Latvia · Business / Startup
Latvia Startup founder permit
Income needed: €780+ a month ≈ $870
Temporary residence permit for start-up founders
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Startup founder permit is a business / startup route for Latvia. Applicants need income of €780+ a month ≈ $870. You can stay 3 yrs. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- €780+ a month ≈ $870
- Government fees
- €160 ≈ $180
- Processing
- Up to 30 days
- First stay
- 3 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee €160 ≈ $180; income to show €780+/mo ≈ $870; decision: up to 30 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees€160 ≈ $180
- EUR 160 (≈ $180)State fee for review of documents for a temporary residence permit within 30 days; EUR 280 (≈ $310) within 10 working days and EUR 560 (≈ $630) within 5 working days.
Shown, not spent€780+/mo ≈ $870
- EUR 780 a month (≈ $870)Means of subsistence equal to the monthly minimum wage (EUR 780 (≈ $870)), shown for example by a bank-account statement.
RenewalRenewable
Issued for up to three years.
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
EU long-term resident status after 5 years of continuous, lawful residence; half of study time counts.
CitizenshipAfter 5 years as a permanent resident
Naturalisation needs 5 years of residence on a permanent residence permit, knowledge of Latvian and the Constitution, and a legal source of income.
ProcessingUp to 30 days
The authority answers on a temporary residence permit within 30 days of receiving all documents.
Presence rulesAbsence limits
For long-term status, absences must not exceed six successive months or ten months in total over the five years.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports, or passports from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belarus and 23 more
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- The applicant plans to run a start-up: a limited company with high growth potential developing scalable business models and innovative products.
- The applicant is not a citizen of a state on the Cabinet list of countries needing additional checks, which includes Russia and Belarus.
- No more than five foreigners get a permit for the same start-up activity, all for the same term.
What you must show2
- Means of subsistence of EUR 780 (≈ $870) per month are shown.
- The state fee for document review is EUR 160 (≈ $180) within 30 days, EUR 280 (≈ $310) within 10 working days or EUR 560 (≈ $630) within 5 working days.
Documents2
- A free-form description of the innovative product and the planned business activity for the next three years is submitted.
- A criminal record statement from the home country is submitted if the applicant lived there for over 12 months.
Steps1
- Within three months of the decision the founder is registered as a board member of a company entered in the Commercial Register not more than a year earlier.
After you arrive1
- Within 12 months of issue the founder reports early-stage venture-capital funding or a progress report showing continued product development.
What happens at day 183
How Latvia decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 3 years at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- At least 183 days in any 12-month period starting or ending in the tax yearA person staying in Latvia 183 days or more is a tax resident; a declared place of residence in Latvia also makes the person resident.
- Foreign-source income
Residents are taxed on worldwide income: 25.5% on annual income below EUR105,300 (≈ $118,000) and 33% above, plus an additional 3% on annual income over EUR200,000 (≈ $223,000); non-taxable minimum EUR550 (≈ $610) a month in 2026.
All tax rules for Latvia Tax records checked
Full official text
Temporary residence permit of up to three years for founders of a high-growth start-up company: a limited company whose main activity is developing, producing or developing scalable business models and innovative products. Up to five foreigners per start-up activity. Citizens of states on the Cabinet list of countries needing additional checks cannot apply. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
What you must show and pay
- Income of at least EUR 780 a month (≈ $870) · Means of subsistence equal to the monthly minimum wage (EUR 780 (≈ $870)), shown for example by a bank-account statement. 5 7
- A fee of EUR 160 (≈ $180) · State fee for review of documents for a temporary residence permit within 30 days; EUR 280 (≈ $310) within 10 working days and EUR 560 (≈ $630) within 5 working days. 4
Requirements
- The applicant plans to run a start-up: a limited company with high growth potential developing scalable business models and innovative products. 3
- The applicant is not a citizen of a state on the Cabinet list of countries needing additional checks, which includes Russia and Belarus. 3 6
- No more than five foreigners get a permit for the same start-up activity, all for the same term. 3
- Means of subsistence of EUR 780 (≈ $870) per month are shown. 5 7
- The state fee for document review is EUR 160 (≈ $180) within 30 days, EUR 280 (≈ $310) within 10 working days or EUR 560 (≈ $630) within 5 working days. 4
- A free-form description of the innovative product and the planned business activity for the next three years is submitted. 5
- A criminal record statement from the home country is submitted if the applicant lived there for over 12 months. 5
- Within three months of the decision the founder is registered as a board member of a company entered in the Commercial Register not more than a year earlier. 3
- Within 12 months of issue the founder reports early-stage venture-capital funding or a progress report showing continued product development. 3
Stay
- Temporary residence permit for a period not exceeding three years.
- First stay: up to 36 months, decided case by case.
Nationality
Third-country nationals except citizens of the states on the Cabinet list of countries needing additional checks, which includes Russia and Belarus. Not open to: Afghanistan, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bulgaria, Belarus, Switzerland, Cameroon, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Algeria, Estonia, Egypt, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iraq, Iran, Iceland, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Libya, Morocco, Mali, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Palestine, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Yemen.
Work
Run the start-up.
Family
Family members (spouse, minor children including children under guardianship, and persons in the holder's care) can request a residence permit for the holder's permit term (Immigration Law Section 27(3)).
Official sources
- For start-up founders / For European Union Blue Card applicants · Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA/PMLP) · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2026-02-25
- New Immigration Law takes effect (15 September 2026) · Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA/PMLP) · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2026-09-15
- Immigration Law (adopted 20 August 2026, in force 15 September 2026) · Saeima of the Republic of Latvia (likumi.lv) · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2026-09-01
- State fee for issuing the residence permit · Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs of Latvia (OCMA) · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2026-03-18
- Initial residence permit, start-up: documents to be submitted · Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2025-12-29
- Cabinet Regulation No. 554: states whose citizens undergo additional checks (annex in force from 30 January 2026) · Cabinet of Ministers (likumi.lv) · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2026-01-27
- The necessary subsistence (from 1 April 2026) · Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA/PMLP) · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2026-03-16
- The long-term resident status of the European Community in Latvia · Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2020-10-06
- Naturalisation (Latvian citizenship) · Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP), Latvia · checked 2026-10-11
Startup founder permit and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Startup founder permit | Needs income of €780+ a month ≈ $870 | 3 yr | – |
| Company board member permit | Needs assets of €2,800+ ≈ $3,130 | 2 yr | – |
| Startup Visa Portugal | Needs savings of €6,446+ ≈ $7,200 | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Entrepreneur visa Spain | – | 3 yr, renewable | – |
| Startup Visa Italy | Needs savings of €50k+ ≈ $56k | 1 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Startup founder permit?
Income of at least EUR 780 a month (≈ $870). Means of subsistence equal to the monthly minimum wage (EUR 780 (≈ $870)), shown for example by a bank-account statement. A fee of EUR 160 (≈ $180). State fee for review of documents for a temporary residence permit within 30 days; EUR 280 (≈ $310) within 10 working days and EUR 560 (≈ $630) within 5 working days.
How long can I stay on the Startup founder permit?
Temporary residence permit for a period not exceeding three years.
How long does the Startup founder permit take to process?
The authority answers on a temporary residence permit within 30 days of receiving all documents.
Can I work on the Startup founder permit?
Run the start-up.
Can I bring my family on the Startup founder permit?
Family members (spouse, minor children including children under guardianship, and persons in the holder's care) can request a residence permit for the holder's permit term (Immigration Law Section 27(3)).
Who can apply for the Startup founder permit?
Third-country nationals except citizens of the states on the Cabinet list of countries needing additional checks, which includes Russia and Belarus. Not open to: Afghanistan, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bulgaria, Belarus, Switzerland, Cameroon, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Algeria, Estonia, Egypt, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iraq, Iran, Iceland, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Libya, Morocco, Mali, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Palestine, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Yemen.
Does the Startup founder permit lead to permanent residence in Latvia?
Time on the Startup founder permit counts toward permanent residence in Latvia, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. Time on the Startup founder permit counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 5 years as a permanent resident.
How are Startup founder permit holders taxed in Latvia?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Startup founder permit. The standard rules apply: Residents are taxed on worldwide income: 25.5% on annual income below EUR105,300 (≈ $118,000) and 33% above, plus an additional 3% on annual income over EUR200,000 (≈ $223,000); non-taxable minimum EUR550 (≈ $610) a month in 2026.
More in Latvia
Business / startup visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 9 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- For start-up founders / For European Union Blue Card applicants · Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA/PMLP) · checked 2026-10-11
- New Immigration Law takes effect (15 September 2026) · Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA/PMLP) · checked 2026-10-11
- Immigration Law (adopted 20 August 2026, in force 15 September 2026) · Saeima of the Republic of Latvia (likumi.lv) · checked 2026-10-11
- State fee for issuing the residence permit · Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs of Latvia (OCMA) · checked 2026-10-11
- Initial residence permit, start-up: documents to be submitted · Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs · checked 2026-10-11
- Cabinet Regulation No. 554: states whose citizens undergo additional checks (annex in force from 30 January 2026) · Cabinet of Ministers (likumi.lv) · checked 2026-10-11
- The necessary subsistence (from 1 April 2026) · Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA/PMLP) · checked 2026-10-11
- The long-term resident status of the European Community in Latvia · Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) · checked 2026-10-10
- Naturalisation (Latvian citizenship) · Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP), Latvia · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.