Can Russians Get the Latvia Golden Visa in 2026?
No. As of 2026, Russian citizens cannot get the Latvia golden visa: Latvian law currently prohibits them from acquiring real estate in Latvia, and investment-based residence permits are not available to them. This covers both investment routes — the EUR 250,000 property purchase and the EUR 100,000 company share-capital investment. It isn't a processing backlog or an unofficial go-slow; it's a statutory bar, and no agent promising to "structure around it" deserves your money.
Two doors remain, and they're real. We're CORVUS, an attorney-at-law office in Riga — here's what actually works.
The Two Exceptions That Matter
A second citizenship changes everything. Latvia assesses dual citizens under their other passport. A Russian citizen who also holds citizenship of, say, Israel, Kazakhstan or an EU member state applies on that passport — with full access to the investment routes. EU citizens don't need the golden visa at all: free-movement rules give them Latvian residence far more easily.
The EU Blue Card is open. Latvia's residence permit for highly qualified employees remains fully available to Russian citizens. It's issued for two years, covers your spouse and minor children, doesn't require living in Latvia, permits remote work — and has no yearly registration at all. You'll need an employment contract with a Latvian employer for a qualifying position, and either a relevant degree or five years of professional experience; the salary threshold from 1 April 2026 is EUR 2,723 gross per month, or EUR 2,178 for shortage-list professions such as programmers, financial analysts and engineers. We've taken Russian applicants through the full process — our detailed guide to the Blue Card for Russian citizens covers it step by step.
Quick Reference
| Route | Russian citizens, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Golden visa — EUR 250,000 property | Closed (real estate acquisition prohibited) |
| Golden visa — EUR 100,000 share capital | Closed |
| EU Blue Card (qualified employment) | Open |
| Any route via second (non-RU) citizenship | Open under the other passport |
Expect closer scrutiny on any Latvian application as a Russian citizen — more questionnaires, firm deadlines, timelines at the upper end. Closer scrutiny is not refusal; in our practice, prepared files pass it.
Checking Your Own Eligibility?
Whether you hold a second passport, qualify for the Blue Card, or neither — the assessment takes one conversation, and we'll give you a straight answer either way.
Contact CORVUS for an assessment of your situation →
General information, not legal advice. Rules current as of July 2026 and subject to change.
Author: Valērija Barišņikova — sworn attorney (Latvia), CORVUS Attorneys-at-Law (ZAB Corvus Vanags Legal SIA). Reviewed by Andrejs Voroncovs — sworn attorney (Latvia), founder of CORVUS Attorneys-at-Law. Mag. iur. with distinction, University of Latvia; member of the Latvian Bar Association and of its commission for tax and financial matters. Profile → The firm has handled migration cases since 2004 — hundreds of cases for clients from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Egypt, the UAE, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the USA and Canada. Member of the Russell Bedford international network.