Latvia Work visa (D)

Long-stay national visa of up to one year with a right to employment. The employer first obtains a State Employment Agency opinion and has an invitation approved by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs; the right to work is entered in the visa sticker, for example for a specific employer. ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7}

What you must show and pay

• Income of at least EUR 1,815 a month (≈ $2,030) · Where the average wage in the sector is higher than the national average gross monthly wage, pay is not less than the national average (EUR 1,815 (≈ $2,030) from 1 April 2026); otherwise the sector average or the sectoral general-agreement minimum applies. ^{2 3}
• A fee of EUR 90 (≈ $100) · State fee for the national long-stay (D) visa. ⁴
• A fee of EUR 85 (≈ $95) · Fee the inviter pays on the invitation for each person's right to employment, in addition to EUR 17 (≈ $19) (EUR 10 (≈ $11) online) for the invitation itself. ⁴

Requirements

• The foreigner must hold this visa before entering Latvia to work, including citizens of visa-free countries. ¹
• Russian citizens cannot obtain a visa with the right to employment. ^{6 7}
• Pay is at the sector average gross monthly wage or the sectoral general-agreement minimum. ³
• Where the sector average is higher than the national average, pay is not less than EUR 1,815 (≈ $2,030). ²
• The visa fee is EUR 90 (≈ $100); the inviter pays EUR 17 (≈ $19) (EUR 10 (≈ $11) online) plus EUR 85 (≈ $95) for the right to employment. ⁴
• The employer obtains an opinion from the State Employment Agency; the vacancy is open for at least 10 working days. ^{1 5}
• The employer has an invitation approved at any division of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs. ¹
• The foreigner applies at the Latvian representation abroad that handles visa applications. ¹
• The visa sticker shows the right to employment, for example the right to work with a specific employer. ¹

Stay

• Long-stay visa for a period not exceeding one year.
• First stay: up to 12 months, decided case by case.

Nationality

Third-country nationals except Russian citizens. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.

Work

Employment as entered in the visa, for example with a specific employer; work is allowed only with the confirmation of the right to employment.

Checked 2026-10-11

Official sources

1. Visa with the right to employment · Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2026-02-26
2. Seasonal work · Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2026-03-23
3. Cabinet Regulation No. 225: financial means required of foreigners · Cabinet of Ministers (likumi.lv) · checked 2026-10-11
4. State fees for the issuance of a visa and services related thereto · Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2026-03-18
5. Employment of foreigners · Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA/PMLP) · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2026-02-19
6. 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
7. Restrictions on issuing visas to citizens of Belarus and the Russian Federation · Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2026-02-19