Latvia Golden Visa: Requirements, Benefits, and Investment Options

The Latvian Golden Visa allows non-EU nationals to obtain residency through investment. It offers benefits such as family inclusion, access to the Schengen Zone, and a pathway to Latvian citizenship, with no minimum physical stay requirements.

In this guide, we will explain everything you must know about the Latvia Golden Visa, including:

• The eligibility requirements for the Golden Visa in Latvia
• The Latvia Golden Visa investment options in 2025
• The advantages and costs of getting a Latvia residency by investment
• Steps to apply for a Latvian residence permit by investment

What Is the Latvia Golden Visa Program?

The Golden Visa program in Latvia offers a temporary residence permit to investors from outside the EU, EEA, and Switzerland in exchange for a qualifying investment. The minimum investment requirements are as low as €50,000.

A temporary residence permit enables its holders to: 

• Reside and work in Latvia
• Travel visa-free to the Schengen member states
• Bring their family to Latvia
• Eventually, apply for permanent residence and Latvian citizenship

Since its inception in 2010, the program has granted Latvian residence to over 20,000 applicants. The application processing time typically takes up to three months, and once approved, you receive a five-year residence permit renewed annually.

Latvia Golden Visa Requirements: Who Is Eligible in 2025?

In addition to making a qualifying investment, you are eligible to obtain the Latvian Golden Visa if you:

• Are over 18 years old
• Are not a citizen of the EU, EEA, or Switzerland
• Have a clean criminal record
• Have comprehensive health insurance coverage
• Don’t have outstanding tax liabilities

You are also permitted to bring your family to Latvia under the Golden Visa program. The eligible family members include the following:

Qualifying Dependants	Rules
Spouse	Must be a person to whom you’re legally married
Children	Includes your biological or legally adopted children under 18
Parents	Parents and parents-in-law can be included if they financially depend on you, regardless of their age

What Are the Latvia Golden Visa Investment Options?

The Golden Visa program in Latvia offers several investment routes for obtaining the visa. The option you choose will depend on your investment goals and financial circumstances. 

The Latvia Golden Visa investment options in 2025 are: 

1. Business investment
2. Real estate investment
3. Government bond investment
4. Bank deposit

1. Business Investment

Getting the Latvia residency by business investment is the most cost-effective option under the Latvian Golden Visa program, as the minimum investment requirement is €50,000. 

Depending on the company’s size and revenue, you can choose one of the following options:

1. €50,000 investment: This applies if you are investing in a company with fewer than 50 employees and less than €10 million in annual revenue
2. €100,000 investment: This amount is required if you invest in an organization with over 50 employees and more than €10 million in yearly revenue

Regardless of the route you take, you must also pay a one-time government fee of €10,000.

2. Real Estate Investment

The real estate investment route requires you to allocate at least €250,000 to real estate located in Latvia. You are allowed to purchase property from Latvian and EU citizens, companies, or fellow residence permit holders, and must not sell it for five years to maintain the visa.

The real estate you purchase can be located inside or outside a major city, but it can’t be agricultural or forest land. Depending on the property’s location, the following rules apply:

Property Location	Number of Properties You Can Purchase	Minimum Required Property Value
Major cities (Riga, Jurmala)	One	The real estate must have a total market value of €250,000
Outside major cities	Two	The total market value of both properties must be at least EUR 250,000

While you are allowed to invest in two properties outside the major cities, you can also purchase one property, as long as you meet the minimum investment requirements.

In addition to purchasing a property, you must pay a one-time government fee of 5% of the property value.

Note that you are allowed to rent out the property you purchased for short-term and long-term leases, regardless of whether it is a commercial or residential one. Doing so enables you to generate income while maintaining your residency status, which won’t be jeopardized as long as you continue to own the property for the five-year duration of your permit.

3. Government Bond Investment

The Latvian Golden Visa allows you to acquire a residence permit by investing €250,000 in qualifying government bonds. These bonds are interest-free, which means you will receive your initial investment if you decide to withdraw the funds at the end of the mandatory five-year holding period.

The government bond investment also includes a government fee of €38,000.

4. Bank Deposit

You qualify for the Latvia investment visa if you make a minimum deposit of €280,000 to a Latvian bank or credit institution. The funds must remain in the bank for a minimum of five years to maintain the visa’s validity. 

Additionally, this investment route includes a government fee of €25,000.

How Much Does the Latvia Golden Visa Cost in Total?

The exact cost of the Latvia Golden Visa program depends on the investment route you take. The table below outlines the total cost of the visa based on each available investment option:

Investment Option	Minimum Investment	Government Fees	Total Cost
Business	€50,000 or €100,000	€10,000	€60,000 or €110,000
Real Estate	€250,000	€12,500	€262,000
Government bonds	€250,000	€38,000	€288,000
Bank deposit	€280,000	€25,000	€305,000

Should you decide to bring family members to Latvia, you must demonstrate sufficient funds to support them. The general requirement is €500 per adult and €150 per minor child.

What Are the Latvia Golden Visa Benefits?

The Golden Visa in Latvia offers numerous advantages, such as visa-free travel throughout the entire Schengen area, flexible investment routes, and the ability to include family members in the visa application. Key benefits include:

1. Low minimum investment requirements
2. Fast application processing times
3. No minimum stay requirements
4. Pathway to Latvian citizenship

Low Minimum Investment Requirements

The minimum investment requirement for securing the Latvian Golden Visa is among the lowest compared to similar programs in other EU countries. 

The Latvian investment visa is available for only €60,000, including the government fee. Meanwhile, popular Golden Visa programs, such as those offered by Portugal and Greece, have a minimum investment requirement of €250,000, plus additional application charges.

Fast Application Processing Times

Latvia is regarded as having one of the fastest application processing times among similar residence-by-investment programs in Europe. The standard application processing timeline for Latvian Golden Visa program is 1–3 months, which is significantly shorter than for other popular options such as Portugal, Italy, or Greece.

The efficiency in approving Golden Visa applications allows faster access to the Schengen area and caters to applicants with immediate relocation needs.

No Minimum Stay Requirements

Some Golden Visa programs require physical presence in the country to maintain the validity of the visa. In contrast, the Latvian Golden Visa does not have such requirements. 

Once you obtain temporary residence in Latvia, the permit is valid for five years. However, you must visit the country at least once a year to re-register your residency and demonstrate that your investment remains active.

After five years, you can renew the permit or apply for permanent residence. To become a permanent resident in Latvia, you must meet specific physical presence criteria to qualify.

Pathway to Latvian Citizenship

Latvian citizenship by investment is often mistaken for its residency by investment program. While Latvia allows non-EU nationals to obtain a Latvian residence permit through a qualifying investment, it does not grant citizenship directly through investment.

However, choosing one of the available Golden Visa investment routes and getting a temporary residence is a direct pathway to becoming a Latvian citizen in the future. 

Before you qualify for a citizenship application, you must obtain a permanent residence permit. You can do so after holding the temporary residence permit for at least five years and meeting the physical presence requirement.

Once you’ve been a permanent resident in Latvia for five years, you can apply for citizenship. You are eligible to apply if you have physically resided in Latvia for at least five years, with a total absence of no more than one year. Absence isn’t allowed during the year preceding the application. 

Other criteria you must meet for Latvian citizenship include:

• Earning income from a legal source
• Passing the Latvian language proficiency test
• Possessing basic knowledge of the national anthem, the Constitution of Latvia, and Latvian history and culture

Can the Latvia Investment Visa Lead to Dual Citizenship?

You may hold a dual citizenship after becoming a citizen of Latvia, but this applies only under limited circumstances, such as: 

• Being a citizen of another EU or NATO member state
• Holding a citizenship of Australia, Brazil, or New Zealand
• Having a passport of a country that has an agreement on the recognition of dual citizenship with Latvia

If your home country does not satisfy these criteria, you must renounce your birth citizenship to become a Latvian citizen.

How To Apply for the Latvia Golden Visa in 2025: 3 Key Steps Explained

Before beginning your application process for the Latvian Golden Visa, decide on your preferred investment route. Once selected, take the following steps:

1. Collect documentation
2. Submit the application
3. Receive a residence permit

1. Collect Documentation

To submit the Latvia Golden Visa application, you must first collect the required documentation. This includes:

• A copy of a valid passport
• A passport-sized photo
• Birth certificate
• Proof of a clean criminal record
• Health insurance coverage, valid for a year
• Confirmation of no outstanding tax debts
• Documents confirming your investment

Additionally, you must prove that you have sufficient funds to support yourself and any family members included in the application, as well as provide the personal documentation of each dependent.

2. Submit the Application

Once you gather the documentation, you must complete the application form and submit it to one of the following: 

1. The Latvian embassy in your country of residence 
2. The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs in Latvia

After getting approved, you will receive the D Visa, which allows you to visit Latvia to attend the biometrics appointment. You must attend the appointment within three months of receiving the visa. 

During this three-month period, you must also submit the biometrics, pay the remaining government fees, and undergo a medical examination.

3. Receive a Residence Permit

Once approved, you will receive a five-year temporary residence card, which is typically issued within a month. 

While you aren’t required to live in Latvia to keep it valid, you must visit the country at least once a year to renew your stay and retake your biometrics. This is required because the physical residence card is issued for only one year.

Note that the Latvian Golden Visa application process will differ slightly depending on the investment route you choose. To make sure you have picked the right option, work with Nomad Capitalist, an advisory firm that provides professional assistance with all your relocation needs.

Obtain the Golden Visa in Latvia Seamlessly With Nomad Capitalist

Nomad Capitalist has assisted over 1,500 high-net-worth clients from more than 100 countries in securing residence and citizenship abroad.

We understand that each client’s goals and circumstances are unique and guide them in creating a strategy that aligns with their relocation plans, whether that includes applying for a Golden Visa or taking another path. To provide specialized support, we develop a personalized Action Plan for each client. The Plan also helps with:

• Global tax optimization
• Asset protection
• Investment diversification
• Handling relocation-related paperwork

To get started, complete a quick online questionnaire to determine whether we are a good fit. Once you’re approved, we will:

1. Schedule and complete an onboarding goal to gain a better understanding of your goals
2. Develop and execute a detailed Plan based on your needs and objectives
3. Implement the Plan over a 12-month period and handle the administrative work
4. Provide ongoing support and answer any questions you have

If obtaining the Latvian Golden Visa is the right path for you, we will handle the paperwork required to obtain the visa and residence permit. We will also provide professional guidance to ensure a stress-free visa application process. Get your personalized Action Plan today!