A Latvian degree starts at the migration office in Riga, not a U.S. consulate
Plan on showing €780 a month, about $890, and paying €160 to file. Under the law that took effect September 15, 2026, American students can also bring their families.
Tuition is the part that surprises people. Some English-taught bachelor's programs in Latvia cost less than €1,600 a year, about $1,820, while Dentistry at Riga Stradiņš University runs €15,500 (about $17,600). Here's how the permit, the money test and the loan rules work for a U.S. passport holder.
How the file works
Your school files first, then you file in Riga
Before anything else, your university gets an invitation approved by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP). That approval is good for six months.
Then you fly in on your U.S. passport. Americans get 90 days in any 180 visa-free, and a U.S.-Latvia agreement lets you add up to 90 more without leaving Latvia. Inside that window, you file for a temporary residence permit at PMLP with your study agreement, bank proof and insurance. You can also file through the embassy in Washington, which forwards it for a fee.
The University of Latvia tells students the process takes over 40 days. The new law caps it at four months. When you pick up the card, bring a chest x-ray statement from a Latvian clinic.
The numbers PMLP checks
€780 a month
Money you show for each month
about $890, tied to Latvia's 2026 minimum wage
€160
Permit review, 30-day track
about $180; €280 for 10 working days, €560 for 5
€45
The residence card itself
about $51 at standard speed, €80 in 2 working days
€42,600
Minimum health insurance coverage
about $48,500, valid for your whole stay
Paying for it
Federal loans only follow you to certain schools
U.S. Direct Loans can pay for a foreign degree, but only at schools that take part in the federal program. Check before you accept: search the FAFSA school list, filter by foreign country, and ask the school's aid office to confirm your exact program. You need at least half-time enrollment in a program of a year or more, and online programs don't count.
What changed in Washington
Grad PLUS closed to new borrowers on July 1, 2026. A master's is now capped at $20,500 a year and $100,000 in total; professional degrees like medicine at $50,000 a year and $200,000. Pell Grants never pay for a foreign school.
Your bank statements and scholarship letters are only good for three months, so time them close to your filing date.
Life on a Latvian study permit
20 hours in term
Full-time bachelor's students can work 20 hours a week, 40 during breaks.
No cap for grad students
Full-time master's and doctoral students can work without an hour limit.
Family can come
Since September 2026, only NATO citizens and doctoral students can bring family. Americans qualify.
$5,000 treaty break
The U.S.-Latvia tax treaty exempts up to $5,000 a year of a student's job income from Latvian tax, for up to five years.
Two ways to arrive
Visa-free, or with a €90 D visa (about $100) filed at VFS centers in seven U.S. cities.
No yearly registration
The new law dropped the annual permit registration step.
The rules changed on September 15, 2026
Latvia's new Immigration Law took effect that day. Files already accepted by PMLP stay under the old rules. Some details, like exactly how long a study permit now runs and how much money a spouse needs to show, weren't published in full by late September 2026. Ask your school's international office for the current version before you book a flight.
After the degree
Four months to plan your next step
Your permit runs through graduation plus four months. Master's and doctoral graduates can ask for up to nine more months to look for work, but PMLP decides case by case and it isn't guaranteed. You have to apply within three months of getting your diploma, and that permit doesn't let you work. You'll need a job offer and a new permit to stay on.
Permanent residence now means EU long-term resident status, and it takes at least five years on a temporary permit. From December 31, 2027, permit holders also have to learn Latvian and take a history and culture course. Our Latvia guide covers the work and other routes.
This route suits students who want a lower-cost European degree and can live on savings or family support. If you need a full-time paycheck during a bachelor's, it won't fit.
Help with the parts outside the permit
Skola
Studying Abroad in Europe
Advisers who help Americans compare English-taught degrees in Europe and then work through admission, visas and the move.
ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
An international health insurance partner that finds private plans for permit applications like Latvia's.
Hunter Schultz
Healthcare Coach
A healthcare coach who helps you plan care abroad, including ongoing prescriptions and mental health support.
MyExpatTaxes
U.S. Expat Tax Service
Online software for filing U.S. tax returns from abroad, including returns that claim treaty benefits.
Moneycorp
Currency Exchange
A currency and payments firm that moves dollars to euros for tuition and rent, with rates you can lock in ahead of time.
Studying in Latvia: the questions Americans ask
How much money do I need to show for a Latvian student permit?
Latvia asks students to show at least the minimum monthly wage for each month of their stay. In 2026 that's €780 a month, about $890. Bank statements, sponsor letters and scholarship or grant guarantees all count, and the documents are valid for three months.
Do Americans need a visa to study in Latvia?
Not to get in. U.S. citizens can enter Latvia visa-free and apply for a temporary residence permit for studies at the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP) in Riga, after their school gets its invitation approved. If you'd rather arrive with a visa, the Latvian embassy's long-stay D visa costs €90, about $100 (September 2026).
Can my spouse and kids come with me while I study in Latvia?
Yes. Under Latvia's Immigration Law in force since September 15, 2026, students who are citizens of NATO countries, which includes the U.S., can bring family members. Doctoral students of any nationality can too. Each family member files for their own permit, so check the current funds rule with PMLP.
How long does a Latvian student residence permit take?
The University of Latvia tells students to expect more than 40 days. Since September 15, 2026, the legal maximum is four months from submission. Americans can wait in Latvia, since they get 90 visa-free days and can extend by up to 90 more under a U.S.-Latvia agreement.
Can I use U.S. federal student loans at a Latvian university?
Only if the school takes part in the federal Direct Loan program. Search the FAFSA school list and filter by foreign country, then confirm your program with the school's aid office. Pell Grants don't apply abroad, and Grad PLUS closed to new borrowers on July 1, 2026.
How much does a Latvian student residence permit cost?
As of September 2026, PMLP charges €160 (about $180) to review the application on the 30-day track, €280 for 10 working days or €560 for 5. The residence card adds €45, about $51, at standard speed. Some fee exemptions exist under Latvian cabinet rules, so ask your school whether you qualify.
Can international students work in Latvia?
Yes. Full-time bachelor's students at a Latvian university can work up to 20 hours a week during term and 40 hours during holidays. Full-time master's and doctoral students can work without an hour limit.
Can I stay in Latvia after I graduate?
For a while. A student permit runs through graduation plus four months. Master's and doctoral graduates can apply within three months of their diploma for up to nine more months to look for work or start a business. It isn't guaranteed and doesn't allow work, so staying longer usually means a job offer and a new permit.
Riga, or another campus?
The Expatsi Test weighs what you want to study, what you can spend and where you'd like to live after graduation.
Why not you?