Latvia Digital Nomad Visa | A Complete Guide
What is digital nomad visa?
“Digital nomads” represent a lifestyle trend that has gained prominence in the 21st century. With the advancement of information technology, an increasing number of professionals—such as IT workers, media personnel, language teachers, and freelancers—have broken free from traditional office settings. They now have the ability to work remotely from any location worldwide with internet access. This concept of remote work gained significant traction, especially before and during the pandemic.
Once liberated from office constraints, some remote workers choose to embrace a unique lifestyle: they carry their bags and travel to various destinations while continuing to work remotely. These individuals, known as “digital nomads,” experience a blend of exploring new cultures and working from different corners of the world.
To attract digital nomads and promote tourism and emerging industries, governments in at least 65 countries and regions worldwide have introduced specialized digital nomad visas. These visas typically have the following characteristics:
1. Applicants must be remote workers with stable monthly income and cannot be employed locally.
2. Digital nomad visas are essentially extended travel visas, often valid for one year and allowing residence for up to two to four years in the destination country without the option for permanent immigration.
However, in some Latin American and Southern European countries—such as Portugal, Spain, Uruguay, and Ecuador—digital nomads can eventually obtain local permanent residency or even naturalization after accumulating a certain length of stay.
For more information on digital nomad visa programs, explore the details in our “Global Digital Nomad Visas | An Incomplete Handbook” on this websites.
Latvia Digital Nomad Visa:
Since February 2022, Latvia has offered a Digital Nomad Visa (a long-stay visa for remote work) to remote workers and freelancers worldwide. This visa allows holders to live in Latvia for up to two years.
Eligibility Requirements：
Currently, a key requirement for the Latvian Digital Nomad Visa is that the applicant’s employer must be based in an OECD country. This means if you work for a company in China or India, you won’t be eligible. To qualify, you must either:
Work remotely for a company registered in an OECD country.
Be self-employed with your company registered in an OECD country.
There are currently 38 member countries in the OECD：
Financial Requirements:
Applicants for the Digital Nomad Visa must also meet a financial threshold. Their income needs to be 2.5 times the minimum wage in Latvia. As of 2025, this translates to a required monthly income of €4,213.
Application Process:
After you’ve gathered all the necessary documents, you have two options for submitting your Digital Nomad Visa application: you can apply online or schedule an appointment to apply in person at the nearest Latvian embassy or consulate.
Generally, even if you apply online, you’ll still need to have an in-person interview with a Latvian visa officer to finalize your Digital Nomad Visa.
The required documents for this program include:
Applicant Identification Documents: This includes your passport and passport-sized photos.
Completed Application Form: You can download and fill out the application form online.
Proof of Health Insurance: You’ll need to purchase health insurance valid in the Schengen Area with a minimum coverage of €42,600.
Proof of Remote Work: You’ll need to provide documentation of your employment or self-employment as a remote worker, along with proof of sufficient income.
The processing time for the Latvian Digital Nomad Visa is typically a few weeks, and the visa fee is €60. Once approved, you’re free to travel to Latvia.
Dependents:
Currently, Latvia’s Digital Nomad Visa program doesn’t allow dependents to accompany the main applicant. The primary applicant must apply for this visa individually.
Visa Validity:
The Latvian Digital Nomad Visa is valid for one year and can be renewed for up to another year.
After legally residing in Latvia for five years, spending at least six months there each year, and with total absences not exceeding 12 months within those five years, foreigners become eligible to apply for Latvian permanent residency, provided they also achieve at least an A2 level in Latvian.
If you reside in Latvia for more than 183 days each year, you’ll become a Latvian tax resident, and For annual income up to €105,300, the personal income tax (PIT) rate is 25.5%. For income exceeding that, it’s 33%..
Latvian permanent residents can apply for naturalization after another five years of legal residency, again spending at least six months there annually with total absences not exceeding 12 months. They’ll also need to pass a basic test on Latvian history, culture, and government, demonstrate an A2 or higher level of Latvian proficiency, and be able to sing the Latvian national anthem.