on the territory of the country. To apply for permanent residence, you will also need to confirm your knowledge of the Latvian language at least at the A2 level, the main points in the history and basics of the Latvian Constitution.
Registration of permanent residence for persons who have been in Latvia for 4 years with a temporary residence permit obtained on the basis of studying at the university is possible with further employment in the country.
List of documents required for permanent residence:
International passport,
Application for permanent residence,
Photo card,
Certificate of knowledge of the state language at the A2 level and above,
Employment certificate,
Proof of residence in Latvia,
Confirmation of sufficient funds to live in Latvia, for yourself and family members under guardianship,
Certificate of payment of taxes and receipt of payment of the fee for reviewing documents.
To obtain a residence permit or permanent residence, please contact the Migration Service of Latvia.
The Republic of Latvia is one of the most popular countries in terms of immigration to Europe. In addition, anyone who does not have enough permanent resident status in this country can obtain Latvian citizenship.
However, not everyone can apply for a Latvian passport. The following applicants have the right to apply for citizenship of the Republic of Latvia:
foreign citizens who have fulfilled all the conditions of naturalization;
descendants of Latvian citizens;
were born on the territory of the Republic of Latvia (when registering the fact of birth);
orphans who are in the country in care outside the family;
children who were found on the territory of Latvia, whose parents are unknown.
Naturalization
The most likely way to obtain Latvian citizenship for a citizen who does not have Latvian "roots", relatives or special merits is through naturalization. However, it should be noted that naturalization is a rather long process.
The rules of naturalization are determined by the Latvian citizenship law. According to the law, a foreigner must meet the following requirements:
live in Latvia for at least 5 years on the basis of a permanent residence permit (the break in general should not exceed 12 months);
be fluent in Latvian language;
know the basics of the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia and the national anthem;
know the peculiarities of the history and culture of the Republic of Latvia;
It should be known that knowledge of the Latvian language, the national anthem, as well as the history and culture of Latvia is one of the main requirements when applying for citizenship. In particular, language proficiency is checked on 4 main points, according to which a foreigner must:
easy to understand official and everyday language;
speak and answer without delay on everyday issues;
read and easily perceive text information on everyday topics;
write a written essay on the topic set by the commission.
At the same time, foreigners who have received a basic education in Latvia and have studied more than half of the program in Latvian are exempt from the language proficiency test. In addition, disabled people of groups I and II (with neuropsychiatric disorders), as well as groups II and III (deaf and dumb) and persons aged 65 and older are exempt. Language proficiency is also not tested for foreigners who, at the time of applying, have passed a similar exam under an accredited education program (with a score of at least 50% for Grade 9 and at least 20% for Grade 12) no more than five years ago or graduated from a higher educational institution with training in Latvian.
Citizenship for minors
A child who is found on the territory of Latvia and whose parents are unknown receives Latvian citizenship. In addition, children who were born after 21 August 1991 in the territory of the Republic of Latvia, whose parents are not Latvian citizens or are considered stateless persons, can be registered in the following cases:
if at least one of the parents lives in Latvia on a permanent basis, they can apply for the child's citizenship when registering the fact of birth;
if one of the parents resides in the Republic of Latvia on a permanent basis with the child, he can register a child under the age of 15;
for children aged 15-18 whose parents live in Latvia on a permanent basis, when applying for Latvian citizenship, you need a certificate of no criminal record and a check of the level of proficiency in the Latvian language.
How to apply for citizenship
To obtain a civil passport of the Republic of Latvia, you must meet all the above requirements and prepare documentary evidence for this. Applicants who have reached the age of 15 and older must be present when submitting documents in person. Applicants who have special services to the Republic of Latvia are subject to the conditions for obtaining Latvian citizenship in a simplified manner.
Required documents
In order to obtain the status of a citizen of the Republic of Latvia, you need to prepare the following documents:
application for Latvian citizenship;
internal passport of the country of valid citizenship;
for stateless persons - confirmation of their absence;
a document confirming legal residence in Latvia;
a document confirming the existence of a legal stable income;
receipt of payment of the state fee;
3 clear pictures 3x4 on a white background;
medical certificate from a Latvian medical institution;
a document confirming the availability of real estate or a lease agreement;
certificate from the police department on the absence of offenses and administrative penalties imposed;
certificate of absence of debts issued by the Tax Service;
applicants who have children must submit their birth certificates.
Terms of consideration
Consideration of a foreigner's application and documents can last up to one year, as documents pass through many instances during the verification process. But often the waiting time is reduced to 6 months.
The Government of the Latvian state has decided to be ready to accept temporarily displaced persons from Ukraine.
Information on refugee assistance centers
Center for Assistance to Citizens of Ukraine in the Riga House of Congresses at: Krišjāņa Valdemāra iela 5, Centra rajons, Rīga, LV-1010. Opening hours: 09:00 - 18:00 (Mon-Fri).
On the basis of the Confederation of Ukrainians in Latvia VICHE there is a coordination center to help Ukrainians: (Jurmala, Sloka 7147), round-the-clock Call Center: +37166555044 (humanitarian aid collection, reception and accommodation of refugees from Ukraine).
Refugee social security (temporary housing, food, employment opportunities, etc.)
Citizens of Ukraine who do not have a place of residence in Latvia, when crossing the border must contact the representative of the State Border Guard Service of Latvia about the need for assistance: +371 67913569; +37167913568.
If you have arrived in Riga, please contact the Labklājības departaments (Welfare Department) of the Riga City Council at tel. 80005055 on accommodation, food, clothing, etc.
If you do not have a place to stay after arriving in Latvia, please contact the Society Integration Fund by phone: +371 27380380.
Latvians are ready to offer housing to Ukrainian citizens free of charge or for a lower fee, as well as for long-term residence. You need to fill in the form,
https://ej.uz/допомогавЛатвії to get information about available places to live.
Short stay:
If you want to look for housing yourself, for short-term options, we recommend using:
Long-term accommodation:
Aid
All public health services are available free of charge, consult 80001234 (English Russian).
Family doctor - consultations, prescriptions, referrals, examinations or tests, vaccinations - 80001234,
[email protected]Doctor on duty - if the time of the family doctor's appointment is over, available in Riga and other large cities - 80001234.
Phone number of consultation with a family doctor 66016001 (round the clock, Latvian, Russian) in case of simple illness, minor injuries, colds, vomiting, etc.).
Dentistry - public service for children under 18, paid service for adults (80001234)
COVID-19: If symptoms are detected, the state pays for a laboratory test. A doctor's referral is not required. Tel: 8303 (weekdays from 08: 00-18: 00, weekends 09: 00-14: 00).
General information: 8989 (weekdays from 08:00 to 20:00, weekends 09:00 to 18:00).
For isolation and quarantine: +37167387661 (weekdays from 09:00 to 16:00).
Documents for obtaining the service: passport / visa or permanent residence permit. In the absence of documents - 80001234. Without additional payment of the patient (does not apply to paid services - find out before receipt).
Possibility to extend short-term stays and visas for citizens of Ukraine
Ukrainian citizens do not need a visa for the first 90 days of their stay in Latvia (only for holders of biometric passports). Citizens of Ukraine will also be issued long-term visas to ensure the right to work in Latvia.
To learn more about the procedure for obtaining a long-term visa for citizens of Ukraine:
Office of Citizenship and Migration: +371 67209400 (Monday-Thursday 8: 30-16: 00; Friday 9: 00-15: 00),
www.pmlp.gov.lv/en
Should I apply for refugee status?
After arriving in Latvia, you can apply in person at Robežsardze (Latvian Border Guard Service) at: 5 Rudolfa Street or 89 Stabu Street to write an application for asylum (refugee status) (reception hours: 8.00 to 16.30).
!! It should be understood that the procedure can take up to six months and it makes sense to do so if you do not plan to return to Ukraine. If you are planning to return, but do not know when it will be, it is better to apply for an annual visa with the right to work (category D), then you need to personally contact the Migration Service of Latvia.
Arrival in Latvia through checkpoints (external border, airport):
for persons with biometric passports, border control will be carried out. Visas will be issued to persons with other travel documents and without a valid Schengen visa.
If a person arrives without travel documents, his / her identity will be confirmed in cooperation with the competent authorities of Ukraine.
Information on crossing the Latvian border can be obtained around the clock and without weekends by phone: +371 27380380; 24-hour telephone for information on services and support in Riga: +371 80000 800.
Crossing the border without a biometric passport - yes or no?
Lack of travel documents will not be an obstacle for Ukrainian citizens to enter Latvia. If a person arrives without travel documents, his / her identity will be confirmed in cooperation with the competent authorities of Ukraine. You should also contact the Consular Section of the Embassy of Ukraine for more detailed information on documents (tel: +37167332956, +37129239262 (hotline), +37167243082).
What to do if the passport expires or you have a child without a passport?
We would like to inform you that for the period of martial law in Ukraine, March 1, 2022, the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine 70170 of 28.02.2022 "Some issues of entering information in the passport of a citizen of Ukraine to travel abroad" came into force and will be valid for one year in Ukraine.
In accordance with the Resolution, the Temporary Procedure for Entering Certain Information in the Passport of a Citizen of Ukraine for Traveling Abroad (hereinafter - the foreign passport) was approved, namely:
- in case of expiration of the passport, such passport may be extended. Term of possible extension of the passport - up to 5 years;
- extension of the validity of the passport may be issued not earlier than 3 months before the expiration of the passport;
- the passport of a child under 12 years of age may be extended for a period not exceeding the period of its issuance;
- data of children under 16 years of age, in the absence of a foreign passport, can be entered in the foreign passport of parents with a photo of the child / children with their personal data. Such information about the child identifies and confirms the citizenship of Ukraine of such a child.
The legal representative submits the following documents to the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Latvia to enter the child's passport in the foreign passport:
1) foreign passport;
2) an application for entering information about the child in the foreign passport;
3) birth certificate or a document confirming the fact of birth issued by the competent authorities of a foreign state. In the absence of a birth certificate, the legal representative may submit an extract from the State Register of Civil Status Acts on state registration of birth;
4) two photographs of the child measuring 3.5 x 4.5 centimeters (background for photographing the face should be uniform, light (white or light gray) and contrast with the face, clothing, hair (if any);
5) a document confirming the authority of the person as a legal representative.
Documents issued by the competent authorities of a foreign state, submitted for entry in the foreign passport of information about the child, are certified in the manner prescribed by law, unless otherwise provided by international treaties of Ukraine. Such documents are submitted with a notarized Ukrainian translation.
!! Entering information about the child is carried out on the day of the legal representative's application - free of charge.
Entering into the passport information about the extension of its validity is carried out on the day of application of the person in whose name the passport is issued, or his legal representative - free of charge.
Crossing the border with pets
If you come from Ukraine with a pet - contact the nearest veterinarian.
The veterinarian will examine, register, chip and vaccinate the animal free of charge (information phone number of the Latvian Food and Veterinary Service +371 67095245)
Links to official information sources for refugees from Ukraine
+37127380380 single information number for consultations and assistance to Ukrainian refugees in Latvia from the Social Integration Fund
80000800 toll-free number for inquiries of the Riga self-government
Latvia