🇱🇻Latvia Visa for Kazakh Citizens2026 Requirements, Fees & Documents

Long-Stay Visa with Right to Employment (Type D)

Allows foreign nationals to reside and work in Latvia for a specific employer, subject to a State Employment Agency opinion.

Visa sticker endorsed with one of: 'THE RIGHT TO WORK WITH A SPECIFIC EMPLOYER', 'THE RIGHT TO WORK 20 H PER WEEK', 'VOLUNTARY WORK', or 'THE RIGHT TO WORK WITH NO RESTRICTIONS'. Employer must obtain State Employment Agency opinion before submitting invitation. Minimum subsistence: EUR 1,815/month (general employment). Application in-person at Latvian embassy/consulate abroad. Also possible as short-stay Type C visa for employment not exceeding 90 days in 180.

Seasonal Work Visa (Type D - Seasonal)

Permits foreign nationals to engage in temporary employment during peak seasons in specific sectors of the Latvian economy, primarily agriculture, forestry, and fishing.

Visa sticker marked 'SEASONAL WORK'. Maximum 180 days within a 12-month period (seasonal worker provision). Minimum financial resources: EUR 1,815/month (general employment); EUR 1,516–EUR 1,990/month for agriculture/forestry/fishing depending on subsector. Application via paper form downloadable from pmlp.gov.lv; submitted at Latvian embassy/consulate.

Long-Stay Visa for Remote Work (Type D)

Enables third-country nationals employed by an OECD-registered employer or self-employed in an OECD country to reside in Latvia while working remotely.

Minimum gross monthly income EUR 4,213 (2.5x Latvia's average monthly gross salary). Employees must show minimum 6 months employment with current employer. Health insurance required with minimum EUR 42,600 liability coverage valid in Latvia and all Schengen states. No right to local employment in Latvia. Application via e-form at epak.pmlp.gov.lv. Page last updated 11 February 2026.

Long-Stay Visa for Study (Type D)

Allows foreign nationals to reside in Latvia for the purpose of studying at an accredited Latvian educational institution.

Long-stay national visa (Type D) issued for study purposes. Students attending short programs under 90 days may use a Schengen short-stay Type C visa (with fee exemptions for students/pupils on educational visits). Fee EUR 90 for long-stay visa (children under 12 exempt). Required documents include enrollment confirmation. Students staying longer than 1 year typically require a residence permit rather than a visa. EU Directive 2016/801 applies to researchers; fee exemptions apply for scientific research visits.

Long-Stay Visa for Family Reunion (Type D)

Allows family members of Latvian citizens or legal residents to enter and reside in Latvia pending a long-term residence permit.

Type D national long-stay visa issued for family reunification purpose. Applicants typically transition to a residence permit after entry. Fee EUR 90. Application submitted at Latvian embassy/consulate with supporting family relationship documentation.

Diplomatic/Official/Service Visa

Issued to foreign diplomatic and official passport holders visiting Latvia on official government or diplomatic business.

Many diplomatic/service passport holders are visa-exempt under bilateral agreements (see conditional_access). Where not exempt, diplomatic visas are issued fee-free through diplomatic channels (Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Ministry of Foreign Affairs) for official visits. Standard Schengen short-stay limits apply unless a longer-term arrangement is in place.

Long-Stay Visa - Other Purposes (Type D)

Covers any lawful long-stay purpose not falling under employment, study, remote work, or family reunification - including medical treatment, voluntary work, and cultural activities.

Catch-all Type D national visa category. Includes voluntary work (visa sticker endorsed 'VOLUNTARY WORK'). Medical stays, cultural exchange, and other long-stay purposes handled under this category. Fee EUR 90 standard; children under 12 exempt. Subsistence minimum EUR 780 for stays over 30 days. Applied at Latvian embassy/consulate. Latvia does not issue a specific medical or retirement visa - these purposes are covered by the general long-stay Type D visa.

EU Blue Card (Residence Permit for Highly Qualified Employment)

Enables third-country nationals with higher-education qualifications (or equivalent professional experience) and a qualifying Latvian employment contract to live and work in a highly qualified job in Latvia.

Residence permit issued for up to 5 years to attract highly qualified employees. Requires a higher-education qualification from a programme of 3+ years (or, in some fields, at least 5 years of relevant professional experience) plus an employment contract meeting the salary/subsistence threshold - officially published as EUR 1,916/month, reduced to EUR 1,532/month for professions in short supply under Cabinet Regulation No. 108. State fee EUR 100 (approx USD 108) for a 10-working-day review or EUR 200 for a 4-working-day expedited review. Blue Card is not annulled if unemployment does not exceed 3 consecutive months. Salary thresholds are updated periodically by Cabinet regulation. Official pmlp.gov.lv page last updated 22 April 2022.

Working Holiday Visa (New Zealand Working Holiday Scheme)

For New Zealand citizens aged 18-30 to spend a working holiday in Latvia, holding a residence and work permit while employment remains casual and secondary to the holiday purpose.

Based on the bilateral 'Treaty of the Government of the Republic of Latvia and the Government of New Zealand regarding the Working Holiday Scheme'. Open only to New Zealand citizens aged 18 to 30 inclusive; does not apply to dependants. Annual quota of 100 New Zealand citizens. Grants a residence permit and work permit for up to one year; employment must be casual/incidental, not the main purpose of the visit. State fee EUR 160 (approx USD 173). Applicant must show sufficient funds for the initial stay (approx EUR 780) plus the cost of return travel (or hold a return ticket). Application filed at an Embassy of Latvia with passport copy, completed questionnaire, photo and proof of fee payment; on arrival the holder must present a valid New Zealand passport and health insurance covering hospitalisation and repatriation for the whole stay. OCMA (PMLP) decides within 30 days. This is Latvia's only working holiday agreement currently in force.

Long-Stay Visa / Residence Permit for Researchers (Scientific Research)

For scientists and researchers carrying out research work in Latvia, either under EU researcher mobility from another Member State or under a hosting/scientific cooperation agreement with a Latvian scientific institution.

Implements EU Directive 2016/801 on the entry and residence of researchers. A scientist who holds a long-term visa or temporary residence permit for research issued by another EU Member State and who plans research work in Latvia for more than 180 days (together with accompanying family members) can obtain a long-stay Type D visa, issued for up to one year (standard D-visa processing 15 days, up to 60 days if further checks are needed). For longer stays a temporary residence permit is issued to researchers invited by a Latvian scientific institution listed in the register of scientific institutions under a research cooperation agreement, granted for the duration of the cooperation plan up to a maximum of 5 years. The fee may be reduced or waived for scientific research visits under Directive 2016/801; otherwise the standard EUR 90 (approx USD 97) D-visa fee applies. See also the EU Immigration Portal 'Researcher in Latvia' page (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu).