Issue · October 2026 · everything a nomad needs, city by city

Nomadzine

The visa · Latvia

Latvia

Latvia has had a national long-stay visa for remote workers since 2022, open only to people employed or self-employed in an OECD country and earning at least 2.5 times the national average wage. Beyond it, the realistic routes are a one-year self-employed residence permit, youth-mobility schemes with Canada, New Zealand and Japan, and the 90-day visa-free stay. The one thing to know before applying is that the income floor moves every year and two sources currently give different figures for it.

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The routes

Researched 10 September 2026 · rules as of September 2026 · as published, not legal advice

  1. Nomad visa

    Remote Work Visa (long-stay D visa for remote work)

    Ilgtermiņa vīza attālinātā darba veikšanai / National long-stay (D) visa for remote work

    Third-country nationals who have worked for at least six months for an employer registered in an OECD member state, or who are registered self-employed in one, and can do the job from Latvia.

    Income floor
    Monthly pay of at least 2.5 times the previous year's average gross monthly wage as published by the Central Statistical Bureau. The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs page, last updated 11 February 2026, states EUR 4,213 per month; a Riga law firm's guide updated 13 August 2026 states EUR 4,538 using 2025 wage data. The two figures are in conflict and the official page should be treated as authoritative until it is updated. The original 2022 figure was EUR 2,857.50.
    Duration
    Issued for up to one year. Law-firm guidance reports one further one-year visa on the same basis, followed by a six-month gap before another; the official page does not spell out renewal terms.
    Cost
    State fee EUR 90 for a long-stay visa (EUR 180 if filed at the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs fewer than three working days before the current stay expires), under the fee regulation in force since 1 January 2025.
    Processing
    Not stated on the official page. Law-firm guidance reports 15 calendar days after a complete file, extendable to 60 days where further checks are needed; commercial guides quote 10 to 15 working days.
    Eligibility
    Third-country nationals only; EU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not need it. Employer or self-employment must be registered in an OECD member state, with at least six months of employment or activity behind the applicant. Health insurance valid in Latvia and the Schengen states with cover of at least EUR 42,600. Proof of intended accommodation in Latvia. Citizens of Russia face separate entry restrictions.
    Work rights
    Remote work for the OECD-registered employer or the OECD-registered self-employment only. The official page states that remote work visa recipients do not have the right to employment in the Republic of Latvia.
    Dependants
    The official page contains no dependant provision. Law-firm guidance states each non-EU family member needs a separate legal basis for entry and stay; the 2022 government announcement said spouses of returning Latvian remote workers were among the intended beneficiaries.
    Leads to
    No. It is a visa, not a residence permit, and the official guidance gives no route from it to permanent residence; a longer stay requires a separate residence-permit category.
    Apply
    Latvian diplomatic or consular mission in the applicant's country of lawful residence (some use VFS Global), no earlier than three months before travel; the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs handles in-country extensions and issues via its e-form system.

    Documents Valid travel document · Completed visa application form · Photograph less than six months old · For employees: a document from the tax or social-insurance authority of an OECD state confirming current employment, plus an employer statement confirming at least six months of employment, the salary, and that the work can be done remotely · For the self-employed: a document from the tax or social-insurance authority of an OECD state confirming income over the past six months · Health insurance policy valid in Latvia and the Schengen area with minimum cover of EUR 42,600 · Documents certifying the intended place of residence in Latvia · Confirmation of state fee payment

    Official page →

  2. Freelance / self-employed

    Self-employed person temporary residence permit

    Termiņuzturēšanās atļauja pašnodarbinātai personai / Temporary residence permit for a self-employed person

    Freelancers and sole traders who want to register economic activity in Latvia and serve clients there, rather than only work remotely for foreign customers.

    Income floor
    The official page states subsistence of EUR 2,554 per month for the applicant, plus EUR 500 per month per accompanying adult and EUR 150 per minor, alongside proof of funds to start the business plan. The page was last updated 22 April 2022 and may not reflect later changes.
    Duration
    Issued for a period not exceeding one year; renewed on a further application, which from the second year needs an auditor-checked business plan showing the previous plan was met.
    Cost
    Consideration of a temporary residence permit application EUR 160 within 30 days, EUR 280 within 10 working days, EUR 560 within 5 working days; biometric card EUR 45 (10 working days) or EUR 80 (2 working days). Fees per the official fee page updated 18 March 2026.
    Processing
    Statutory tracks of 30 days, 10 working days or 5 working days depending on the fee paid.
    Eligibility
    Third-country nationals. A business plan approved by a sworn auditor for the intended period, sufficient personal funds to start it, and any licence or certificate the activity requires. Standard residence-permit conditions on health insurance, accommodation and criminal record apply.
    Work rights
    Self-employment registered in Latvia, so local clients are allowed; the permit is tied to the declared activity rather than to local employment with an employer.
    Dependants
    Spouse and minor children may accompany with the same document set plus relationship proof; subsistence of EUR 500 per adult and EUR 150 per minor per month applies.
    Leads to
    Temporary residence permits can count toward permanent residence after five years of continuous residence, subject to Latvian language and absence conditions reported for 2026; not verified on the official page opened here.
    Apply
    Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs in Latvia, or a Latvian embassy or consulate abroad.

    Documents Passport copy · Completed residence permit application form · Photograph · Business plan approved by a sworn auditor · Proof of personal financial means to start the activity in the plan · Proof of subsistence of EUR 2,554 per month · Licence or certificate where the activity requires one · Confirmation of state fee payment · For family: relationship documents and, for a minor, the other parent's consent

    Official page →

  3. Working holiday

    Youth mobility / working holiday (Canada, New Zealand, Japan)

    Bilateral youth mobility agreements; in Latvia issued as a long-stay visa by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs

    Young citizens of Canada, New Zealand and Japan who want a year in Latvia with the right to take casual work to fund travel.

    Income floor
    Not published on the Latvian pages opened; partner-country schemes set their own funds requirements.
    Duration
    Typically up to 12 months under the partner agreements; Latvian pages opened do not state the term.
    Cost
    Long-stay visa state fee EUR 90.
    Processing
    Not published on the pages opened.
    Eligibility
    Citizenship of a partner state (Canada agreement signed 2006, New Zealand 2008, Japan signed 11 October 2022) and the age limits set in each agreement, generally 18 to 30 or 35.
    Work rights
    Work to earn money for travel is allowed under the agreements, as the Ministry of the Interior describes the Japan scheme.
    Dependants
    Not provided for.
    Leads to
    No.
    Apply
    Latvian embassy or consulate in the partner country.

    Documents Valid passport · Long-stay visa application · Health insurance · Proof of funds as required by the agreement

    Official page →

  4. Other route

    Start-up founder temporary residence permit

    Termiņuzturēšanās atļauja jaunuzņēmuma dibinātājam / Temporary residence permit for implementing innovative activity

    Founders building an innovative product who want a multi-year base and are willing to raise or invest capital in Latvia.

    Income floor
    Capital investment of EUR 30,000 to EUR 60,000 within set periods, per the official permit-validity page; no salary floor published there.
    Duration
    Up to three years, conditional on the investment milestones.
    Cost
    Temporary residence permit consideration EUR 160 to EUR 560 by speed, plus biometric card EUR 45 or EUR 80.
    Processing
    30 days, 10 working days or 5 working days by fee track.
    Eligibility
    Third-country founder of a company pursuing innovative activity; the official page opened gives only the validity and capital milestones.
    Work rights
    Running the Latvian company; local activity is the purpose of the permit.
    Dependants
    Not covered on the page opened.
    Leads to
    Temporary residence permits are reported to count toward permanent residence after five continuous years.
    Apply
    Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs or a Latvian mission abroad.

    Documents Passport · Residence permit application · Company documents and evidence of the innovative activity · Proof of capital investment milestones · Health insurance

    Official page →

Without a visa, by passport

The stay you get on arrival, and whether working remotely on it is tolerated

  • EU / EEA / SwitzerlandFree movement; register for a certificate after 90 daysRemote work is lawful; the person must declare a place of residence within a month of settling and becomes taxable on the usual tests.
  • United Kingdom90 days in any 180, visa-freeThe immigration authority has published no position on remote work during a visa-free stay; it is a grey area, and the stay carries no right to employment in Latvia.
  • United States90 days in any 180, visa-freeSame grey area; a remote work D visa is the published route for stays beyond 90 days.
  • Canada90 days in any 180, visa-freeGrey area for remote work; a youth mobility agreement offers a working year for those who qualify by age.
  • Australia90 days in any 180, visa-freeGrey area for remote work; no youth mobility agreement with Latvia was found.
  • New Zealand90 days in any 180, visa-freeGrey area for remote work; a 2008 youth mobility agreement covers a working year.
  • Brazil90 days in any 180, visa-freeGrey area for remote work on the visa-free stay.
  • Japan90 days in any 180, visa-freeGrey area for remote work; a youth mobility agreement signed in October 2022 covers a working year.
  • IndiaSchengen visa requiredNo visa-free entry; a short-stay Schengen visa gives no right to work in Latvia, and the remote work D visa is the published route for OECD-employed applicants.
  • South AfricaSchengen visa requiredNo visa-free entry; the remote work D visa or a residence permit is the published route.
  • TurkeySchengen visa requiredNo visa-free entry; the remote work D visa requires an OECD-registered employer, which Turkey is.
  • RussiaRestricted; separate entry rules applyThe Foreign Ministry publishes separate entry conditions for Russian citizens, and law-firm guidance states they are excluded from the remote work visa.

Tax

When the country starts counting you as its taxpayer

Residency trigger
An individual is tax resident with a registered (declared) place of residence in Latvia, or after 183 days or more of presence in any 12-month period counted on the OECD day-count basis including arrival, departure and weekend days. Latvian citizens working abroad for a Latvian-registered employer are also resident.
Special regime
Holders of the remote work long-stay visa who are citizens or residents of OECD states may elect a flat 15 percent personal income tax on income from the OECD-registered employment or self-employment, for 365 days from the day they become Latvian tax resident. It was added to the Law on Personal Income Tax on 28 June 2023 with effect from 1 January 2023 and remains in force. The election requires registering with the State Revenue Service, declaring the income and paying the tax; the usual allowances and deductions do not apply. Otherwise the general rates apply: 25.5 percent on annual income up to EUR 105,300, 33 percent above that, plus 3 percent on total income above EUR 200,000, with a fixed monthly allowance of EUR 550 in 2026.
Social security
Employer contributions are 23.59 percent and employee 10.5 percent in 2026, capped at EUR 105,300 of annual income; a solidarity tax applies above the cap. Self-employed people pay 31.07 percent, and a person working in Latvia for a foreign employer with no Latvian presence pays 31.83 percent themselves; a minimum contribution applies below the EUR 780 minimum wage. Remote workers posted from an EU, EEA, Swiss or UK employer can stay in home-country coverage with an A1 certificate; the 15 percent income-tax election does not itself address social security.
Treaties
Latvia has income-tax treaties in force with, among others, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, India and Japan; treaty tie-breaker tests decide residence where both states claim it, and employment income is generally taxable where the work is physically done once the 183-day and employer tests are exceeded. Treaty coverage of Australia, Brazil and South Africa was not verified in this pass.

Practicalities

Address registration
Foreigners holding a residence permit must declare a place of residence within one month of moving in, free online through the state portal or EUR 4.27 in person; failure carries a warning or a fine of up to EUR 350, and late notice EUR 15 to EUR 35. Visa holders are not on the list of those required to declare.
Tax number
A remote work visa holder who wants the 15 percent rate must register as a taxpayer with the State Revenue Service, then declare and pay the tax; residents with a declared address are registered through the same authority.
Health insurance
The Foreign Ministry requires everyone entering to hold health insurance covering care in Latvia. The remote work visa needs cover of at least EUR 42,600 valid across Latvia and the Schengen states.
Overstay penalties
The Immigration Law provides a warning or a fine of up to 70 fine units for staying without a valid visa, permit or insurance or breaching other stay conditions; a fine unit is EUR 5, so the ceiling is EUR 350, and Schengen-wide entry bans can follow. Border stays have been logged in the EU Entry/Exit System since 12 October 2025.
SIM registration
Prepaid SIMs have been sold without identification. On 3 March 2026 the government backed a Ministry of the Interior plan for mandatory registration of prepaid users from 1 October 2026, with name, personal identity number and address; the Electronic Communications Law amendment still needed to pass parliament when reported.
Bank account
Not verified from a primary source in this pass; the visa and permit pages require proof of accommodation but say nothing about accounts, and no official guidance on non-resident account opening was opened.
Residence permit fees
Application consideration EUR 160, 280 or 560 by speed, biometric card EUR 45 or 80, and registration of a temporary residence permit EUR 75 to 290 by speed, per the official fee page updated 18 March 2026.

Latvia: a remote-work D visa with a high bar, and a quiet tax perk few have used

Where remote workers base, and why

Riga is the only city with a meaningful remote-worker scene, and it is a small one. The visa was written for people already earning well above the national average, and it says so in its formula: 2.5 times the average gross wage, recomputed each year from Central Statistical Bureau data. That formula has pushed the floor from about EUR 2,858 in 2022 to EUR 4,213 on the official page and, by one law firm's reading of 2025 wage data, EUR 4,538 today.

The country's real draw for a longer stay is the EU location and the 15 percent tax election, which exists in law but has been little publicised. Anyone planning to use it needs to register with the State Revenue Service and accept that the usual allowances fall away for that year.

What applicants report about the process

Uptake has been tiny. The public broadcaster reported in May 2023 that five visas had been issued in the first year, and no later official count was found. Law-firm guidance describes a 15-day decision after a complete file, stretching to 60 days when the mission asks for more, and warns that the six-month employment proof must come from a tax or social-insurance authority, not just the employer.

The visa is not a residence permit. It does not lead to permanent residence, the official page publishes no dependant rules, and a second year needs a fresh decision. People who want to stay longer move to a self-employed or start-up residence permit, which brings a sworn-auditor business plan and a fee of EUR 160 to 560 per application.

Money, tax and contributions

Tax residence follows a declared address or 183 days in any 12 months. Employment income is taxed at 25.5 percent up to EUR 105,300 and 33 percent above, with a 3 percent charge on income over EUR 200,000. A remote worker with a non-Latvian employer that has no local presence is on the hook for the full 31.83 percent social contribution unless an A1 or equivalent certificate keeps them in home-country coverage.

The 15 percent election is open only to remote work visa holders who are citizens or residents of OECD states, and only for 365 days from the day residence begins. The official pages give no guidance on opening a bank account, and none was verified here.

What is changing

Fees rose across the board on 1 January 2025 and the fee table was refreshed again in March 2026. The Entry/Exit System has counted days at the border since October 2025, which removes the informal slack in the 90-in-180 rule. Anonymous prepaid SIMs are due to end on 1 October 2026 if parliament passes the amendment the government backed in March. The one figure to re-check on the day of filing is the income floor, because the two current sources disagree by more than EUR 300 a month.

Researched from pmlp.gov.lv · pmlp.gov.lv · pmlp.gov.lv · pmlp.gov.lv · pmlp.gov.lv · pmlp.gov.lv · pmlp.gov.lv · mfa.gov.lv · iem.gov.lv · taxsummaries.pwc.com · the authority