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Last modified: 2026-09-30

# Student Residence Permit in Latvia: Documents, Timing and Rules by Citizenship

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A student from outside the EU needs a temporary residence permit to study in Latvia, issued by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP, also known as OCMA). The basis is full-time study at an accredited university or college. Under the new Immigration Law, in force since 15 September 2026, a study permit can be granted for up to two years. Processing costs $180 (€160) at the standard 30-day speed, you must show $890 (€780) for each month of stay, and you may work up to 20 hours a week.

For Russian citizens the study ground remains available: the ban on a number of permit types does not cover it. The procedure is stricter, though. PMLP approves the residence permit first, and only then does the embassy accept a visa application for entry; the passport must be biometric, and an additional questionnaire is required. Citizens of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other visa-requiring CIS countries can enter on a D visa and apply in Latvia; citizens of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine can enter visa-free.

The passenger terminal of Riga International Airport. Photo: Aleksandrs Timofejev… / [source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aeropuerto_de_Riga_-_panoramio.jpg), [CC BY 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0).

## Study permit vs D visa {#section-1}

|  | Long-stay (D) visa | Temporary residence permit for studies |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Issued by | Latvian embassy or PMLP | PMLP |
| Purpose | entry and a limited stay | residence for the whole study period |
| Duration | up to one year | under the new law up to two years, then a repeat permit |
| Fee | $100 (€90) | $180 (€160) for 30-day processing |
| Work | up to 20 hours a week for full-time students | 20 hours a week in term, 40 in holidays; no limit for master's and doctoral students |

For students, the visa is mainly a way in. Staying in Latvia for more than 90 days in a six-month period requires a residence permit, so every non-EU student needs one, whatever the entry route.

## What the new Immigration Law changes for students {#section-2}

The Saeima adopted the law on 20 August 2026, and it took effect on 15 September 2026. Five changes matter to students:

1. Permit length. A study permit is issued for up to two years (Section 27, clause 21). PMLP explains that in several cases the two-year term replaces the former annual registration. University pages still describe yearly renewal, so go by the term stated in PMLP's decision.
2. Language of documents. For a visa and a first permit, documents may be filed in Latvian or English; for a repeat permit, only in Latvian.
3. Family. A bachelor's or master's student who is not a citizen of a NATO member state cannot obtain residence permits for family members on the basis of their own; this restriction does not apply to doctoral students.
4. Processing time. Normally 30 days after all documents are accepted; PMLP may extend it, but to no more than four months.
5. Integration. A compulsory early integration programme (Latvian at A1 plus a history and culture course) starts on 31 December 2027, but the law exempts full-time students.

## What the law says about Russian and Belarusian citizens {#section-3}

The exact wording matters, because many online summaries are out of date.

- Study is not on the exclusion list. Section 27(8) lists the permit grounds a Russian citizen may not use: among them employment, investment, start-ups, professional sport, religious activity, school education and the other cases in clause 22, except exchanges of students between accredited institutions. Full-time study at an accredited university (clause 21) is not on the list. A similar list applies to Belarusian citizens, and study is not on it either.
- The visa comes only after the permit decision. Cabinet Regulation No. 123 allows Latvian embassies to accept visa applications from Russian citizens only in a few categories. A student fits the category of persons already granted the right to reside in Latvia who need a visa to enter. The regulation itself runs until 31 December 2026, and the new law's transitional provisions allow it to be applied until replaced but no later than 1 December 2027. Check the Latvian MFA website for what applies from 2027 before you apply.
- No work-based visas. A Russian citizen may not request a visa with the right to employment, and the law does not provide an ordinary employment permit for them. A student's right to work up to 20 hours a week comes from the study permit and applies to all students.
- Additional checks. Russia, Belarus and Tajikistan are on the list of countries whose citizens undergo additional checks for visas and permits, which is why universities set earlier deadlines for them.
- Passport. Non-biometric Russian passports have not been recognised in Latvia since 15 July 2025: no visas are issued on them and no permit applications are accepted.

On EU-level decisions: the Council decision of 9 September 2022 fully suspended the EU–Russia visa facilitation agreement, and the Commission decision of 6 November 2025 restricted multiple-entry short-stay Schengen visas for Russian citizens. Both concern short-stay (C) visas and do not govern Latvian national D visas or residence permits.

## Step by step for Russian citizens {#section-4}

| Step | What happens | How long |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1. Admission | apply by the early deadline, interview, agreement, payment on the university's terms | 1–3 months |
| 2. Invitation | the university asks PMLP to approve an invitation | usually two working days, up to 10 with additional checks |
| 3. Permit application | filed at the Latvian embassy in Moscow by appointment, or at a Latvian mission in the country where you legally reside | appointments open every Monday at 9:00; the embassy warns of long waits |
| 4. PMLP decision | review with additional checks | 30 days, extendable to four months |
| 5. D visa | application at the embassy's consular section after PMLP's decision | depends on appointment availability |
| 6. Entry and permit card | enter on the visa, give biometrics at PMLP, collect the card | by law the card is produced within 10 working days of biometrics, or two on request |

If you hold a residence permit of another Schengen country, you can file at the Latvian mission there. The law also allows electronic filing with PMLP if every document is signed with a secure electronic signature recognised in Latvia.

Filing through an embassy costs more than filing in Latvia. On top of the PMLP fee, the mission charges a consular fee for accepting and forwarding a permit application: $200 (€180) for a full-time student since 1 May 2026.

For the D visa at the Moscow embassy you need: the application form, two colour photos 3.5×4.5 cm, health insurance with at least $48,370 (€42,600) cover for the whole requested period, a copy of your internal passport, an additional questionnaire in Latvian or English, a certificate from your place of study or work, a record of employment from Russia's Social Fund and a copy of PMLP's decision. The embassy does not accept policies from sanctioned banks, and consular fees can be paid only with international card schemes; Russian-issued cards do not work.

## Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other visa-requiring countries {#section-5}

Latvian universities describe two routes, and either can be used.

1. Permit first. File the permit application at the Latvian embassy in your country (there are embassies in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, for example), receive the decision, then get a visa to enter. The $200 (€180) consular fee is added to the PMLP fee on this route.
2. Visa first. Obtain a D visa with the university's documents, enter Latvia and file the permit application within your first 30 days. RSU and RTU describe this route in detail: the university runs a document briefing, and RTU posts the file to PMLP within seven working days of it.

If Latvia has no embassy in your country, the permit file goes to the Latvian embassy responsible for your region; a visa application can also go to another Schengen country's embassy authorised to issue visas for Latvia. The list is on the Latvian MFA website.

## Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine {#section-6}

Citizens of these countries can enter Latvia visa-free for 90 days in any 180. They apply for the permit on arrival, within the first 30 days. The file is the same, but prepare the criminal record certificate in advance: it must be legalised or apostilled and is valid for six months.

## Documents for a first study permit {#section-7}

PMLP's list for students at an accredited university:

- residence permit application form for third-country nationals;
- for Russian and Belarusian citizens, an additional questionnaire;
- a copy of all passport pages with entries, certified with your signature;
- a 3×4 cm photo;
- a criminal record certificate from your country of citizenship or any country where you have lived for more than 12 months, apostilled or legalised;
- the study agreement with the Latvian institution;
- proof of funds: $890 (€780) per month (universities ask for a statement of $10,670–10,790 (€9,400–9,500) for the year);
- proof of payment of the state fee;
- the approved invitation number (PMLP letter) supplied by the university.

After a positive decision, before you collect the card, you add a chest X-ray or fluorography from a Latvian clinic, a rental agreement or dorm confirmation and health insurance. RSU requires a policy valid in Latvia and the Schengen area for at least a year, with cover of at least $48,830 (€43,000) and repatriation.

Validity under PMLP rules: proof of funds and accommodation three months, certificates and letters six months, X-ray results one year.

## Fees {#section-8}

| Service | Fee |
| --- | --- |
| Invitation approval (paid by the university) | $19 (€17) |
| First permit, 30-day processing | $180 (€160) |
| First permit, 10 working days | $320 (€280) |
| First permit, 5 working days | $640 (€560) |
| Consular fee for filing a permit application at an embassy, full-time student | $200 (€180) |
| Long-stay (D) visa | $100 (€90) |
| Address registration | $5 (€4.27) |

The permit fee is paid before filing, by transfer to the Latvian State Treasury or by card at PMLP or a Latvian mission. A full budget including tuition and housing is in our guide to the [cost of studying in Latvia](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-cost-of-studying-in-latvia).

## Living on a study permit: work, progress, renewal {#section-9}

- Work. Up to 20 hours a week in term and 40 in holidays for any employer, with no separate work permit. Full-time master's and doctoral students may work without an hour limit if there is no break in their studies.
- Academic progress. The permit can be cancelled if a student overruns the programme without good reason: by more than a year on programmes of up to four years, or by more than a year and a half on longer ones. The university must inform the State Border Guard within three working days if a student is expelled or misses classes for three consecutive days without explanation and cannot be reached.
- Renewal. A repeat permit is requested on the same ground; an application counts as a repeat one if filed no later than 90 days after the previous permit expired. Documents for it are accepted only in Latvian.
- After graduation. Graduates of full-time master's or doctoral programmes with a state-recognised diploma can obtain a further nine-month permit to look for work, if they apply within three months after their study permit expires. The law does not exclude Russian citizens from this ground. It does not apply to bachelor's graduates.
- Travelling home. Since 19 March 2025 the Grebņeva, Terehova and Pāternieki border crossings with Russia and Belarus can be used only by car or public transport.

## If your permit is refused {#section-10}

You can contest a refusal with the Head of PMLP within one month after the decision takes effect. The appeal is filed by the inviting party, or by the foreigner if no invitation was required. If you are refused while still at home, some universities refund tuition: RTU terminates the agreement and refunds unused fees and the deposit once the embassy confirms the refusal, and LU refunds tuition if the permit was approved but the visa refused.

The law also lets PMLP bar a university from inviting students for up to three years if 30% or more of the students it invited in the previous calendar year were refused a long-stay visa. The rule does not apply to institutions whose students file fewer than 10 visa applications a year. For universities this is one more reason to check motivation and documents carefully at the admission stage.

## Common mistakes {#section-11}

- Applying with a non-biometric passport. Latvia does not accept such applications from Russian citizens.
- Entering on a visa and delaying the file. The permit application must be filed within 30 days of entry, and review takes about another month.
- Getting the criminal record certificate from the wrong country. If you have lived in another country for more than 12 months, you need a certificate from there as well.
- Using a relative's account without a statement. A statement in someone else's name requires double the amount and a legalised declaration from the account holder.
- Planning to bring your family. A bachelor's or master's student from a non-NATO country cannot obtain permits for family members on their own ground.

## FAQ {#faq}

### Does Latvia issue study residence permits to Russian citizens in 2026?

The law allows it: study is not among the grounds closed to Russian citizens. PMLP decides after additional checks, and the embassy issues the entry visa only after a positive decision. No one can predict the outcome of a particular application in advance.

### Where can a Russian citizen file the permit application?

At the consular section of the Latvian embassy in Moscow by appointment, at a Latvian mission in another non-Schengen country where you legally reside, or at a Latvian mission in a Schengen country where you hold a residence permit. The Moscow embassy accepts these documents only at its consular section, not through visa centres, and charges a $200 (€180) consular fee on top of the PMLP fee.

### How much money do I need to show for a student residence permit?

$890 (€780) for each month of stay, according to PMLP's table from 1 April 2026. For an academic year, universities ask for a bank statement of $10,670–10,790 (€9,400–9,500). The statement is valid for three months and does not replace tuition payment.

### How long does a student permit application take?

By law, 30 days after all documents are accepted, or 10 or 5 working days for a higher fee. With additional checks, which are mandatory for citizens of Russia, Belarus and Tajikistan, PMLP can extend the term to up to four months.

### Can I work on a study residence permit?

Yes: up to 20 hours a week in term and 40 in holidays for any employer, without a separate work permit. Full-time master's and doctoral students have no hour limit.

### Can I stay in Latvia after graduating?

Graduates of full-time master's and doctoral programmes can obtain a further nine-month permit to look for work. This ground is not closed to Russian citizens, but an ordinary employment-based permit is not available to them.

### Can my family come with me?

If you are a bachelor's or master's student and not a citizen of a NATO member state, family members cannot obtain permits based on yours. Doctoral students are not subject to this restriction.

## How StudyU can help {#section-13}

Checking the route for your passport, preparing the document file for the university and PMLP, planning the timeline and supporting you until entry are provided under an agreement with StudyU. The residence permit is decided by PMLP and the visa by the Latvian embassy; no outside party can influence those decisions. If you want to plan admission and permit timing for your citizenship in advance, [send us a request](https://www.studyu.org/en/apply). University requirements are covered in [applying to Latvian universities](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-applying-to-latvian-universities), and the country overview in [study in Latvia](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-latvia).

## Sources {#section-14}

- [Immigration Law in force from 15.09.2026: Sections 27, 32, 33, 45, 48 (likumi.lv)](https://likumi.lv/ta/id/370622)
- [PMLP: new Immigration Law takes effect, key changes (15.09.2026)](https://www.pmlp.gov.lv/en/article/new-immigration-law-takes-effect-key-changes-and-regulations)
- [PMLP: restrictions for Russian and Belarusian citizens, biometric passports](https://www.pmlp.gov.lv/en/restrictions-issuing-visas-citizens-belarus-and-russian-federation), [necessary subsistence from 1 April 2026](https://www.pmlp.gov.lv/en/necessary-subsistence-0), [approval of invitations](https://www.pmlp.gov.lv/en/approval-letter-invitation), [residence permit FAQ](https://www.pmlp.gov.lv/en/frequently-asked-questions)
- [PMLP "All about migration": first permit documents, fee, filing](https://vissparmigraciju.pmlp.gov.lv/?page_id=1052&lang=en)
- [Cabinet Regulation No. 123 (likumi.lv)](https://likumi.lv/ta/id/358965), [Regulation No. 554: additional-check countries](https://likumi.lv/ta/id/212364), [Regulation No. 731: fees](https://likumi.lv/ta/id/356656), [Regulation No. 707: consular fees from 1 May 2026](https://likumi.lv/ta/id/303212)
- [Latvian MFA: visa applications from Russian citizens](https://www.mfa.gov.lv/en/acceptance-visa-applications-citizens-russian-federation), [entry of Russian citizens](https://www.mfa.gov.lv/en/entry-latvia-citizens-russian-federation-and-frequently-asked-questions), [Latvian embassies](https://www.mfa.gov.lv/en/latvias-embassies-and-consulates)
- [Latvian embassy in Russia: residence permit](https://www2.mfa.gov.lv/ru/moscow/konsulskaya-informaciya/vid-na-zhitelstvo-v-latvii-maskava-lv), [D visa](https://www2.mfa.gov.lv/ru/moscow/konsulskaya-informaciya/poluchenie-vizy-kategorii-d-maskava-lv), [consular information and appointments](https://www2.mfa.gov.lv/ru/moscow/konsulskaya-informaciya)
- [RSU: immigration procedure](https://www.rsu.lv/en/study-here/immigration-procedure), [RTU: immigration regulations](https://www.rtu.lv/en/studies/immigration-regulations), [LU: visas and permits after admission](https://www.lu.lv/en/admissions/degree-studies/)
- [European Commission: decision on multiple-entry visas for Russian nationals, 06.11.2025](https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/commission-implementing-decision-establishing-rules-issuing-multiple-entry-visas-russian-nationals_en)

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During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.

## Next steps

- [Cost of Studying in Latvia for International Students, 2026/27](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-cost-of-studying-in-latvia)
- [Applying to Latvian Universities: Requirements, Deadlines and Steps](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-applying-to-latvian-universities)
- [Studying in Latvia for international applicants](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-latvia)
- [Universities in Latvia for International Students: How to Choose](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-universities-in-latvia)
- [Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU): Medicine in English, Admission and Fees](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-rsu)
- [Riga Technical University (RTU): English Programmes, Admission and Fees](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-rtu)

Updated: September 2026