Latvia EU Blue Card
Latvia's EU Blue Card is issued by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA/PMLP). Before the application the employer must register the vacancy with the State Employment Agency — a third-country national may be employed only if the vacancy has been free for at least 10 working days — and submit a sponsorship request to OCMA, and the inviting party must confirm the sponsorship at an OCMA office. The documents include proof of subsistence: EUR 1,916 per month, or EUR 1,532 for those covered by Cabinet Regulation No. 108 of 20 February 2018, plus EUR 500 per month for each accompanying adult and EUR 150 for each minor.
Core requirements
The employer must register the vacancy with the State Employment Agency. A third-country national may be employed only if the vacancy has been free for at least 10 working days, and the vacancy must be officially registered on the Agency's CV and vacancy portal.
For long-term employment the employer submits a sponsorship request to OCMA together with the employment contract or its draft and the foreigner's education documents. An approved sponsorship is the basis for granting the visa for entry, the residence permit and the right to employment. For short-term employment an invitation request is submitted instead, and an approved invitation is the basis for the visa and the right to employment.
Before the documents are submitted, the person who invites the applicant must confirm the sponsorship at the office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs.
A full copy of the passport must be submitted, with the foreigner certifying the validity of the document themselves.
A sample questionnaire for the application for the residence permit and a photograph must be submitted.
A document certifying the necessary subsistence must be submitted: the required subsistence is EUR 1,916 per month, or EUR 1,532 for those who are the subject of Cabinet Regulation No. 108 of 20 February 2018. Where family members come too, a further EUR 500 per month is required for an adult and EUR 150 per month for a minor. PMLP last updated this page on 22 April 2022, so the current figures are worth confirming with OCMA before applying.
A payment document confirming payment of the state fee must be submitted.
Where a spouse or a minor or dependent child enters with the applicant, they must additionally submit documents confirming the kinship and a permit for residing in Latvia granted by the parent who does not travel with the child, either notarised or signed by that parent before an official of the representation.
Third-country nationals holding a valid residence permit issued in another Schengen country, citizens of a country whose nationals do not need a visa to enter Latvia, and those holding a valid visa with the right to employment may submit their residence permit documents to OCMA directly. Other third-country nationals must apply at a Latvian diplomatic or consular mission abroad. The residence permit is issued by OCMA.
The foreigner must get registered with the State Revenue Service as a taxpayer.
Third-country nationals face additional restrictions on entry (visa), stay (residence permit) and employment (right to employment), and the employer is fully responsible for the foreigner's employment including restrictions related to wages and salary, for their stay including the place of residence and health care, and for removal costs if any.
Foreigners are issued a temporary residence permit first, and are issued a permanent residence permit after five years of continuous stay and passing the test of knowledge of the official language at at least A2 level.
Official sources
- ES Blue CardOffice of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP), Latvia · Reviewed 2026-09-06
- Employment of foreignersOffice of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP), Latvia · Reviewed 2026-09-06
How immigration works in Latvia — the process in order, the current figures with their dates, and what commonly blocks an application.
General educational information only, not personalized immigration or legal advice. Requirements can change; confirm them with the responsible government authority before acting. Next scheduled review: 2026-12-06.