Updated information on the amendments to the Immigration Law

The permanent residence permit will continue to be valid in one of the following cases: 

1. The person has passed examination of the State language (level A2) by 1 September 2023 and the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs has received the document submitted by the person until 1 September 2023, which are required for requesting a status of a habitual resident of the European Union; 
2. Should any exemption from examination of the proficiency of the State language be subject to the person and the documents, confirming the exemption together with the documents, required for requesting of a status of a habitual resident of the European Union, has been received by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs by 1 September 2023;
3. The person has passed the examination of the State language until 1 September 2023, but has failed to pass the examination and the time period for repeated examination of the State language has been determined for the person during the time period until 30 November 2023, and after successful passing of the examination of the State language the person has submitted to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs the documents, required for requesting a status of a habitual resident of the European Union, until 31 December 2023. 

In order to request a status of a habitual resident of the European Union, the application shall be submitted to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (by sending via regular mail or electronically, approving it with a safe electronic signature):

1. Free-form application;
2. Passport copy;
3. A document, confirming the passed examination of the State language (level A2, certificate issued starting as of 01.02.2001) or a document, confirming that the examination of the State language should not be passed;
4. A document confirming regular financial means in the amount of at least minimum monthly salary (EUR 500 - until 31.12.2022, EUR 620 - after 01.01.2023) during the recent 12 months or a certification on the fact that the pension has been granted in the Republic of Latvia.

(In accordance with Paragraph 7 of the Cabinet Regulation No. 157 “Regulation on the Scope of the Knowledge of State Language and Procedure for Examination of the Proficiency of the State Language”, adopted on 08.03.2022, the examination shall not be passed by a person:

• who has acquired the principal, secondary or higher education in the accredited programmes in Latvian (to be confirmed, for example, by a diploma, certificate, statement from the educational institution);
• who has acquired the accredited education programme for minorities and has passed the centralized examination in Latvian for Grade 9 or the centralized examination in Latvian for Grade 12, which is confirmed by a principal education or general secondary education certificate;
• who has successfully passed in the European school the examination of the Bachelor’s degree in Latvian, which is approved by the Ministry of Education and Science;
• who has functional limitations related to health status or diagnosis referred to in Annex 2 to the Cabinet Regulation No. 157 (a statement of the doctor - rehabilitator is required);
• who has not attained the age of 15 years;
• who has attained the age of 75 years)

Before submission of documents, a payment of the State fee shall be made in the amount of 70 euro .

Payment purpose: SF OCMA doc. CM 557 (12.09.2017) Name, surname

Beneficiary: The Treasury, registration No.90000050138
Beneficiary institution: the State Treasury, code TRELLV22
Account No.: LV37TREL1060140918500

Time period of examination of the application - up to one year. During examination of the application the residence permit previously issued to the person shall be deemed as valid. Besides, during examination of the application the person shall be entitled to stay in Latvia. 

The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) informs that in accordance with the Law Amendments to Immigration Law, adopted by the Saeima of the Republic of Latvia on 22.09.2022, your permanent residence permit will become void as of 2 September 2023. In order to continue to stay in the Republic of Latvia, you shall submit to the OCMA the documents for requesting a permanent residence permit (a status of a habitual resident of the European Union): 

1. Free-form application*;
2. a copy of the passport;
3. questionnaire and the documents specified therein*;
4. a document confirming regular financial means in the amount of at least minimum monthly salary (EUR 620) during the recent 12 months or a certification on the fact that the pension has been granted;
5. a document, confirming the passed examination of the State language (level A2, certificate issued starting as of 01.02.2001) or a document, confirming that the examination of the State language should not be passed.

(In accordance with Paragraph 7 of the Cabinet Regulation No. 157 “Regulation on the Scope of the Knowledge of State Language and Procedure for Examination of the Proficiency of the State Language”, adopted on 08.03.2022, the examination shall not be passed by a person, who:
- has acquired the principal, secondary or higher education in the accredited programmes in Latvian or has passed the centralized examination in Latvian for Grade 9 or Grade 12 (to be confirmed, for example, by a diploma, certificate, statement from the educational institution);
- due to the health status has received a release from the rehabilitation doctor or psychiatrist to pass the examination of the State language;
- has not attained the age of 15 years;
- has attained the age of 75 years).

Before submission of the documents, the State fee shall be paid: for examination of the application within 90 days - EUR 70.

Payment purpose: SF OCMA doc. CM 557 (12.09.2017) Name, surname
Beneficiary: The Treasury, registration No.90000050138
Beneficiary institution: the State Treasury, code TRELLV22
Account No.: LV37TREL1060140918500

If the OCMA will not receive your application by 1 September 2023, your permanent residence permit will become void from 2 September 2023, and you will have to leave the territory of the Republic of Latvia until 2 December 2023.

A foreigner has the right to request a permanent residence permit if:

1. passed the national language proficiency test, but did not submit the documents within the specified period;
2. passed the national language proficiency test, but cannot receive the status of a permanent resident of the European Union due to the fact that the period specified for absence from the Republic of Latvia has been exceeded, or due to insufficient financial resources.

To request a permit, you must submit:

• Submission; 
• a full copy of the passport, compliance with the original is certified by a foreigner;
• a document certifying the provision of livelihood (funds actually at a person's disposal are considered sufficient livelihood);
• a document certifying proficiency in the national language or a document certifying exemption from the proficiency test in the national language;;
• a document certifying the payment of the state fee (100 euros);
• additional questionnaire for Russian citizens.
  kf_by_anketa_0423_3.docx
   

Documents must be submitted no later than December 31, 2023.

The board makes a decision in the case within four months.

A foreigner has the right to request a temporary residence permit for two years to learn the national language if:

• the foreigner has passed the national language proficiency test, but has not passed it by November 30, 2023;
• the foreigner has not taken the national language proficiency test for valid reasons, such as important health-related reasons or other reasons independent of the person's will and actions.

To request a permit, you must submit:

• Submission; ​
• a full copy of the passport, compliance with the original is certified by a foreigner;
• a document certifying the provision of livelihood (funds actually at a person's disposal are considered sufficient livelihood);
• a document certifying the payment of the state fee (100 euros);
• additional questionnaire for Russian citizens.
  Anketa

Documents must be submitted no later than March 30, 2024.

The board makes a decision in the case within four months