Latvia Golden Visa: Residence by Investment
Latvia offers European residence for investors who build rather than buy. Since 15 September 2026, the new Immigration Law has refocused the programme on investment in Latvian companies, closing the former real-estate and bank-deposit routes and creating a new state-fund route for the years ahead. What remains is a programme for entrepreneurs and business families who value a genuine operating platform inside the European Union, with one of its most efficient corporate tax systems.
Vázquez & Barba structures your Latvian residency together with the company behind it: corporate set-up, tax design, banking and the permit file, planned as one decision with our international tax and corporate teams.
Why investors choose the Latvia Golden Visa
- The lowest investment threshold for EU residence: from €50,000 in a Latvian company.
- A real business platform in the European Union, with access to the Nordic and Baltic markets.
- Visa-free travel throughout the Schengen Area.
- Spouse and minor children included in the same process.
- A corporate tax model that taxes profits only when they are distributed, so reinvested earnings grow untaxed.
- A clear decision deadline: the authority must decide within four months of a complete application.
- Holding the permit does not, by itself, make you a Latvian tax resident.
What changed on 15 September 2026
- Closed to new applications: the purchase of real estate from €250,000 and subordinated deposits with Latvian banks from €280,000.
- Continued: investment in the equity of a Latvian company, now with a residence permit of up to two years at a time.
- New: investment of at least €150,000 for five years in an alternative investment fund established by the Latvian state, with a permit of up to five years. The fund has not yet been created; we will announce the opening of this route here.
- Simplified: permits now match the validity of the residence card, removing the former annual registration.
- Existing holders: permits granted under the real-estate or deposit routes remain valid until the card expires. Renewal will then require one of the current routes, and we are already planning that transition with our clients.
- Pending applications: files submitted up to 14 September 2026 are assessed under the previous rules.
- Nationalities: citizens of Russia and Belarus are excluded from the investment routes.
Latvia Golden Visa investment options in 2026
Investment in a Latvian company: from €50,000
An equity investment of at least €50,000 in a Latvian company with fewer than 50 employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet of up to €10 million, or €100,000 in a larger company, plus a one-time payment of €10,000 to the state budget. The company must operate genuinely and meet its tax contribution obligations, which is why we design the business model and the tax structure before the investment is made. The route for entrepreneurs, family businesses expanding into Europe and investors who want an operating base in the EU.
State alternative investment fund: €150,000 (opening soon)
An investment of at least €150,000 for a minimum of five years in an alternative investment fund established by the Latvian state, plus a €10,000 payment to the state budget, with a residence permit of up to five years. The route exists in law but will only open once the fund is created and the implementing regulations are adopted. We follow the process closely and will inform our clients as soon as applications are accepted.
Who can apply for the Golden Visa in Latvia
Nationals of countries outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, other than Russia and Belarus, who are at least 18 years old, hold a clean criminal record and health insurance, and make the qualifying investment with funds of documented, lawful origin.
Family members included
- Spouse.
- Minor children.
How the Latvia Golden Visa process works
Strategy and business design
We confirm eligibility, define the company’s activity and structure, and model its tax position in Latvia and in your country of residence before any capital moves.
Company and banking
We incorporate the Latvian company or structure your entry into an existing one, register it with the Latvian Register of Enterprises and open corporate and personal bank accounts.
Investment and state payment
The capital is contributed to the company and the €10,000 state payment is made; with the evidence the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs requires.
Application and biometrics
The application is submitted in Latvian or English to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, which decides within a maximum of four months. You attend a biometrics appointment in Latvia to receive your residence card.
Renewals and the long term
Renewals are filed in Latvian and require the company to remain active and compliant. We keep your corporate, tax and immigration calendar in one file so that each renewal is routine.
Latvia Golden Visa costs and timeline
Beyond the investment and the €10,000 state payment, budget for the state duty on the permit application, company formation and registration costs, accounting and annual compliance, translations into Latvian and legal fees. The decision is issued within approximately four months of a complete application.
Golden Visa and taxes: residency is not tax residency
Holding a Latvian residence permit does not make you a Latvian tax resident. Families who remain below 183 days a year keep their personal income outside the Latvian tax net. At company level, Latvia applies a 20% corporate tax only on distributed profits, so earnings retained and reinvested in the business are not taxed. Our international tax team designs the structure end to end, including the treaty position with your home country.
Permanent residence and Latvian citizenship
Under the new law, permanent residence is no longer granted on a first application to any category of foreigner. It becomes available after at least five years of residence in Latvia with a temporary permit, together with Latvian language proficiency. Citizenship by naturalization follows after five years as a permanent resident, with examinations in Latvian language, history and the Constitution.
Latvia or Portugal: how the two compare
Latvia is the programme for investors who want the lowest capital commitment and an operating business in northern Europe. Portugal, our flagship programme, is the choice for families who want minimal presence, full family inclusion and a structured path to one of the world’s strongest passports. Many business families use Latvia for the company and Portugal for the family’s residence.
Frequently asked questions about the Latvia Golden Visa
Can I still get a Latvia Golden Visa by buying property?
No. Since 15 September 2026, real-estate purchases no longer qualify for new applications. Files submitted up to 14 September 2026 continue under the previous rules.
What is the minimum investment for the Latvia Golden Visa?
€50,000 in the equity of a small or medium Latvian company, plus a €10,000 payment to the state budget.
When will the €150,000 state fund route open?
It will open once the Latvian state establishes the fund and adopts the implementing regulations. No date has been set yet.
I already hold a Latvian permit through property. What happens now?
Your permit remains valid until your card expires. To continue, you will need to qualify through one of the current routes, and the time to plan that transition is now.
How long is the permit valid?
Up to two years at a time for the company route, and up to five years for the future state-fund route, renewable while the conditions are met.
How long until Latvian citizenship?
Permanent residence after at least five years of temporary residence, and citizenship after a further five years as a permanent resident, with Latvian language, history and constitutional examinations.
A European business base, built with intention
The investors who work with Vázquez & Barba are not looking for a permit alone; they want a partner for the company, the tax design and the family plan that come with it. Tell us about your business and your objectives, and we will tell you, in writing, whether Latvia is the right route and what it will take.
Last reviewed: September 2026. Content reflects Latvia’s Immigration Law in force since 15 September 2026.
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