New Immigration Law 2026: Key Residence Permit Changes from 15 September

From 15 September 2026, Latvia’s new Immigration Law (Imigrācijas likums) will enter into force. It will replace the previous law and change a number of rules for obtaining temporary residence permits.

The most significant changes concern investors and entrepreneurs: the possibility of obtaining a residence permit through investment in a Latvian company remains, a new investment route starting from €150,000 is introduced, while some previous options will no longer be available to new applicants.

Here are the key changes – explained briefly and without complicated legal terminology.

Key points in 1 minute

• The new Immigration Law enters into force on 15 September 2026.
• The investment residence permit route through the capital of a Latvian company remains available. Investments of €50,000 or €100,000 are предусмотрены depending on the company’s parameters. A residence permit under these grounds may be granted for up to 2 years.
• A new investment route starting from €150,000 is introduced. The minimum investment period is 5 years.
• Previous grounds related to real estate and certain bank investments are not included in the new list for new applicants.
• Separate transitional rules apply to residence permits that have already been issued.

The new Imigrācijas likums was officially adopted by the Saeima on 20 August 2026 and published on 1 September 2026. It enters into force on 15 September 2026.

Residence permits through investment in a Latvian company remain available

One of the key points of the new law is that the investment route through a Latvian company is not being abolished.

The law provides for investments of €50,000 or €100,000 in the share capital of a company, depending on its size, number of employees and financial indicators.

When obtaining a residence permit for the first time, the investor must also pay €10,000 into the state budget.

However, simply investing money in a company is not enough. To maintain the grounds for the residence permit, the company must conduct genuine business activities and meet the requirements established by law, including those relating to tax payments.

Under these investment grounds, a temporary residence permit may be granted for up to two years.

New investment route – from €150,000

The new law introduces another investment option.

It provides for an investment of at least €150,000 through the state alternative investment fund mechanism established by law.

A key requirement is:

the minimum investment period for the €150,000 is 5 years.

An additional payment of €10,000 to the state budget is also required.

Citizens of Russia and Belarus are excluded by law from using this new investment route.

However, the existence of this provision in the law and the practical availability of the new mechanism are not the same thing. Before making an investment, it is necessary to check whether the mechanism provided for by law has been launched and whether applications are actually being accepted.

What changes for real estate and bank investments?

The new list of grounds for temporary residence permits does not include some of the previous investment grounds related to real estate and certain bank investments. However, this primarily concerns new applications.

If a residence permit was obtained earlier, it should not be assumed that it will automatically cease to be valid on 15 September. In such cases, the transitional provisions of the new law must be considered.

What should you consider if you are planning to obtain a residence permit in Latvia?

After 15 September 2026, when choosing the appropriate grounds for a residence permit, it will be particularly important to consider more than just the required investment amount.

Relevant factors include the applicant’s citizenship, the purpose of relocation, whether the applicant has a business in Latvia, the company’s parameters, the investment period and the ability to continue meeting the requirements of the chosen residence permit route.

It is therefore advisable to first determine the appropriate legal grounds and only then establish a company, make an investment and prepare the necessary documents.

Information checked: 8 September 2026
Official source: new Imigrācijas likums, Likumi.lv

This material is for informational purposes only. Eligibility for obtaining or renewing a residence permit depends on the individual circumstances of the applicant and the legislation in force at the time of application.

Planning to obtain or renew a residence permit in Latvia?

The rules will change from 15 September, so before submitting your documents, it is important to determine which residence permit route applies to your particular situation.

NBC.LV specialists can help you assess the available residence permit options, check the requirements of the new legislation and prepare the necessary documents for submission.