The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs will send out letters to 4,650 Russian citizens at the beginning of August to inform them on steps they should take to be able to stay in Latvia after new amendments to the Immigration Law come into effect on July 18, LETA was told at the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs.
In the letters to the Latvia-based Russian citizens, the migration authority will inform about the steps they need to take so they can stay in Latvia beyond July 15, 2025 as permanent residents of the European Union (EU).
Under the amendments to the Immigration Law, adopted on June 20, 2024, Russian citizens who had permanent residence in Latvia before obtaining Russian citizenship and who have received permanent residence permits in Latvia must submit documents to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs by June 30, 2025 to apply for the status of a permanent resident of the EU, including proof of successful completion of the state language test.
If the application is not received by June 30, 2025, the permanent residence permit will expire on July 15, 2025 and the person will have to leave the territory of Latvia by October 13, 2025.
Persons who have failed the state language test at least once before June 16, 2025 and have registered for a repeated test by September 30, 2025, must submit their documents by October 31, 2025.
The processing time is expected to take up to one year, according to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs. While the documents are being examined, the person’s previously issued residence permit will be valid until a new permit is issued.
Russian citizens who have already applied for the status of a permanent resident of the European Union do not need to apply to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs.
Source: BNS
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