On March 30, the Saeima commission approved in the first reading a draft law prohibiting the issuance of residence permits to citizens of Russia and Belarus, but there are many nuances and exceptions!
Most importantly: the restriction is introduced for a period until June 30, 2023.
The amendments DO NOT apply to those people who managed to submit documents before the amendments come into force. When the amendments will come into force is still unknown, since there will still be 2 more readings.
The following exceptions are provided:⠀
- It will be possible to apply for a residence permit on the basis of employment, but only if the company is more than half owned by citizens of Latvia or the European Union.
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- Residence permits based on family relationships will also be preserved. For example, on the basis of marriage.
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Important: Under the law, a new residence permit application is considered a new application if a person has never had a residence permit in Latvia before, or if the residence permit in Latvia existed but more than three months have passed since its termination and no renewal actions were taken during those three months. And, of course, it applies to cases where the investment object changes. In such cases, it is also considered a new residence permit application.⠀
At the same time, amendments to the migration law are being advanced in the second reading, but our company will report on this separately.