The blog
Latvia, from the inside.
Paperwork, daily life, neighbourhoods, budget, culture: everything we wish we had known before unpacking.
Self-employed in Latvia: VID registration, micro-enterprise tax and the SIA
Self-employed in Latvia: free VID registration, general regime or 25% micro-enterprise tax, the 50,000 euro VAT threshold and setting up an SIA.
7 min readFamily and workSchools in Latvia for expat children: kindergarten, Latvian-language schooling and international options
Schools in Latvia for expat children: free public schooling in Latvian, kindergarten places, language support, the AEFE school and diploma recognition.
6 min readFamily and workRetiring in Latvia: the S1, tax on your foreign pension and the Latvian state pension
Retiring in Latvia: registering your S1, tax on foreign pensions (25.5% after a 12,000 euro allowance) and the Latvian pension at 65 with 20 years.
6 min readPaperworkResidence in Latvia for EU citizens: the registration certificate and your declared address
Residence in Latvia for EU citizens: when to apply to the PMLP, documents by status, the 25 euro replacement fee and permanent residence after five years.
7 min readWhere to liveRenting in Latvia: written leases, the deposit cap and registering your lease
Renting in Latvia: the written fixed-term lease, the two-month deposit cap, rent rises, notice periods and why to register your lease in the land register.
6 min readPaperworkOpening a bank account in Latvia: the basic account right and what banks ask
Bank account in Latvia for newcomers: the basic account right with a reply in 10 working days, what the bank asks, SEPA costs and mortgage caps.
6 min readPaperworkMoving to Latvia: the step-by-step guide to your first weeks
Moving to Latvia from another EU country or the UK: the order of paperwork, from the registration certificate and personal code to bank, doctor and school.
7 min readPaperworkMoving to Latvia from the UK after Brexit: what you need now
Moving to Latvia from the UK after Brexit: residence permit route and fees, Withdrawal Agreement rights, S1, driving licence and buying property.
7 min readDaily lifeLiving in Latvia: the Latvian language, Jāņi, saunas and the unwritten rules
Living in Latvia as an expat: the Latvian language, social codes, Jāņi midsummer, 2026 public holidays, alcohol sale hours and emergency numbers.
6 min readPaperworkLatvian personal code: how to get a personas kods
Latvian personal code explained: how the personas kods is assigned, who can request one without moving, the eID card price and how to keep data current.
6 min readBudgetIncome tax in Latvia for new residents: 25.5%, the allowance and the annual return
Income tax in Latvia in 2026: 25.5% up to 105,300 euros, the 550 euro monthly allowance, when you become tax resident, the EDS return and property tax.
6 min readHealthHealthcare in Latvia for expats: the NVD, the family doctor and patient fees
Healthcare in Latvia for expats: who gets state-funded care, registering an S1, the family doctor, patient payments and what the EHIC covers.
6 min readPaperworkDriving in Latvia: your licence, registering a car and winter tyres
Driving in Latvia as a newcomer: when your EU or UK licence is valid, registering a car at the CSDD, annual tax, inspection costs and winter tyre rules.
6 min readPaperworkDigital ID in Latvia: eID card, eParaksts, Smart-ID and latvija.gov.lv
Digital ID in Latvia explained: which means of e-identification work on latvija.gov.lv and the VID's EDS, how foreigners log in, and the eID card price.
6 min readBudgetCost of living in Latvia: rent, tax, health fees and what is set by rule
Cost of living in Latvia in 2026: rent in Riga, minimum wage, taxes, patient fees, kindergarten meals and the fixed costs set by official rules.
6 min readWhere to liveBuying property in Latvia as a foreigner: the 1.5% state fee and the land register
Buying property in Latvia: who can buy in towns, the 1.5% state fee, notary costs, land register steps, farmland limits and mortgage caps.
6 min readWhere to liveBest places to live in Latvia: Riga, Jūrmala, Liepāja and Daugavpils
Best places to live in Latvia for expats: Riga, Jūrmala, Liepāja, Daugavpils and the countryside compared on rent, language, schools and daily life.
6 min readYour move, one step at a time.
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