Who the Client Was
The client never had to figure out Latvian procedures on his own. In his words, that turned out to be the most valuable part of working with us.
Two business partners from India, both with long careers in logistics and freight forwarding.
Their goal: register a company in the EU, get residence permits for themselves and their families, and start working with European clients.
One partner was already in Europe on an Italian Schengen visa with under a month left before it expired. Leaving the Schengen Area was not an option he was willing to take, which meant there was no time to lose.
The second partner handled everything remotely from India.
The Task
What They Needed
A European company registered and ready to operate in logistics
Residence permits in Latvia for both partners and their family members
Documents submitted for the first partner before his visa expired, without leaving Schengen
Minimal personal involvement in the process on their end
A VAT number for working with European counterparts at the 0% rate
Why Latvia
Why Latvia
The clients looked at several countries. Four things drove the decision: speed, the ability to combine company registration with a residence permit, remote handling of part of the process, and a straightforward tax system.
After a consultation, Latvia was the clear choice. Timelines here are shorter than most alternatives. The tax structure helped too: undistributed company profits are not taxed.
Options
Residence Permit Options Considered
1. Residence Permit Through Investment in Own Business
Registering a Latvian company and investing 50,000 EUR in share capital and business activities.
2. Residence Permit as a Member of the Board
This route requires the company to have more than one year of operating history already.
3. Payroll Programme
Both partners are employed by their own Latvian company in senior management roles and obtain residence permits through employment.
The third option was the only one that could meet the deadline. The first two could not.
Main Challenges
The Main Challenge
Exactly one month remained before the first partner’s Schengen visa expired. In that window, the company had to be registered, a full document set prepared, all immigration procedures completed, and the residence permit application submitted.
In practice, a deadline like that leaves no margin for error. Any delay at any stage would have forced him to leave.
Work Scope
What We Did
The Latvian company was registered remotely in 3 business days. While that was in progress, we prepared the residence permit documents, posted vacancies through the state employment service, and arranged the necessary invitation letters.
Beyond immigration, we handled corporate and personal bank account opening, VAT registration documents, accounting support, and assistance with finding office and residential premises. The clients were accompanied at every stage at the immigration authority.
One thing that genuinely helped: the clients had prepared their criminal record certificates, marriage certificates, and children’s birth certificates with apostilles before the process started. That reduced pressure considerably at the final stage.
Process
How the Process Went
The first partner’s documents were submitted on the last day his Schengen visa was valid.
The immigration authority reviewed the application within 5 business days. Three business days after that, he received residence permit cards for himself and his family.
The second partner completed the process from India.
After a positive residence permit decision, he obtained a visa through VFS Global in roughly 10 days, flew to Latvia, and collected his card.
Concerns
What the Client Was Worried About
The primary concern was simple: missing the deadline and being forced to leave Schengen. On top of that, they were anxious about the risk of refusal, the language barrier, and having to deal with Latvian government offices without support.
Why Us
Why They Came to Us
The referral came from acquaintances who had gone through the same process with us previously. Our reviews reinforced the decision. What also mattered: we recognised the urgency immediately and were ready to start without delay.
Result
Result
Both partners hold residence permits in Latvia, covering themselves and their family members. The company is registered, the VAT number is confirmed, and both corporate and personal accounts are open. The business is operating inside the EU.
The first partner went through the entire process without leaving the Schengen Area once.
Feedback
What Mattered Most to the Client
All communication with government institutions was handled on our side. We accompanied the clients at the immigration authority, explained technical and legal details in English, and took care of insurance arrangements, chest X-ray bookings, appointment scheduling, and card collection.
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