The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (hereinafter – OCMA) has sent informational letters about the expiration of residence permit validity to those citizens of the Russian Federation who have not submitted documents to apply for European Union (hereinafter – EU) long-term resident status.
Amendments to the Immigration Law, effective as of 20 June 2024, stipulate that those citizens of the Russian Federation who had a permanent residence in Latvia before acquiring Russian citizenship and who received permanent residence permits in accordance with Article 23.1 of the Law "On the Entry and Residence of Foreigners and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Latvia" were required to submit documents to the OCMA by 30 June 2025 to request EU long-term resident status. This includes providing proof of successfully passing the state language proficiency examination.
Based on the amendments to the Immigration Law, the validity of permanent residence permits has expired for 841 citizens of the Russian Federation because they did not submit the required documents for EU long-term resident status by 30 June 2025. Consequently, these individuals must leave the territory of the Republic of Latvia by 13 October 2025.
“If a person attempted the state language proficiency test at least once by 16 June 2025 and failed, and has registered for a repeat exam by 30 September, they may still submit their documents by 31 October of this year,” informs the head of the OCMA, Maira Roze.
It is important to note that if these individuals still wish to continue residing in the Republic of Latvia and are subject to the law "On the Status of a Long-Term Resident of the European Union in the Republic of Latvia" or meet other conditions stipulated in the Immigration Law for applying for a temporary or permanent residence permit, they may submit the appropriate application to the OCMA.
More detailed information on the amendments to the Immigration Law is available on the OCMA website at www.pmlp.gov.lv, in the section “Latest on Immigration Law Amendments.”