€150,000 - and a 5-Year Residence Permit in an EU Country Without a Company or Job? Latvia May Open a New Investment Route

August 21, 2026

Imagine obtaining a residence permit in a European Union country without having to set up and operate your own company, find an employer, or buy real estate worth a quarter of a million euros. Instead, the legal basis would be an investment of at least €150,000 maintained for at least five years. This is the new route that may become available in Latvia if the relevant provision of the new Immigration Law is promulgated and enters into force.

For an investor, the structure could be highly attractive. Latvia is an EU Member State and part of the Schengen Area. In the version of the new law described in the official presidential materials, a foreign national could apply for a temporary residence permit for up to five years after entering into an agreement and transferring at least €150,000 as an investment for no less than five years to a state-established alternative investment fund manager, as well as paying €10,000 into the state budget. This wording is set out in the official letter of the President of Latvia.

One point is essential: until the new provision enters into force and becomes operational in practice, this remains a potential opportunity rather than a currently available service. That is precisely why it is worth understanding early. If launched in the proposed form, the route could become one of the most straightforward investment-based grounds within Latvia's residence system.

Why €150,000 could change the equation for investors

The €150,000 figure is not the lowest nominal threshold among all existing Latvian residence grounds. A qualifying investment in the share capital of a Latvian company can start from €50,000. However, that lower figure comes with a very different legal structure: a specific Latvian company is required, the company must meet statutory criteria, and the residence basis depends on the corporate arrangement remaining compliant.

The potential new route is attractive for another reason. The proposed legal basis is a financial investment rather than employment or the applicant's own operating business. For someone who wants a lawful base in Latvia but does not intend to become an entrepreneur or tie immigration status to an employer, that distinction may be significant.

For comparison, official OCMA/PMLP information on currently available Latvian investment-based residence grounds includes:

investment in the share capital of a Latvian company - from €50,000 or €100,000 depending on the company's parameters, plus €10,000 paid into the state budget;
qualifying real estate with a value of at least €250,000, with an additional state-budget payment equal to 5% of the property value for the first residence permit;
subordinated financial obligations toward a Latvian credit institution of at least €280,000 for no less than five years, plus €25,000 paid into the state budget;
special-purpose interest-free Latvian government securities with a nominal value of €250,000, plus €38,000 paid into the state budget.

These existing routes can be checked on the official website of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA/PMLP). Against that background, the potential €150,000 route stands out not only because of the amount but because the investor may not need to build the residence basis around a company, an employer, or a property purchase.

The key attraction: no company and no job as the residence basis

This is arguably the strongest feature of the proposed mechanism. In the wording described by the President of Latvia, eligibility is linked to the investment agreement, the transfer of at least €150,000 for no less than five years, and the €10,000 state-budget payment. Setting up the applicant's own company or holding an employment contract is not stated as an independent requirement of this specific ground.

If the rule enters into force in that form, an investor would not need to create an SIA solely for immigration purposes, search for a formal position, depend on a specific employer, or prove active management of a business as the basis of residence. General immigration requirements would still apply, including identity and document checks, sufficient means, lawful origin of funds, security screening and statutory refusal grounds. The difference is that the residence basis itself would be much more independent from day-to-day business or employment.

A residence permit for five years at once - what would that really mean?

The headline phrase "a five-year residence permit" needs an important legal qualification. The official wording provides a right to apply for a temporary residence permit for a period of up to five years. Five years is therefore the maximum period contemplated by the provision, not an automatic guarantee that every applicant will receive a card valid for exactly five years.

At the same time, the structure is clearly designed for a long investment horizon. The capital must remain invested for at least five years. The presidential letter also states that the residence permit would remain valid if, throughout its validity, the state-established fund manager confirms that the investment agreement has not been terminated and that the remaining investment balance is not below €150,000.

That is a critical point for investors. This is not a model where capital can simply be transferred, a residence card obtained, and the investment withdrawn immediately. The qualifying financial basis must continue to exist for the required period.

What a Latvian residence permit means for the EU and Schengen

The accurate description is not "an EU-wide residence permit", but a Latvian residence permit issued by a country that belongs to both the European Union and the Schengen Area. It allows the holder to reside lawfully in Latvia for the validity period and provides important short-stay mobility within Schengen.

According to the European Commission, a holder of a valid residence permit issued by a Schengen country can generally travel to other Schengen countries for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, subject to the applicable conditions.

A Latvian residence permit does not, however, automatically grant the right to live or work permanently in every other EU Member State. A stay of more than 90 days in another country will generally require a separate legal basis under that country's rules.

How the potential new route may work step by step

The exact administrative procedure will only be fully clear after the law enters into force and all implementing guidance is published. However, the official wording already shows the likely sequence:

Confirm whether the new ground is available to the applicant, taking citizenship, residence history and security rules into account.
Complete a preliminary source-of-funds review and prepare documents explaining the lawful origin of the investment capital.
Enter into the agreement required by law with the state-established alternative investment fund manager.
Transfer at least €150,000 as an investment for a period of no less than five years.
Pay €10,000 into the state budget at the prescribed stage and prepare the full residence-permit application package.
Submit the application and complete the checks required by the competent authorities.
Following a positive decision, complete biometric formalities and obtain the temporary residence permit card.

The final law and official OCMA/PMLP practice will be decisive, particularly for source-of-funds evidence, citizenship restrictions, documentation and the investment structure.

€150,000 is the investment amount - not the full cost of residence

Another important point is that €150,000 is the qualifying investment capital. In addition, the proposed structure includes a separate €10,000 payment into the Latvian state budget. State fees for processing the application and issuing the residence card, document preparation and translations, and professional support where required should also be budgeted.

In practical terms, the starting financial commitment would therefore be at least €150,000 of investment capital plus the €10,000 state-budget payment and related administrative costs.

Investors must also distinguish immigration eligibility from investment performance. A manager being state-established does not automatically mean that investment return or capital repayment is guaranteed. The final fund rules and investment agreement will determine liquidity, fees, permitted assets, risks, potential return and capital repayment. A residence permit is not a guarantee of financial performance.

Source of funds and security checks will remain central

The new route should not be understood as "residence without questions". Investment-based migration typically requires particularly transparent evidence of the lawful origin of capital. When returning the new Immigration Law for reconsideration, the President of Latvia specifically raised the need to address verification of the origin of investment funds and national-security considerations.

Citizenship will also require an individual check. Latvian immigration law includes special restrictions for certain categories of nationals, and the presidential letter specifically discussed how those restrictions should interact with the new investment ground. It would therefore be unsafe to assume that the route will automatically be open to every third-country national.

Who may find this route especially attractive

an investor who wants a residence basis in Latvia without operating a personal company;
a person who does not want immigration status tied to an employment contract or employer;
an investor who does not want to purchase real estate solely to qualify for residence;
an applicant who can commit investment capital for at least five years;
a family or entrepreneur seeking a lawful base in an EU and Schengen country while planning long-term residence primarily in Latvia.

Who should approach it more cautiously

anyone who may need access to the invested capital before five years have passed;
investors expecting guaranteed returns or guaranteed repayment;
people who assume Latvian residence automatically allows permanent residence and employment in every EU country;
applicants with complex source-of-funds issues, sanctions exposure or circumstances likely to trigger additional security review;
anyone expecting automatic permanent residence or citizenship after five years without meeting separate statutory conditions.

What investors can do now while the opportunity is still potential

The sensible approach is not to transfer money in advance, but to prepare the file. Before the mechanism formally starts, an investor can review the case so that the process does not begin from zero once the rules become effective.

Map the citizenship and immigration history of every family member who may be involved in the relocation.
Prepare source-of-funds evidence, such as business income, asset-sale agreements, dividends, savings, inheritance or other lawful sources.
Check banking and sanctions-related feasibility for the future transfer.
Review the possible tax consequences of relocation and a change of tax residence.
Prepare passports, criminal-record certificates and other documents commonly required in immigration procedures.
Monitor promulgation, the effective date and official OCMA/PMLP implementing guidance.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply today under the €150,000 route?

No. This article describes a potential new mechanism. An application under this ground will only be possible after the relevant rule enters into force and is actually implemented by the competent authorities.

Will I need to establish my own Latvian company?

Under the published wording of this proposed investment ground, the applicant's own company is not the qualifying basis. The basis is the investment made through the manager specified by law. Final requirements must still be checked after the rule enters into force.

Will I need employment or an employment contract?

Employment is not stated as the qualifying basis for this investment route. General immigration requirements will still apply.

Is exactly €150,000 enough?

No. €150,000 is the minimum investment amount. The proposed structure also requires a €10,000 state-budget payment, and application fees and other processing costs may apply.

Is a five-year permit guaranteed?

No. The official wording provides a right to apply for a temporary residence permit for up to five years. The decision is individual, and the qualifying conditions must remain in place during the permit's validity.

Can I live in Germany, France or Spain with a Latvian residence permit?

For short trips within Schengen, the general rule is up to 90 days in any 180-day period subject to the applicable conditions. Long-term residence or employment in another EU country requires a separate legal basis.

Will the €150,000 be returned after five years?

The investment must be maintained for at least five years, but repayment terms, returns and risks will depend on the final fund model and investment agreement. The residence permit itself does not guarantee investment return or repayment.

Why prepare with NBC.LV

In investment migration, the amount is only one part of the case. It is equally important to confirm the legal ground, check citizenship-related restrictions, prepare source-of-funds evidence, coordinate the investment stage with the immigration procedure and avoid transferring capital before the final rules are clear.

NBC.LV supports applications for residence permits in Latvia and can carry out a preliminary investor case review, assess document readiness and, once the new rule is officially operational, structure the immigration process according to the current law and OCMA/PMLP practice. The residence decision is always made by the competent public authority, so professional support helps reduce procedural risk but cannot guarantee approval.

If you are considering investment-based residence and want to understand whether the potential €150,000 route could fit your situation, preparing the file before the rule becomes effective can save valuable time. Once the mechanism is launched, you can then act on verified information rather than start collecting documents in a rush.

This material is for information purposes. The conditions of the new investment ground should be re-checked after the law is promulgated, enters into force and the competent authorities publish practical implementing guidance.