Services Residence permits

RESIDENCE PERMITS

What are the cases a residence permit is not issued?

A citizen or a family member of a citizen of the European Union and the European Economic Zone is not granted a registration certificate, a permanent residence permit or a temporary residence permit, if:
  • The citizen of the European Union is unable to submit the documents stated in Article 21 or 27 of Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 586 of 18.07.2006;
  • The family member of the citizen of the European Union is unable to submit the documents stated in Article 30 of Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 586 of 18.07.2006; 
  • False information has been provided for obtaining a registration certificate, a permanent residence certificate or a residence permit; 
  • There are grounds to believe that the individual has entered a fictitious marriage in order to acquire the right to reside in the Republic of Latvia; 
  • Competent state institutions have provided information that the individual poses a threat to the state security, public security or public health. The provision about threat to public health (annex) is not applicable, if illness or health disorder has set in within three months from entering the Republic of Latvia;  
  • A citizen of the European Union or his or her family member, who requests a document certifying the right of permanent residence, has stayed outside the Republic of Latvia for more than six months during a year. This conditions shall not apply to absence during compulsory military service or single absence not longer than 12 consecutive months, due to important reasons (for instance, pregnancy, labour, illness, studies or work order for work in another country); 
  • A permanent residence certificate is requested by a citizen of the European Union who has been a citizen of Latvia or a non-citizen of Latvia, or regarding whom there have been grounds to revoke the status of a citizen of Latvia or a non-citizen of Latvia; 
  • A citizen of the European Union has failed to observe the deadline stated in Clause 23.1 of Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 586 of 18.07.2006, with the exception of cases, if the citizen of the European Union can prove that deadline has been delayed due to a valid reason;
  • A citizen or a family member of a citizen of the European Union has not submitted all indicated documents for obtaining a residence permit or refuses to provide requested explanations related to obtaining a residence permit; 
  • The indicated reason is not consistent with the conditions stated in Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 297 of 13 April 2004, in case of existence of which a citizen of the European Union or his or her family member can obtain a residence permit; 
  • A citizen or a family member of a citizen of the European Union poses a threat to the state security, public security or public health;
  • Information provided is false; 
  • A citizen or a family member of a citizen of the European Union does not have sufficient financial means.
A citizen of a third country is not granted a residence permit or is rejected to register, if:
  • The foreigner has not submitted all the documents necessary for a residence permit request as determined by the Cabinet of Ministers regulations or refuses to provide explanations related to the residence permit issue;
  • The foreigner has provided false information; 
  • The foreigner lacks required financial means to reside in the Republic of Latvia; 
  • The foreigner has submitted the documents required for a residence permit issue by providing an invalid travel document or such a travel document that is not recognised by the Republic of Latvia, or lacks a travel document;
  • The foreigner carries such a health disorder or illness that threatens the public security or health of its members, or there are grounds to believe that the foreigner might cause threat to the public health, with the exception of cases when the foreigner arrives for the treatment of the respective disorder or illness included in the list with the approval of the Ministry of Health. The Cabinet of Ministers approves the list of health disorders or diseases;
  • The foreigner has illegally resided in the Republic of Latvia or there has been a court ruling stating that he or she has helped other foreigner to enter the Republic of Latvia illegally;
  • The foreigner is included in the list of the individuals whose entrance into the Republic of Latvia is forbidden; 
  • The foreigner has been found guilty by a court ruling for a criminal offence committed in the Republic of Latvia or outside it that, according to the legislation of the Republic of Latvia, provides for the sentence of imprisonment for a period not less than three years. The provision shall not be applicable in case the culpability is eliminated or removed according to the procedure determined by the law, or concerning criminal offences committed abroad – at least five years have passed since the serving of the prison sentence;
  • The foreigner has received remuneration (compensation) for departure to another state for permanent residence therein irrespective of the fact that the remuneration (compensation) has been provided by state or local government authorities of the Republic of Latvia or international (foreign) funds or authorities. This condition shall not apply to a foreigner who at the time of the receipt of the remuneration (compensation) was a minor, as well as to a foreigner who has reimbursed the received remuneration (compensation) and as well as to a foreigner who requests the temporary residence permit, but it is not requested in accordance with Section 25, 26, 30 or 31 of the Immigration Law (procedure for reimbursement of the remuneration (compensation) shall be determined by the Cabinet of Ministers);
  • The inviter has lost the rights to reside in the Republic of Latvia; 
  • The foreigner has failed to observe the deadline set out in Paragraph four of Section 24 of the Immigration Law with the exception of case the foreigner can provide a valid reason for missing the deadline;
  • The foreigner has joined military service or other public service of a foreign country; 
  • There are grounds to believe that the foreigner has entered a fictitious marriage in order to receive a residence permit in the Republic of Latvia;
  • The foreigner is under the guardianship or trusteeship of a foreigner whose entrance into the Republic of Latvia is forbidden;
  • There are grounds to believe that the established adoption is fictitious and arranged for the foreigner to receive a residence permit in the Republic of Latvia; 
  • The foreigner works without a work permit or, during the last year, has worked without a work permit;
  • The inviter recalls the call in writing; 
  • The inviter is missing, has lost physical capacity, or has deceased; 
  • Competent foreign institutions have provided information that serves as a basis for forbidding the foreigner to enter and reside in the Republic of Latvia;
  • A permanent residence permit has been requested in accordance with Clause 8 of Paragraph one of Section 24 of the Immigration Law and there have been grounds to remove the status of a citizen or a non-citizen of Latvia in accordance with the Citizenship Act or the Law “On the status of those former USSR citizens who do not possess the citizenship of Latvia or the citizenship of any other country”;
  • The information provided by the foreigner does not show evidence of an enduring connection with his or her country of domicile and there is reason to believe that the foreigner presents a risk of illegal immigration;
  • The inviter is in a pre-trial investigation or imprisonment institution, with the exception of cases where the residence permit is requested by the spouse of the inviter and there is a common minor child in their family; 
  • A residence permit is requested in accordance with Clause  1 of Paragraph one of Section 23, Clause 2 or 3 of Paragraph one of Section 25, Clause 2 or 3 of Paragraph one of Section 26, Paragraph one of Section 30, or Section 31 of the Immigration Law and the inviter resides outside the Republic of Latvia for more than six months within a period of one year, with the exception of cases when the inviter is a seafarer or does the military service at the National Armed Forces of the Republic of Latvia or civil service outside the Republic of Latvia; 
  • The foreigner has resided in the Republic of Latvia in accordance with Clause 2, 3, 4 or 7 of Paragraph one of Section 23 of the Law and the taxes for the foreigner have not been paid for the last year, or he or she has liabilities of taxes stated by normative acts;
  • Spouses have not complied with the provisions referred to in Paragraph three of Section 26 of the Immigration Law or there is a reason to believe that the marriage in fact does not exist.
A foreigner requesting a permanent residence permit in accordance with Clause 8 of Paragraph one of Section 24 under the Immigration Law (before adopting the citizenship of another state, the foreigner has been a citizen or a non-citizen of Latvia) can be refused the permit only in the following cases:
  • The foreigner has not submitted all the documents necessary for a residence permit request as determined by the Cabinet of Ministers regulations or refuses to provide explanations related to the residence permit issue;
  • The foreigner has provided false information; 
  • The foreigner has submitted the documents required for a residence permit issue by providing an invalid travel document or such a travel document that is not recognised by the Republic of Latvia, or lacks a travel document; 
  • The foreigner is included in the list of individuals whose entrance into the Republic of Latvia is forbidden; 
  • The foreigner has received remuneration (compensation) for departure to another state for permanent residence therein irrespective of the fact that the remuneration (compensation) has been provided by state or local government authorities of the Republic of Latvia or international (foreign) funds or authorities. This condition shall not apply to a foreigner who at the time of the receipt of the remuneration (compensation) was a minor, as well as to a foreigner who has reimbursed the received remuneration (compensation). Procedure for reimbursement of the remuneration (compensation) shall be determined by the Cabinet of Ministers;
  • The foreigner has not submitted documents for a permanent residence permit issue within 30 days after the adoption of the citizenship of another state with the exception of case the foreigner can provide a valid reason for missing the deadline;
  • The foreigner has joined military service or other public service of a foreign country;
  • A permanent residence permit has been requested in accordance with Clause 8 of Paragraph one of Section 24 of the Immigration Law and there have been grounds to remove the status of a citizen or a non-citizen of Latvia in accordance with the Citizenship Act or the Law “On the status of those former USSR citizens who do not possess the citizenship of Latvia or the citizenship of any other country ”.


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