Latvia’s perfect geographic location and diverse landscape, alongside the fast-growing economy, has become a popular digital nomad hotspot over the years. Remote workers from across the globe are looking to settle in Latvia and be a part of the peaceful life and rich culture.
As a response to the rising numbers of travelers, Latvia has introduced a digital nomad visa, which allows digital nomads to live and work in the country for a period of over one year, with the possibility to extend for another year.
Do I need a digital nomad visa for Latvia?
The Latvia digital nomad visa, however, applies only to digital nomads who are either employed by an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) employer or are self-employed with businesses registered in an OECD country.
European Union counties part of the OECD are: Hungary, Greece, Italy, France, Austria, Slovenia, Finland, Slovakia, Belgium, Spain, Poland, Czech Republic, Sweden, Portugal, Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, and Switzerland.
So if you are a national of any of these EU countries, you can apply for the Latvia digital nomad visa.
The visa is also applicable to digital nomads whose home country is a non-EU country but is still part of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, including the US, Australia, Canada, the UK, Turkey, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, South Korea, Japan, New Zealand, and Israel.
The Latvia digital nomad visa has a validity of one year but is renewable for another year. After two years, you can not apply for the same visa for another six months.
If you wish to extend your stay past two years, you can apply for a temporary residence permit, on another basis, provided you meet all the criteria. This can include employment from a local employer, registering as self-employed in Latvia, or founding a company.
If none of these options apply to you, then you can leave the country for six months and reapply for the Latvia digital nomad visa after the six months-period has elapsed.
What are the requirements for the Latvia digital nomad visa?
Besides being a citizen or resident of an OECD country, there are a few more requirements one needs to meet to be eligible to apply for this visa:
- The applicants can work remotely. You must be able to provide proof of earning income remotely in the form of business contracts or documents. Also, you must be employed with the company (registered in an OECD country) for at least six months.
- The applicants should make a minimum of $2,850 a month. You must provide proof in the form of bank statements and pay slips.
- The applicants must have health insurance for the duration of the visa.
- The applicants should provide documentation of the expected address in Latvia.
Note: Digital nomads holding a Latvia digital nomad visa are not allowed to perform local work during the duration of the visa.
Other visa options for digital nomads and remote workers in Latvia
If you are a digital nomad who wants to relocate to Latvia but are not a resident or citizen of any of the OECD countries, or you are but don’t meet some of the qualifications for the Latvia digital nomad visa, you can look into the following visa options.
- Schengen visa. You can apply for a Schengen visa which allows you to stay in Latvia for up to three months. (tourism, family visits, medical and business purposes only).
- Visa-free. A select few countries are visa-exempt and can stay in Latvia for up to 90 days. This includes EU countries, the US, Australia, and Brazil. If you are a national of one of these countries, you can enter Latvia visa-free as long as your primary intention is tourism or business. However, they generally tolerate digital nomads who work remotely for a foreign employer. If you wish to take up employment in Latvia for a local company, then you will need a visa.