Moving to Latvia: the 2026 guide for Americans, updated for the new immigration law

Latvia is a small country of about 1.87 million people on the Baltic Sea, with Riga as its capital and the euro as its currency. It belongs to the EU, NATO and the Schengen Area, so a home here puts the rest of Europe within easy reach.

The everyday appeal is a calm, green, walkable life at prices well below what most Americans pay now. Riga's Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, the coast is lined with sandy beaches and pine forest, and extensive forests and lakes cover the countryside. Our data puts a comfortable budget at about $1,450 a month for one person and $2,500 for a couple, housing included.

English goes further than many people expect. Latvia scores 70 out of 100 on our English proficiency measure, and it's most widespread among younger Latvians. You'll hear a lot of Russian too: in a 2021 to 2022 survey, Latvian was the mother tongue of 64.3% of residents and Russian of 37.7% (some people claim both).

It's a safe place to land. The U.S. State Department rates Latvia Level 1, "Exercise Normal Precautions," as of April 2026; our safety index puts it at 75 out of 100. Summers make up for a lot: in June, a Riga day runs close to 18 hours from dawn to dusk.

Latvia also offers a path to a second passport you don't have to trade your U.S. one for. Latvia allows dual citizenship for citizens of NATO countries, which includes the United States.

Here's the catch

Four things decide whether Latvia is a fit, and it's better to hear them now.

The rules just got stricter. A new Immigration Law took effect on September 15, 2026. It closed the residence route for property buyers, cut new local-job permits to up to one year, and trimmed investor permits to up to two. Starting December 31, 2027, permit holders will also have to learn Latvian and take a course on Latvian history and culture. Renewals must already be filed in Latvian.

Local paychecks are small. Average gross pay was about $2,090 a month in early 2026 (€1,831), and the minimum wage is about $890 (€780). Latvia works best when your money comes from outside the country: a remote job, a pension, or savings.

Winters are long and dark. Riga averages about -3°C (27°F) in January, and daylight shrinks to roughly seven and a half hours.

It's a trek from the U.S. There's no nonstop service between New York and Riga. Every trip home includes a connection, plus the American community is small.

If those don't scare you off, the rest of this guide covers costs, the routes that still work, healthcare and taxes, where people settle, and who can do the paperwork with you.

Latvia doesn't have a single catch-all visa for Americans. Start with where your income comes from, then read only the route that matches. All figures below are as of September 2026.

Remote workers: the long-stay visa for remote work

If you work for a company registered in an OECD country (the U.S. counts) or you're self-employed and registered in one, you can ask for a one-year long-stay visa to work from Latvia. The income floor is 2.5 times Latvia's average gross salary: about $4,800 a month (PMLP, the immigration office, lists it at €4,213). You'll need health insurance with at least about $48,600 (€42,600) of coverage, and employees need proof they've already worked for their employer for a while. The visa fee is about $100 (€90). The big limit: you can't take a job with a Latvian employer. When Latvia approved the rules in 2022, the government said holders could request a repeat visa for another year. It's a visa, not a residence permit, so ask an advisor before you count that time toward permanent residence.

Retirees 65 and up: the pensioner residence permit

Latvia has a residence permit for pensioners from visa-free countries, which includes the U.S. You need to have reached Latvia's retirement age, which is 65 as of 2025, and show enough income. PMLP's 2026 table sets pension-based applicants at double the average old-age pension, about $1,400 a month (€1,231); an older PMLP page still shows €784, so confirm the current figure. Under the new law, these permits run two years at a time. If you're under 65, this door isn't open yet, and Latvia has no general passive-income visa to fall back on.

Taking a Latvian job: work permit or EU Blue Card

A Latvian employer has to register the vacancy with the State Employment Agency for at least 10 working days before hiring you. For a standard work permit, your salary must be at least double the average gross wage, about $4,140 a month (€3,630). EU Blue Card holders need about $3,100 (€2,723), or about $2,480 (€2,178) in shortage occupations. You'll enter on a D visa and switch to a residence permit. The new law cut new local-job permits to up to one year, so expect yearly renewals.

Investors: only the company route is open

The property golden visa ended on September 15, 2026, along with the bank route. What's left is a company investment: about $57,000 (€50,000) in a smaller company that pays at least €40,000 a year in taxes, or about $114,000 (€100,000) in one paying at least €100,000, plus a state payment of about $11,400 (€10,000). No more than 10 foreigners can use one company, and permits last up to two years. A new state fund route of about $171,000 (€150,000) exists in the law, but the funds haven't been created yet. If you already hold an investor permit, it stays valid while the original conditions hold, and renewals carry a payment capped at about $5,700 (€5,000) in total.

Students: a D visa, and your family can come

Some Latvian universities teach full degrees in English. At Riga Stradiņš University, 2026 to 2027 tuition is about $15,400 a year (€13,500) for Medicine and about $3,800 (€3,300) for its international business bachelor's. Under the new law, only students from NATO countries, Americans included, or doctoral students can bring family.

Latvian roots: citizenship by descent

If a parent or grandparent left Latvia during the 1940 to 1990 occupation, you may be able to register as a Latvian citizen outright, as long as you were born by October 1, 2014. The Latvian Embassy in Washington lists the documents U.S. applicants need, and you can keep your U.S. passport.

The long game: permanent residence and a passport

Permanent residence takes at least five years on a temporary residence permit, and the application must be in Latvian. Naturalization comes five years after that, with Latvian language, constitution, anthem and history tests and a small state fee (€28.46). Because the U.S. is a NATO member, you won't have to give up your American citizenship.

The questions every American asks once the visa is sorted, with the new rules folded in.

Healthcare

Latvia's state-funded system covers people with permanent residence permits, plus EU citizens who work or live there. Americans start on a temporary permit, so plan on private health insurance for your first years; the remote work visa, for one, requires coverage of at least €42,600 (about $48,600). Once you're covered by the state system, a family doctor is your entry point and writes referrals to specialists. The emergency number is 113. Expatsi's health insurance partner ExpatInsure can set up the private policy your application needs, and healthcare coach Hunter Schultz can help you judge hospitals and plan care for any conditions you're bringing with you.

Taxes

Latvia treats you as a tax resident after 183 days in any 12-month period, or if your declared home is there, and residents pay Latvian tax on worldwide income. In 2026 the rate is 25.5% on income up to about $120,000 (€105,300) and 33% above that, with an extra 3% over about $228,000 (€200,000). The U.S. still taxes you as a citizen, but a U.S.-Latvia tax treaty and foreign tax credits are designed to keep you from paying twice on the same income. The gap to watch: there's no Social Security agreement between the two countries, so self-employed people and those working abroad for a U.S. company can end up paying into both systems. You'll also file an FBAR if your foreign accounts pass $10,000 combined. MyExpatTaxes handles U.S. filings from abroad, and Beacon Global Advisors keeps 401(k)s, IRAs and investment accounts working once you're a non-resident.

Banking

The main banks are Swedbank, SEB, Citadele and Luminor. As a non-EU citizen, expect to visit a branch in person, bring your residence permit or D visa, and answer questions about where your money comes from and what the account is for. That's standard anti-money-laundering practice, not a red flag, so have pension statements or pay stubs ready.

Getting there and staying legal

Americans can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, which is plenty of time to scout. The EU's Entry/Exit System has been fully running since April 10, 2026, and it logs every border crossing, so overstays show up. ETIAS, the EU's travel authorization costing about $23 (€20), isn't operating yet; once it starts, it'll be valid for three years. There are no nonstop flights from New York, so plan on connecting through another European city.