Residence Permits
Residence Permit in Latvia Based on Real Estate Purchase (Golden Visa)
Minimum property value: €250,000. A one-time state fee of 5% of the property value is paid before the application is submitted. The permit covers the applicant and their family members — spouse and minor children included.
Afortis provides legal and administrative assistance: we prepare and file your application. Applications are decided by the Latvian migration authority (OCMA), not by Afortis.
Overview
General Information
Under the Immigration Law of the Republic of Latvia, a foreign national may apply for a temporary residence permit for up to five years, provided they own one developed, functionally connected immovable property valued at no less than €250,000 in Riga, Jūrmala, Ādaži, Babīte, Baldone, Carnikava, Garkalne, Ikšķile, Ķekava, Mārupe, Olaine, Ropaži, Salaspils, Saulkrasti, or Stopiņi municipalities.
Outside those administrative territories, ownership of up to two developed immovable properties — functionally connected to each other — is permitted, with a combined value of no less than €250,000. An undeveloped land plot does not qualify.
- Who is this Latvia residence permit real estate route suitable for
- Requirements for the property
- Requirements for the property owner
- State fees and taxation
- Rights granted by the Latvia residence permit real estate
- Processing times
- Possibility of obtaining a permanent residence permit and citizenship
- Common mistakes when applying
Who Is It For
Who is this Latvia residence permit real estate route suitable for
This route tends to suit investors, business owners based outside Latvia, and families planning part-time or seasonal residence in Europe. Specifically, it fits foreign nationals who:
treat EU real estate as an investment rather than a primary residence
want legal status within the Schengen Area
do not need the right to work in Latvia
want to extend the permit to their spouse and minor children at the same time.
Requirements for the property
Agricultural land and land classified as forest fund cannot form part of a qualifying immovable property.
When reviewing a latvia residence permit real estate application, PMLP (Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs) uses the value recorded in the land register. The property owner should confirm in advance whether that figure is inclusive or exclusive of VAT — the distinction matters, and it is the owner’s responsibility to verify it.
Requirements for the property owner
- No outstanding property tax liabilities
- Payment for the property was made by bank transfer (non-cash settlement)
- The property was acquired from a legal entity registered in Latvia, an EU member state, a European Economic Area country, or Switzerland
- The applicant must be a taxpayer of the Republic of Latvia in the manner prescribed by Latvian tax legislation
- The cadastral value of the property at the time of acquisition must meet the established requirements
State fees and taxation
Before submitting an initial residence permit application under the property investment visa Latvia route, 5% of the immovable property’s value must be paid to the state budget of the Republic of Latvia.
Property owners who hold a residence permit on this basis may also reduce their annual property tax rate to between 0.2% and 0.6%, depending on the owner’s status and the property’s intended use.
Advantages
Rights granted by the Latvia residence permit real estate
A temporary residence permit obtained through property ownership gives the holder
This type of permit does not grant the right to employment or to carrying out business activities on Latvian territory.
Process
Processing times
The standard processing time for a temporary residence permit based on real estate runs from 30 to 90 calendar days. The actual timeline depends on the applicant’s nationality and the scope of checks carried out by the immigration authorities.
In practice, applications involving source-of-funds queries from PMLP tend to run toward the longer end of that range.
Possibility of obtaining a permanent residence permit and citizenship
A Latvia golden visa real estate application is a direct ground for applying for a permanent residence permit in Latvia. Holding a temporary residence permit over a qualifying period, while meeting tax residency and other statutory requirements, puts permanent residency within reach.
Common mistakes when applying
- Purchasing an undeveloped land plot
- Cadastral value that falls short of the established threshold
- Errors in the purchase agreement — particularly around VAT treatment or the form of payment
- Buying from a seller who does not meet the eligibility criteria under the Immigration Law
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