British people used to arrive in Latvia the way every other European did, with a passport and a plan. Since the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020 the picture is different. Moving to Latvia from the UK now follows the route for non-EU citizens, with one important exception: anyone who was already living in Latvia before 2021 and secured their papers in time.
This guide covers the right to stay, health, pensions, driving and property for British readers. Scottish citizens are covered by the same rules.
Can you still move to Latvia from the UK freely?
No. A British citizen who arrives now is a third-country national. They enter and stay under Latvia's immigration law and apply for a temporary residence permit from the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP) on a ground such as employment, studies, family or business.
The PMLP's current examination fee scale, as relayed in our fact sheet, is 160 euros for a decision within 30 days, 280 euros within 10 working days and 560 euros within five working days, plus 45 euros for the residence card itself. These are the fees for the examination of an application; other charges can apply for specific permit types, so read the page for your own ground.
British citizens who were living in Latvia, or had entered it, by 31 December 2020 fall under the Withdrawal Agreement. The PMLP says they had to request, before 30 June 2021, a new residence document marked "Article 50 TEU". If you have one, you keep rights similar to those of an EU citizen as long as you comply with its conditions.
What changes with Latvia's new Immigration Law?
A new Immigration Law was passed by the Saeima in its final reading on 11 June 2026. According to the Saeima's news release, it covers entry, residence, employment, integration and return of third-country nationals, with tighter pre-entry checks, clearer deadlines and early integration requirements including knowledge of the official language. The June release gave 1 January 2027 for its most significant provisions, but that date has been overtaken: the President did not proclaim the law and sent it back, and the Saeima reviewed it a second time on 20 August 2026. The PMLP has since announced that the new law takes effect on 15 September 2026.
So treat the new law as already applying to third-country nationals such as British citizens arriving now. Check the PMLP page for your permit type before you pay a fee or book a flight, because conditions, fees and permit terms can differ from older guides.
Which residence permit fits your plans?
It depends on why you come. A job offer from a Latvian employer leads to a work-based route. Studies lead to a student permit. A spouse or partner who is an EU citizen opens a family route, and that is a different path, with a residence card for the family member of a Union citizen. A parent with a Latvian citizen child has yet another ground.
Whatever you choose, the principle is the same: your ground must match your real situation. Do not pay for an urgent examination until you have checked that your documents are complete.
Once your permit is issued, you receive your personal code and are entered in the register, so there is no separate EU-style registration step. For what that code opens, see the Latvian personal code.
Which route fits your job, your partner or your savings, and what will the PMLP ask you for? Moovy can sort your case, list the documents and prepare a clear message for the authority. Decisions on permits stay with the PMLP.
How does healthcare work for British residents?
Two situations. If you live in Latvia and are insured in the UK, for example because you receive a UK state pension, you register an S1 form with the National Health Service (NVD) like a European pensioner. The VSAA also explains that the Withdrawal Agreement keeps the EU's social security coordination rules for the people it covers, and that the trade and cooperation agreement's protocol applies from 1 January 2021.
If you are neither, the position is stricter. Our fact sheet reports that state-funded care is foreseen for foreigners with a permanent residence permit, outside cases covered by European coordination rules. Confirm with the NVD for your own case, and look at healthcare in Latvia for expats. For a short visit, use your UK-issued health cover as advised by the NHS and carry private travel insurance.
Is your UK driving licence valid in Latvia?
Good news. The CSDD does not require an obligatory exchange for licences from the EU, EFTA or the UK. You can keep driving on your UK licence, and you can exchange it at a CSDD centre if you want a Latvian one. The fee quoted by the CSDD is 22.41 euros, and you need a valid medical certificate for a Latvian licence.
A car arriving from the UK is different. It comes from outside the EU, so it needs a full technical inspection, and customs formalities and import VAT fall on the importer. The CSDD asks for proof of clearance when the last registration was outside the EU. Details are in driving in Latvia.
Can a British citizen buy property in Latvia?
Yes, with limits. In towns, only Latvian and EU citizens, and certain companies, buy freely. Others, including British citizens, need the approval of the municipality chairman, given within 20 days if the intended use fits the local plan. They cannot buy in border zones, in the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Riga protection zones except buildable land foreseen in the plan, or agricultural and forest land in towns. Rural land follows its own law, and the UK's membership of the OECD matters there. Read buying property in Latvia before you sign anything.
What about tax and pensions after you arrive?
Once you are resident for tax purposes, Latvian tax rules apply as to anyone else, and a UK-Latvia tax convention exists to avoid double taxation. The 75% rule that lets non-resident EU citizens claim an allowance does not apply to British taxpayers. For the details, ask the State Revenue Service (VID) about tax and the VSAA about pensions.
Does the Brexit Latvia residence permit rule apply to family members?
Brexit Latvia residence permit rules cover British citizens who were already living in Latvia. Their family members who lived with them, and who applied in time, hold the same kind of document. For a British citizen who marries an EU citizen after arriving, the route is different: it is the route for the family member of a Union citizen. A British partner of a Latvian citizen may qualify for a residence card on that basis. Because family rules are detailed, ask the PMLP which ground fits you before you pay.
What do British citizens in Latvia need for work?
If you arrived after 30 December 2020, you cannot start work before you hold a visa or residence permit that gives the right to work. If you were already in Latvia, you needed to apply for the new document before 30 June 2021. After that, the labour rules (written contract, minimum wage, four weeks of leave) are the same for everybody; see working in Latvia.
Employers hiring a third-country national face extra checks under the new Immigration Law, whose oversight of employment and studies is strengthened. If you are job hunting from the UK, ask the employer early whether he is willing to support a permit application.
Which UK documents does Latvia accept?
- Driving licence: recognised, with no obligatory exchange; see driving in Latvia.
- Electronic identity: the UK has no scheme notified under eIDAS, according to the Commission's list of 2 February 2026, so you will need a Latvian means such as the eID card, eParaksts or Smart-ID; see digital ID in Latvia.
- Unemployment periods: if you have no U1 form, periods in the UK are proved with P45 and P60 documents.
- Pensions: the S1 and the E207 form are the tools for pensioners; for the S1, see healthcare in Latvia for expats.
What should a Briton do first when moving to Latvia from the UK?
Decide the ground for your permit, check the PMLP page for that ground, and collect the documents before you buy a ticket. Then think of money: the examination fee scale of 160, 280 or 560 euros depends on how fast you want a decision. Moving to Latvia from the UK is entirely possible, but it is a project with lead time, and the new Immigration Law, which the PMLP says took effect on 15 September 2026, makes it worth checking official sources close to your date.