Use the law that took effect in September 2026
The new Immigration Law took effect on 15 September 2026. It removed the new-applicant routes based on a real-estate purchase or subordinated bank liabilities and changed permit terms, registration and permanent-residence rules. Older authority pages and private brochures may still describe the superseded routes.
Existing holders should review transition provisions against the original grant and expiry, rather than assuming either automatic cancellation or automatic renewal on identical terms. The enacted EUR 150,000 state-established alternative-investment-fund route was not operational when OCMA published its notice; no later operational launch has been verified in this review.
Routes for a current applicant
The activity and applicant determine the route. Employment is tied to the relevant employer and work authorization; a board role has business and tax-payment conditions; and a qualifying start-up must meet its innovation and continuing-activity requirements. Registering a dormant company does not satisfy these requirements.
EU-family and ordinary third-country applications should be evaluated separately. Under the new law, students’ ability to bring family at the same time is restricted to the specified NATO-national or doctoral-study cases. Confirm each dependant’s category before selecting a principal route.
| Issue | What matters |
|---|---|
| Employment / EU Blue Card | Qualifying job, salary, qualifications and employer process; work rights stated in the decision/document. |
| Qualifying company role | The role and company’s capital/tax-payment requirements must be met. |
| Company-capital investment | Article 27 distinguishes EUR 50,000 and EUR 100,000 investment branches, business-size tests and annual tax-payment conditions; EUR 10,000 initial state payment is separate. |
| Innovative start-up | A conditional route with company-registration and progress obligations; not a general investor permission. |
| Family | Sponsor, relationship, minor-child and route conditions; separate evidence for each applicant. |
Investment amounts are not the whole qualification
For the smaller-company capital-investment branch, Article 27 describes no more than 50 employees and turnover or balance-sheet size not exceeding EUR 10 million, alongside the investment and annual tax requirement. The larger-company/group branch has different size and annual-tax conditions. The investment itself does not prove that the company can meet its continuing obligations.
Ask for a genuine operating plan and tax-payment evidence, not simply a subscription receipt. Capital committed to the company, the state payment, legal work, family applications and continuing operations are different cost categories. This guide supplies statutory distinctions, not an advertised package price.
Documents, language and timing
The new rules allow Latvian or English for a visa or initial temporary-residence submission. Renewal, permanent-residence and inviter supporting documents must be in Latvian. That can make translation and legalisation the critical path when the household has civil documents issued in several countries.
OCMA describes a maximum residence-application consideration period of four months from submission under the new law. This is not a promise that every move, biometric appointment and card delivery completes in four months from the first inquiry. Confirm when the file is accepted and what further-information or security procedures apply.
| Issue | What matters |
|---|---|
| Before filing | Choose current legal category; prepare passport, civil/custody records, resources, insurance, accommodation and category-specific evidence. |
| Sponsor stage | Employer/inviter/business documents where required; language and signature requirements. |
| Application | File at the authorized location, establish identity and pay the applicable official fee. |
| Decision and arrival | Check residence and work conditions, collect the document, declare the address and arrange actual healthcare coverage. |
| Renewal / longer-term status | Keep the operating and residence evidence; check the new law and transition provisions before expiry. |
Permanent residence and citizenship are separate milestones
The September reform retains EU long-term resident status as the permanent-residence framework and requires at least five years with temporary residence before a first permanent grant. Physical residence, absence limits, resources and integration conditions still require review; holding a card unused abroad is not the same as qualifying residence.
Naturalisation normally uses five years with permanent residence, plus language, knowledge, income and other requirements. Do not turn those separate clocks into a guaranteed five-year passport. The future integration provisions taking effect on 31 December 2027 should be planned for but not described as already in force in October 2026.
Sources & research notes4 references
Sources supporting this guide. Research draft awaiting editorial review.