Stop Living in Two Countries: How to Bring Your Spouse and Children to Latvia with a Residence Permit

Work, business or investment has brought you to Latvia, but your spouse, children or other loved ones are still in another country? For many families, this becomes the hardest part of moving abroad. The good news is that Latvian immigration law allows family members to obtain residence rights and live together again.

The new Immigration Law has been in force since 15 September 2026. It changes how the grounds and periods of residence for family members are defined. In a number of common situations, your spouse and minor children can obtain a temporary residence permit valid for the same period as yours.

However, residence permits for your family are not automatic. Their validity, the documents required, financial requirements and your spouse’s right to work depend on the status of the person already living in Latvia. It is therefore worth checking your family’s circumstances before preparing the documents.

The main idea: one person’s residence permit can open the door for the whole family

If you are obtaining a Latvian residence permit through employment, an EU Blue Card, business, investment or another eligible route, your spouse and minor children can in many cases apply for residence permits through family reunification.

This matters particularly when you are planning a long-term life in Latvia rather than a stay of just a few months. You can start preparing your spouse’s and children’s documents early and, in many cases, plan their applications alongside your own. This makes it easier to reduce the time your family spends living in different countries.

Who can use family reunification?

Whether a spouse and minor children can obtain residence permits depends on the status of the person already living in Latvia or applying for a Latvian residence permit.

You can find detailed eligibility conditions, the main documents, application steps, processing times and state fees on our Residence permit in Latvia through family reunification service page.

How to avoid stretching your family’s move over several months

If you already know that your spouse and children will be moving with you, do not leave their documents until later.

While your own documents are being prepared, you can check your marriage certificate and your children’s birth certificates and find out whether translations, an apostille or legalisation are needed. If a child is moving with only one parent, this is also the time to look into the other parent’s consent.

For example, you are preparing to work in Latvia while your spouse and children remain at home. If you only start looking at their documents after receiving your own permit, the preparation process will begin all over again for your family. An early check helps identify which steps will need extra time.

Which documents should you check in advance?

The main difficulty is usually not the application form itself. Problems arise earlier: a foreign certificate is not in the required form, a document needs an apostille or legalisation, or surnames are spelled differently in passports and certificates.

Before setting a moving date, check:

• Your marriage certificate and your children’s birth certificates: do you have all the documents, and are they suitable for submission?
• Apostille or legalisation requirements: are these needed for documents from the country that issued them?
• Translations: which documents need to be translated?
• Names and surnames: are there differences between passports, certificates and translations?
• The other parent’s consent: is it required in your situation, and how should it be prepared?

Even a small inconsistency can lead to a request for additional documents and delay your family’s move. Checking before submission often saves more time than making corrections while an application is being processed.

The documents you need depend on your family members’ status and the circumstances of the application. We explain the main documents and application process on our Residence permit in Latvia through family reunification page.

Can the whole family apply for residence permits at the same time?

In many cases, yes. Whether you can submit applications together depends on the residence permit route and the applicable procedure, but you can plan the preparation of your family’s documents in advance.

For example, if you are applying for a Latvian residence permit through employment or business, you can already start planning the applications for your spouse and minor children at this stage.

Preparing together helps you create a shared moving plan. However, your own documents being ready does not necessarily mean your spouse’s and children’s documents are ready to submit too.

If a child is moving with only one parent

If the parents are divorced or live in different countries and the child is moving to Latvia with only one of them, address the other parent’s consent in advance.

Do not leave this until all the other documents have been collected. Check what consent is needed and how it should be prepared. If consent is not required in your circumstances, clarify in advance which document will establish that.

Will your spouse be able to work in Latvia?

This is one of the most important questions when planning your life together. In many cases, a family residence permit gives the holder the right to work in Latvia. The specific rights depend on the residence permit route and the status of the person the family is joining. It is best to check these before submitting the documents.

If the permit allows unrestricted employment, your spouse is not subject to the special salary threshold set for obtaining a residence permit directly through employment. The ordinary conditions of employment in Latvia still apply.

Five mistakes that can delay your family’s move

1. Starting the family’s paperwork too late. You arrange your own residence permit first and only then find out what your spouse and children need.
2. Not checking foreign documents in advance. The need for an apostille, legalisation or a translation only becomes clear just before submission.
3. Putting off the other parent’s consent. If the parents live in different countries, obtaining it also needs time in the schedule.
4. Overlooking differences in names or surnames. Inconsistencies between documents go unnoticed until the final check.
5. Planning around the permit processing time alone. The time needed to collect and prepare documents before submission is overlooked.

If you plan to move with your family, start checking everyone’s documents at the same time.

How NBC.LV helps with your family’s move

NBC.LV helps spouses and minor children obtain residence permits in Latvia. We advise on the documents needed, help prepare them for submission, arrange the sponsorship request and support the residence permit application process.

Eligibility conditions, the main documents, application steps, processing times and state fees are set out on our Residence permit in Latvia through family reunification service page.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to receive my own permit before dealing with my family’s documents?

Not always. In many cases, your spouse’s and minor children’s documents can be prepared at the same time as yours.

When should we start preparing the family’s documents?

As soon as you decide that your family will move to Latvia. This is particularly important if your marriage certificate or your children’s birth certificates were issued abroad.

What most often delays a family’s move?

Extra time may be needed for apostilles or legalisation of foreign documents, translations, the other parent’s consent and resolving differences in the spelling of names or surnames.

What should we do if a child is moving with only one parent?

Address the other parent’s consent in advance, especially if the parents live in different countries.

Can my family move later?

Yes. But if you already know that your spouse and children will move to Latvia, it is best to check their documents in advance.

Do not let paperwork keep your family apart

If you already have a Latvian residence permit or are planning to obtain one and want to move with your spouse and children, contact NBC.LV before submitting your applications. The earlier we review your family’s circumstances, the easier it is to put together a shared moving plan.

Legal basis and official sources

• Immigration Law: in force since 15 September 2026; Section 27 covers residence permit grounds and validity for family members, and Section 44 covers employment rights.
• OCMA: documents for family reunification: guidance on proof of family relationships, foreign documents and the other parent’s consent. Published in 2021; current residence grounds and periods should be checked against the law in force.