The Latvia citizenship by investment is indirectly possible through Golden visa program. It is not a direct citizenship investment program. The path to acquire citizenship by investing as follows…
- Receive a 5 year TRP (temporary residence permit) via Golden visa.
- Convert the TRP to PRP (permanent residence permit) after 5 years of living (Latvian language test required.)
- After 5 years of holding PRP status, you can apply for Latvian citizenship via naturalization (authorities will verify your Latvian language skills, knowledge of the Latvian anthem, history, culture, and the basic provisions of the Constitution.
- Latvia permits dual citizenship for naturalized citizenship only with certain countries with agreements.
All in all it takes 10 years of uninterrupted legal residence from the start of initial residence permit to become a citizen.
The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs of the Republic of Latvia (PMLP) is responsible for processing citizenship and residence applications.
Latvia PR Status
The criteria for acquiring of the status of the long-term resident (PRP) of the EU are:
- The status of the long-term resident of the EU is granted provided the person has, for the last five years, continuously and lawfully resided in the territory thereof, with the toleration of the person’s absence that does not exceed six successive months or ten months altogether. Absence is deemed justified if the reasons thereof are circumstances beyond the person’s control (the person’s illness, force majeure, etc.). The absence is deemed justified for a holder of the European Union’s Blue Card provided the reasons thereof are performance of business activities in the status of an employee or as a self-employed, voluntary service or studies in the person’s country of origin and the absence from the European Union has not exceeded 12 successive months or 18 months altogether. The time spent by a Latvian non-citizen in another European Union Member State, provided it does not exceed a period of five years is included in the continuous residence term.
- The person has to prove sufficient means of sustenance both for himself or herself and his or her family members. Moreover, the sustenance must be stable and regular, namely, during the last 12 months prior to filing of the application the person should have had received at least the minimum wage applicable in the country, on which taxes have been paid. A pension granted to a person in the Republic of Latvia is also considered sufficient security.
- Taking into account that the aim of the directive is also integration of third country nationals who have been residing in the Member State for a certain period of time, the acquisition of the status of the long-term resident of the EU requires also the knowledge of the official language. People who wish to obtain this status must prove their proficiency in the state language at least at the A2 level.
Latvian Citizenship
Persons are admitted to Latvian citizenship through naturalisation from the age of 15 years, if:
- a person independently lives in Latvia for the recent 5 years (the citizens of the European Union, countries of European Economic Area and Swiss Confederation have a permanent residence permit of a citizen of the European Union for 5 years, for citizens of other countries – a permanent residence permit in Latvia for 5 years) and they can prove it documentary;
- a person knows Latvian;
- a person has knowledge of the text of the National Anthem, the basics of the history and culture of Latvia and the basic principles of the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia;
- a person has a legal source of maintenance
Persons, who have criminal records, related to terrorism, act in anti-state or criminal organization, have failed to fulfil tax or other payment obligations against the state, or if other restrictions referred to in Section 11 of the Citizenship Law refer to them, cannot be admitted to Latvian citizenship through naturalisation.
