Can You Already “Buy” Latvian Tax Residence for €60,000? No — Here Is What Has Actually Been Proposed

THE CLAIM: a foreign investor can already obtain Latvian tax-resident status by paying €60,000 a year. Verdict: not confirmed. As of 28 September 2026, no such procedure is in force. Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs has described a political proposal and said that a separate bill is being prepared.

Three different concepts must not be confused: a temporary residence permit, tax residence, and the proposed €60,000 annual-payment model. None of them is Latvian citizenship.

What has actually been proposed?

The prime minister has said that a foreign investor who has already received a temporary residence permit could become a Latvian tax resident by paying €60,000 into the state budget every year. He said the payment would flow into a Latvian Investment Fund.

There is currently no enacted bill, application procedure or designated authority through which a person could obtain this status. It has not been explained whether the €60,000 would replace ordinary taxes, count as an advance payment or be charged in addition to them. Claims that the regime is already available are therefore misleading.

A residence permit is not tax residence

A temporary residence permit is an immigration status allowing a person to stay in Latvia for a specified period. Tax residence determines a person's principal tax connection and the extent to which a country may tax that person's income.

Latvia's new Immigration Law already provides a separate investor route: an investment of at least €150,000 for at least five years with a state-established alternative investment fund manager, plus a €10,000 payment into the state budget. This is not the same as the proposed €60,000 annual tax-residence arrangement.

How is Latvian tax residence determined today?

Under current Latvian law, an individual is generally treated as a tax resident if their declared place of residence is in Latvia, if they stay in Latvia for at least 183 days during any 12-month period, or in certain cases involving Latvian government service abroad. Where another country also considers the person resident, the applicable tax treaty may examine permanent home, centre of vital interests, habitual abode, nationality and, if necessary, agreement between the competent authorities.

Tax residence is therefore not merely a certificate or privilege card. A Latvian resident may have to declare foreign-source income in Latvia, subject to statutory exemptions, tax treaties and relief from double taxation.

Seven questions the bill would have to answer

Tax scope: would €60,000 replace personal income tax, be credited against it or be an additional charge?
Foreign income: how would dividends, interest, capital gains and other foreign income be treated?
Dual residence: how would the regime interact with Latvia's tax treaties?
Eligibility: which permit holders would qualify and how would source-of-funds, sanctions and AML risks be checked?
Family members: would the payment cover only the investor?
Loss of status: what would happen if the annual payment were missed or the residence permit revoked?
Public benefit: how many applicants are expected and what is the projected budget impact?

Why is the proposal controversial?

Supporters may present it as a way to attract wealthy investors and additional budget revenue. Critics will focus on tax fairness, security screening, the source of funds and whether a special fixed-payment regime would treat ordinary Latvian taxpayers unequally.

The interior minister has said publicly that the proposal was submitted at the last moment and had not been assessed more broadly. Political critics have also requested estimates of demand and economic impact. The prime minister has said the initiative is intended to help close a budget gap and that he would not insist on it without sufficient support.

Conclusion

It is not currently possible to apply for Latvian tax residence by paying €60,000 a year. There is a political proposal and a promise to draft legislation, but no operative special regime, detailed rules or application process. Until a bill is published and approved by parliament, this should be described as a proposal — not as an available “tax-residence subscription”.