On 15 September 2026, a new Immigration Act came into force in Latvia. It is important to emphasise that this is not merely a matter of routine amendments to the previous legislation. The new Act completely replaces the 2002 Immigration Act. At the same time, the separate Act on permanent residence in the European Union has also ceased to have effect.
Following a second reading, the Saeima adopted the new law on 20 August 2026, and it was officially published on 1 September. According to information provided by the Saeima, the aim of the reform is to make migration control stricter and more effective, strengthen national security, reduce the risks of bogus immigration and illegal employment, and bring Latvian regulations into line with EU
Foreigners
a reduction in the maximum duration of many temporary residence permits; stricter requirements for employers and sponsors; changes to the regulations governing permanent residence and investment residence permits.
Term maintenance
The most practically significant categories of residence permits are summarised below. The table does not cover absolutely all the grounds provided for in the new law, but it does include those most commonly encountered in work, study, family and investment migration.
| Grounds for residence | Until 15 September 2026 | From 15 September 2026 | Practical significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment under an employment contract | For the duration of employment, but for no longer than 5 years | Up to 1 year | Employers and employees will have to confirm more frequently that the basis for employment still exists. |
| EU Blue Card | Up to 2 years | Up to 2 years | The maximum term has not changed significantly. |
| A member of the management board or board of directors, an authorised signatory, etc. | For the duration of the term of office, but not exceeding 5 years | Up to 2 years | The new regulations also set out additional requirements regarding the company’s operations and tax payments. |
| Contribution to the company’s share capital — EUR 50,000 / 100,000 | Up to 5 years | Up to 2 years | The basis for residence has been retained, but the maximum duration of a single permit is shorter. |
| Start-up / innovative company | Up to 3 years | Up to 3 years | The maximum time limit has not been reduced, but the conditions have been reworded. |
| ICT Manager / Specialist | Up to 3 years | Up to 1 year | The validity period of a single residence permit for internally transferred managers and specialists has been significantly reduced. |
| ICT trainee | Up to 1 year | Up to 1 year | There are no significant changes to the deadline. |
| Researcher | For the duration of the scientific cooperation agreement, but for no longer than 5 years | Up to 2 years | The maximum duration of a single residence permit has been reduced. |
| A full-time student at an accredited university or college | For the duration of the course + 4 months | Up to 2 years per permit | This does not mean that you are only allowed to study for two years. Provided the basis for your studies remains the same, it is possible to renew your permit. |
| A permanent resident of the EU in another EU Member State | Up to 5 years | Up to 2 years | The validity period of Latvian temporary residence permits has been significantly reduced. |
| A person who, following their departure, has lost their status as a permanent resident of Latvia within the EU | Up to 5 years | Up to 3 years | The basis for residence has been retained, but the duration has been reduced. |
| The spouse of a Latvian citizen, a non-citizen or a holder of a permanent residence permit | Usually, the first permit is for 1 year, the second for 4 years, followed by permanent residence | Temporary residence permit — up to 2 years | The procedure has been simplified and standardised, but the transition to permanent status must be assessed in accordance with the requirements of the new law. |
| Representative of a foreign trader | Up to 2 years | Up to 1 year per permit, up to a total of 2 years | The requirements regarding the actual operation of the representative office also remain in place. |
| A representative of a foreign airline | Up to 4 years | Up to 3 years | The deadline has been brought forward. |
| Permanent residence permit / EU permanent resident status | Registration every 5 years | Registration every 5 years | The registration period has not changed, but certain conditions for obtaining the status have changed. |
| Purchase of property | In certain cases, there may have been grounds for granting a permit for up to 5 years | A new basis for residence is no longer envisaged | This scheme is closed to new applicants. Transitional arrangements are in place for existing investors. |
| Banks / subordinated investment of EUR 280,000 | Up to 5 years | A new basis for residence is no longer envisaged | The opportunity is closed to new applicants; transitional arrangements apply to existing investors. |
| A new investment of EUR 150,000 via a state-established alternative investment fund | There was no such basis | Up to 5 years | You must invest at least EUR 150,000 for a minimum of five years and, in addition, pay EUR 10,000 into the state budget. |
Why a shorter period of validity for a residence permit is important
It is important to understand that a reduction in the maximum duration of a single residence permit does not necessarily mean that a foreign national will, overall, be allowed to stay in Latvia for a shorter period.
For example, a student may continue their studies for longer than two years, whilst a foreign worker may continue to work even after their one-year residence permit has expired, provided that the relevant legal basis still exists.
In practice, however, proof of grounds for residence will have to be provided more frequently.
This means:
- more repeat applications;
- more frequent inspections of employers and employment relationships;
- more regular checks on the basis for residence, whether for study, business or other purposes;
- more frequent contact with the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs.
Stricter requirements for employers
The new law tightens controls even before a foreign national is granted the right to reside and work in Latvia.
The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs may refuse to approve an invitation or a summons if, for example:
- the employer has not registered the vacancy with the State Employment Agency or has not received the necessary approval;
- the foreign national’s qualifications do not match those required for the vacancy;
- the actual working conditions do not correspond to the advertised vacancy;
- the job requirements have been artificially inflated;
- the host has a tax debt exceeding EUR 150;
- the company does not, in fact, carry out any economic activity or has been established primarily for the purpose of facilitating the entry of foreign nationals into Latvia.
Additional restrictions also apply to providers of labour supply services and certain low-skilled occupations.
Consequently, the new regulations focus not only on the assessment of the foreign national themselves, but also on the employer, the job and the genuine nature of the employment offer.
Permanent residence permit: one of the most significant changes
There has been a restructuring of the conceptual framework in this area.
The new Immigration Law links permanent residence to the status of a permanent resident of the European Union in the Republic of Latvia. The separate Act which previously regulated this status ceased to be in force on 15 September 2026.
Under the general regulations, a foreign national who has lived in Latvia continuously for the past five years and who also meets certain conditions may apply for permanent residence status.
This includes the following for an individual:
- there must be sufficient means of support for oneself and one’s dependants;
- proficiency in Latvian at least at A2 level;
- A course on Latvian culture and history must be completed.
When calculating the required five-year period of residence, the period of full-time study counts for no more than half of that time.
As a rule, continuity of residence is maintained if the period of absence from Latvia does not exceed six consecutive months and does not exceed a total of ten months within a five-year period, except in cases provided for by law.
A new course on Latvian culture and history
This is one of the new requirements that warrants particular attention.
The new law also provides for an early integration programme to be introduced in the future, which will include:
- A course on Latvian culture and history;
- Proficiency in Latvian at least at A1 level.
However, Article 48 of the Act, which provides for a compulsory early integration programme after 18 months’ residence in Latvia, will not come into force until 31 December 2027.
The content, scope, funding and organisational arrangements of the programme must be set out in greater detail by the Cabinet of Ministers.
Therefore, during the transitional period, it is advisable to clarify with the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs on an individual basis the practical arrangements for providing evidence of having completed the course on Latvian culture and history.
What has changed regarding investment residence permits?
The new law significantly overhauls the system for investment residence permits.
The option to obtain a temporary residence permit by making an investment of EUR 50,000 or EUR 100,000 in the share capital of a Latvian company remains in place.
However, the maximum duration of a single temporary residence permit is now up to two years, rather than up to five years.
At the same time, two previously available investment options have been removed from the new list of grounds for residence:
the purchase of property worth at least EUR 250,000;
a financial investment of at least EUR 280,000 in a Latvian credit institution.
This does not mean that residence permits issued previously automatically become invalid.
The new law provides for transitional provisions for persons who have already been granted such status and who continue to meet the relevant conditions.
At the same time, a new investment framework has been established — an investment of at least EUR 150,000 for a minimum of five years through a manager of a state-established alternative investment fund, along with a contribution of EUR 10,000 to the state budget.
In this case, it is possible to obtain a temporary residence permit for a period of up to five years.
Transitional provisions: an important practical detail
A simplified phrase is sometimes encountered in the public sphere:
“All applications submitted by 15 September will be considered under the old law.”
That isn’t entirely accurate.
With regard to visas and temporary residence permits, if the documents were submitted before the new Act came into force, the previous Immigration Act of 2002 does indeed apply.
However, applications for permanent residence permits submitted before 15 September are, in accordance with the transitional provisions, already being processed under the new regulations.
Similarly, fixed-term residence permits issued previously do not automatically expire. They remain valid until the end of their specified period of validity or registration.
This is one of the most important aspects for people whose migration process falls between the old and the new legal frameworks.
What else does the new law provide for?
The new Immigration Act goes far beyond simply shortening the duration of residence permits.
Among other things:
- extends the grounds for refusal and revocation of the right of residence in cases relating to national and public security;
- regulates matters relating to the integration of foreign nationals;
- updates the rules on the employment of third-country nationals;
- amends several procedures for the examination of applications;
- combines, within a single Act, a number of matters that were previously regulated by separate legislative acts.
It would therefore be incorrect to view the changes due to come into force on 15 September 2026 merely as a reduction in the duration of residence permits from five years to one or two years.
In fact, this is about a wider reform of Latvia’s immigration regulations.
Official sources
Further details on the regulations can be found in official sources:
The New Immigration Act — Likumi.lv
Official publication of the Immigration Act — Latvijas Vēstnesis
Information from the Saeima on the adoption of the new Immigration Act and the aims of the reform
This material is for information purposes only. In migration matters, the application of specific grounds for residence, transitional provisions and other requirements must be assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the date of submission of documents, the person’s status and the circumstances of the specific case.
