Published: 01.01.2023.
Updated: 04.03.2024.

Regarding legal provision for subsistence for receipt of the residence permit

It is set forth in Paragraph 5 of Part One of Section 4 of the Immigration Law that a foreigner shall be entitled to enter and reside in the Republic of Latvia, if he or she has the necessary financial means in order to reside in the Republic of Latvia. The amount of necessary financial means is determined by the Cabinet.

          As of 1 April 2024 the required provision for subsistence, pursuant to the 25 April 2017 Cabinet Regulations No. 225 “Regulations regarding the Amount of Necessary Financial Means for a Foreigner and Procedures for the Determination of the Existence of Financial Means” (hereinafter the Regulations), is as follows:  

  1. a foreigner who enters the Republic of Latvia with a visa or is a citizen of a country that does not require a visa and wishes to obtain a visa and the right to employment:

1.1. in accordance with Sub-paragraph 5.3 of the Regulation, the necessary subsistence shall be determined not less than the salary according to the average monthly gross salary of employees in the Republic of Latvia in the sector according to the latest published information of the Central Statistical Office or the minimum salary established by the general agreement of the sector. SEE HERE. 

If the average salary in the sector of the foreigner's expected employment is higher than the average gross monthly salary of workers in the Republic of Latvia in the previous year, the amount of financial resources required for the foreigner shall be at least the average gross monthly salary of workers in the Republic of Latvia in the previous year –  EUR 1537;

1.2. in accordance with Sub-paragraph 5.4 of the Regulation, not less than the average gross slary of the foreign worker in the sector of employment envisaged, in the preceding year, if the foreigner is granted a visa and the right to employment as seasonal worker in the agriculture, forestry and fish farming sectors:

  • crop and livestock production, hunting and related service activities – EUR 1297;
  • forestry and logging – EUR 1748;
  • fisheries – EUR 1539  (Central Statistical Office data – Average monthly earnings of employees by type of activity ,www.csb.gov.lv).

According to Paragraph 10 of the Regulation, if the foreigner has been granted a visa and the right to employment, the necessary subsistence is required for the entire period of employment.

2. a foreigner who requests or has received a residence permit:

2.1. on the basis if the data from the Central Statistics Bureau:

  • in accordance with Sub-paragraph 11.1 of the Regulation – the work remuneration or income from commercial activities in the Republic of Latvia in accordance with double the average gross monthly work remuneration of working persons for the previous year if foreigners referred to in Section 23, Paragraph one, Clauses 2, 3, and 4 of the Immigration Law request a residence permit and their residence is related to employment or commercial activities – EUR 3074 (www.csb.gov.lv);
  •  in accordance with Sub-paragraph 11.2 of the Regulation – the work remuneration in the Republic of Latvia in accordance with the average gross monthly work remuneration of working persons for the previous year by applying the coefficient 1.5 if a residence permit is requested by a foreigner who wishes to receive the European Union Blue Card – EUR 2306 (www.csb.gov.lv);
  • in accordance with Sub-paragraph 11.3 of the Regulation – the work remuneration in the Republic of Latvia in accordance with the average gross monthly work remuneration of working persons for the previous year by applying the coefficient 1.2 if a residence permit is requested by a foreigner who wishes to receive the European Union Blue Card and who will be employed in a speciality (profession) which has been included by the Cabinet in the list of specialities (professions) in which significant labour shortages are expected – EUR 1844 (www.csb.gov.lv);
  • in accordance with Sub-paragraph 11.4 of the Regulation – the work remuneration in the Republic of Latvia in accordance with the average gross monthly work remuneration of working persons in the sector or the minimum wage determined by sectoral general agreement for the previous year if a foreigner requests a residence permit in relation to employment not referred to in Sub-paragraph 11.1, 11.2, or 11.3. (SEE HERE) If the average wage in the sector of the expected employment of a foreigner is higher than the average gross monthly wage of working persons in the Republic of Latvia for the previous year, the amount of financial means required for the foreigner is not less than the average gross monthly wage of working persons in the Republic of Latvia for the previous year – EUR 1537;
  • in accordance with Sub-paragraph 11.5 of the Regulation – personal and regular pension in accordance with pensioners present in the accounting of the social insurance institutions double the average amount of old-age pension disbursed per month for the previous year if a residence permit is requested by the foreigner referred to in Section 23, Paragraph one, Clause 26 of the Immigration Law – EUR 1028 (www.csb.gov.lv);

2.2.  Pursuant to Paragraph 2 of 24 November 2015 Cabinet Regulations No. 656 “Noteikumi par minimālās mēneša darba algas apmēru normālā darba laika ietvaros un minimālās stundas tarifa likmes aprēķināšanu” the minimum monthly work remuneration in the Republic of Latvia is 700 EUR:

  • pursuant to Subparagraph 11.6 of the Regulations– financial means in accordance with triple amount of the minimum monthly work remuneration if a foreigner requests a residence permit in accordance with Paragraph 29 of Part One of Section 23 of the Immigration Law – 2100 EUR;
  • pursuant to Subparagraph 11.7 of the Regulations– financial means in accordance with the minimum monthly work remuneration in the cases not provided for in Subparagraphs 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5 and 11.6 of the Regulations – 700 EUR;
  • pursuant to Paragraph 12 of the Regulations the provision of subsistence for an underage child is 210 EUR.

          If together with the principal applicant referred to in Subparagraphs 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5, 11.6 and 11.7 of the Regulations the residence permit is requested by his/her family members as well then they shall deliver the document confirming legal provision for subsistence pursuant to Subparagraph 11.7 or Paragraph 12 of the Regulations.