RESIDENCE PERMIT THROUGH INVESTMENT

Since the Investment-Based Residency program began in 2010, approximately 20,000 applications have been submitted. Under this program, around 1.5 billion Euros have been invested in Latvia. Below is a comparative summary of information on obtaining a residence permit in Latvia through investment.

1. Real Estate Investment

Minimum investment 250,000 + 1.5% deed fee (3750) + 12,500 state fee + 2625 fee tax + 15,000 consulting = Toplam 280.750 Euro

Real estate prices in Latvia are quite affordable compared to other EU countries, and as of 2025, they are even cheaper than in our own country. This is our most recommended type of investment.

Under the program, you can only purchase real estate from a company paying taxes in Latvia, from Latvian citizens, or from a foreigner living in Latvia (an EU citizen or someone with a long-term residence permit). Payment for the property must be made via bank transfer, the purchase price must be at least 250,000 Euros, and the property’s registered cadastral value must be at least 80,000 Euros. Agricultural and forest land are excluded from the program, but plots where a house or apartment can be built are included.

We strongly recommend real estate investment because the property you purchase can appreciate in value every year, and you can earn rental income on top of that. Our expert team closely follows the Riga real estate market and can offer you many options to help you choose the right property.

2. Company Investment

Minimum investment 50,000 + 10,000 state fee + 15,000 consulting = Total 75,000

This tracks allows investors to invest in a company registered in Latvia. It’s the cheapest but not highly recommended. There are two ways to invest in a company:
50,000 Euros: Companies with a maximum of 50 employees and annual turnover under 10 million Euros
100,000 Euros: Other companies

Although a company investment is cheaper, your investment is unlikely to appreciate or generate monthly or yearly profits in practice. Also, if you ever want to sell the shares you acquired, you might have to sell at a much lower price—or possibly zero if no buyer is found. Moreover, if the company whose shares you purchased goes bankrupt, your residence card will be canceled. In short, the funds allocated for a company investment essentially only grant you a residence card. Keep in mind that there may be no return or profit on your investment.

A maximum of 10 foreign nationals can apply for a residence permit in the same company.

3. Zero-Interest Government Bond

Minimum investment 250,000 + 38,000 state fee + 15,000 consulting (inc. taxes and fees) = Total 308,000

This application track is currently not available because Latvian authorities stopped opening bank account to foreigners after the start of Ukraine war. The only open tracks now are Real Estate and Company investment.

Investing in zero-interest government bonds allows you to obtain a residence permit. Compared to real estate and company investments, this can be seen as an easier option than company investments and more secure than a bank deposit.

While these government bonds do not pay interest, you can profit from the difference between the purchase price and the nominal price at the end of the bond’s term.

For example:
Purchase price: 900
Nominal price: 1000
Profit: 100

The customer buys the bond at the purchase price, and at the end of the bond’s term, the government repurchases it at the nominal price. The profit from the difference between the nominal price and the purchase price is generally slightly higher than what you would earn from bank deposit interest.

4. Bank Deposit

Minimum investment 280,000 + 25,000 state fee + 15,000 consulting fee (inc. taxes and fees) = Total 320,000

This application track is currently not available because Latvian authorities stopped opening bank account to foreigners after the start of Ukraine war. The only open tracks now are Real Estate and Company investment.

A bank deposit is a very secure type of investment, and you can earn up to 8% annual interest. That means you could get 390,000 Euros back after 5 years on your 280,000-Euro investment.

You must deposit at least 280,000 Euros into a Latvian bank. Your deposit will be recorded in the bank’s system as a “subordinate liability,” which means that if the bank goes bankrupt, the primary claim holders will be paid before you. Since the likelihood of the bank going bankrupt is considered low, this detail may not be particularly significant.

Required Documents

Process

First Month: Initial communication with the client, selection of the investment, payment of consulting fee, and preparation of documents for visa and residence permit applications.

Second Month: The client arrives in Latvia. Depending on the type of investment, visits and meetings take place. All application procedures and documents are signed, the investment amount is transferred to the relevant accounts, and the application file is submitted to PMLP (Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs).

Fourth Month: The PMLP review process can take 5 days if a fee of about 450 Euros is paid, or around 50 days otherwise. Generally, applications are processed within about 30 days. Once approved, the state fees for the investment are transferred to the relevant accounts. The client then returns to Latvia and, with our best wishes, receives the residence card in person.

The process takes minimum 4 months. Some applications might take around 10 months if applicant has any connection or travel history to Russia.