Coalition splits over future of Latvia’s golden visa scheme
Friday 7th August 2026 on 19:15 in
Latvia
Latvia’s governing coalition is divided over the future of temporary residence permits granted in exchange for investment, LSM reported on Friday as Parliament prepares to reconsider the Immigration Law at the request of President Edgars Rinkēvičs.
The National Alliance wants to remove entirely the provision allowing foreigners to obtain temporary residence permits through capital investments in funds. The party says the golden visa scheme should be ended and that national security and interests should take priority over attracting finance.
Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs of the United List has submitted proposals to retain both initial and renewed temporary residence permits, but under stricter conditions. These would include raising the investment threshold and introducing an annual payment of 10,000 euros to the state budget, or 50,000 euros over five years.
Kulbergs said that attracting up to 1,000 investors could bring the state tens of millions of euros in direct payments and hundreds of millions of euros in investments and taxes over five years.
Rinkēvičs has also urged lawmakers not to close the door to everyone. In his view, temporary residence permits for property purchases could still be granted under strict security controls to citizens of countries friendly to Latvia, including NATO, OECD and European Economic Area member states.
More than 21,000 investors from more than 80 countries have applied for temporary residence permits since 2010.
The Interior Ministry has prepared a report for the government summarising the citizenship countries of investors and their family members who submitted applications between July 1, 2010, and December 31, 2025.
Data from the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs shows that more than 13,000 applicants during this period were Russian citizens. They were followed by citizens of China, with 1,657 applicants, and Ukraine, with 1,500. Other countries represented included Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Israel, India, the United States and Pakistan.