Latvia Residence by Investment

Yes. As of June 2026 all current routes are open: the €50,000 business investment, €250,000 real estate, €280,000 subordinated-capital deposit, and government securities. But a new immigration law adopted on 11 June 2026 abolishes the real estate, securities, and deposit routes from 1 January 2027. If you want today's options, you realistically need to apply before the end of 2026.

The lowest entry is €50,000 invested into the equity of a Latvian company with up to 50 employees and turnover under €10 million, plus a one-time €10,000 state payment. Larger companies require €100,000. The property route is €250,000 and the subordinated-deposit route is €280,000, but both close at the end of 2026.

The real estate, government securities, and bank deposit routes are removed. The program is consolidated around a single tightly regulated channel: at least €150,000 placed for a minimum of five years in a state-created alternative investment fund manager, plus a €10,000 budget payment. Permit validity is also being tightened, and the investment must be maintained for the life of the permit.

Processing is typically about one to three months from a complete application to a residence card, faster than most EU programs because the queue is short. Add time before that to complete the underlying investment and gather documents.

There is no minimum number of days you must spend in Latvia. The main obligation is to re-register the permit in Latvia roughly once every 12 months. Note that the relaxed stay rule that keeps the permit alive is not the same as the residence you need to accumulate toward citizenship.

Yes, but slowly. Naturalization generally requires around ten years of legal residence, typically five years on a temporary permit followed by five years of permanent residence, plus a Latvian language exam and a test on the constitution and history. It is a long road, and the light-touch annual visit alone is not enough; genuine residential ties matter at the citizenship stage.

Latvia restricts dual citizenship for people who naturalize, with exceptions for nationals of the EU, EEA, NATO, and certain other countries. If you would have to renounce your existing citizenship, confirm your specific case before starting, because the answer depends on your current nationality.

You invest €50,000 into the equity of a qualifying small or medium Latvian company and pay a €10,000 state fee. The catch is ongoing: the company is generally expected to pay at least €40,000 per year in Latvian taxes to keep the permit valid. So the cheap headline carries a real recurring cost, and the route works best when the company is a genuine operating business rather than a shell.

Yes. A spouse and dependent children can generally be included, with per-person state and processing fees. Each adult family member faces the same language and integration requirements only at the citizenship stage, not for the residence permit itself.

If you become tax resident, generally by spending more than 183 days a year in Latvia, you are taxed on worldwide income at 25.5% up to €105,300 and 33% above, with a 3% surtax over €200,000. Holding the permit without living there does not automatically make you tax resident. This is not personal tax advice; coordinate with counsel on your specific situation.

For an EU foothold with Schengen mobility, no minimum stay, fast processing, and a credible long-term naturalization path, it is one of the more sensible options in Europe, especially while the current routes are open. It is less compelling if your goal is a fast, high-mobility passport, because citizenship is roughly a decade away and the program is moving toward higher investment and tighter control from 2027.

The program is fully closed to Russian and Belarusian nationals. The broader 2027 reform also reflects a security-driven, economy-linked tightening of who can obtain EU residence and on what terms.

If you value today's flexibility, the €50,000 business route, a €250,000 property, or a €280,000 deposit, apply before 31 December 2026, because those options disappear. If you are comfortable with the new €150,000 five-year fund model and tighter permit terms, you can wait. The decision turns on cost, liquidity, and how much you value the current routes.