Quick facts about Latvia
Latvia is in the Baltic Region of Eastern Europe and shares borders with Russia, Estonia, Lithuania, and Belarus. Latvia is a beautiful country; though relatively small, it has plenty of natural wonders and things to offer anyone who visits it.
Latvia is becoming a popular stop for many backpackers and travelers who want to get away from the touristic cities in Eastern Europe. As an up-and-coming destination, Latvia is highly affordable, with loads of available options in accommodation and activities.
Quick Visa Facts
Living in Latvia as a digital nomad
Latvia is starting to become the dream destination for digital nomads and ex-pats, especially looking for a different type of lifestyle. Over half of the Latvian territory is covered by forest. It is known as one of Europe’s greenest countries. Additionally, there are tons of beaches and beautiful towns.
Hand-picked for you: Best places in Europe for digital nomads
Attractions and best places to visit
There’s something for everyone in Latvia! National parks, gorgeous lakes, Teutonic castles, cliffs, and fascinating historical sites exist.
Jurmala
If you want to explore the coastline, we recommend you head towards Jurmala. It stretches for around 30km along the curved coastline of Riga Gulf. As a seaside city, Jurmala is known for its many natural resources. While visiting, you can enjoy curative mud, mineral waters, and pine forests.
The Countryside
Latvia’s countryside has many beautiful manors houses that you can visit for a day trip. You can learn about the old aristocracy while enjoying the stunning sights. Visit Rundale Palace, an 18th-century Baroque masterpiece with a fantastic rose garden.
Natural Parks
If you want to connect with nature, visiting some of Latvia’s natural parks is the way to go. There are four national parks in Latvia, all offering hiking trails and stunning sights. All national parks are meant to protect natural values, such as Gutmanis Cavern, the widest and highest one in the Baltics. These are the four national parks in Latvia:
- Gauja National Park
- Kemeri National Park
- Razna National Park
- Slitere National Park
Riga
However, the top destination in Latvia is Riga, the capital city of Latvia. Riga is an urban treasure with cobbled streets, amazing architecture, and the mighty St. Peter’s Church. Riga has many bars, restaurants, and cafés that are worth visiting. It is also famous for its fantastic nightlife.
Digital Nomad Hotspots
Riga is the primary hotspot for digital nomads. As mentioned before, the capital city of Latvia has many beautiful sights to visit. It is a charming city that you do not want to miss.
Riga has a variety of restaurants, clubs, bars, and cafés. You can also explore cultural events like going to the Opera, visiting museums, and the church of St. Peters. Riga also has nice parks alongside the river that offers lovely scenery.
If you want to live close to the water, then Liepaja is the perfect place for you. It is by the Baltic coast and is a great place to enjoy warm summer days. The city of Liepaja also has many high-quality cultural entertainments for you to enjoy, like the Concert Hall Great Amber. In addition, Liepaja is also famous for having excellent restaurants and charming cafes where you can enjoy the delicacies of Latvian cuisine.
Cost of Living
As an up-and-coming destination, Latvia is highly affordable, with loads of available options in accommodation and activities.
Housing:
Furnished studio apartment for €393/month ($418)
Larger furnished apartment for €545/month ($580)
Eating:
A basic lunchtime menu costs €8 ($8.5)
Transit
Riga’s public transport consists of buses, trams, trolleybuses, and minibusses.
One-trip ticket costs €1.15
Ten-trip ticket costs €10.9
24-hour ticket for €5
2-day ticket for €10
5-day ticket for €15
Digital Nomad Essentials
Coffee Shops & Eateries
Internet & SIM Cards
You’ll pay around €20/month for fast and unlimited internet, and €10 for mobile data. The country has one of the fastest broadband internet speeds. The average download speed of fixed internet connections is approximately 120.4Mbps.
Is Latvia safe?
Latvia is a very safe country to travel to. It doesn’t matter if you’re traveling with friends and family or a woman traveling alone; Latvia is a safe destination.
Of course, there are always some things you should keep in mind. Always watch out for pick-pocketers and petty thefts. But other than that, there aren’t any significant risks.
Try our free visa wizard to figure out which visas you qualify for!
Find a visa
Visa Overview
The Latvian government introduced their digital nomad visa. This visa allows internationals to stay in Latvia while they work remotely. The digital nomad visa is valid for a year, with the possibility to renew it for another year.
This visa will promote the immigration of qualified persons who would further contribute to the business industry and thus the economic sector. Authorities in Latvia believe that introducing such a visa would also help the tourism sector, attracting many internationals interested in remote work.
The digital nomad visa is not available yet. However, it is still undergoing changes and approvals before becoming official for digital nomads. We will update this page with all the information as it becomes available, so stay tuned!
Current travel restrictions
Latvia does not require travelers to show a negative COVID-19 viral test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before they board their flight. However, you must be vaccinated and up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines before traveling to Latvia.
Stay up to date with the current COVID-19 travel requirements on this website!
Citizen Remote has a broad range of resources to assist with the exciting process of relocating to another country!
Get HelpWho Can Apply for the Digital Nomad Visa for Latvia
Only countries in the OECD are allowed to apply for the Latvian digital nomad visa.
The visa is open to internationals employed by a company registered in an Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) country. It is also available to self-employees who have their businesses registered in an OECD country.
Currently, 38 countries are part of the OECD. Here are some of them:
- Austria
- Czech Republic
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Spain
- Australia
- Chile
- Japan
- Mexico
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Canada
For a complete list, check out the OECD official website.
How to Apply for the Latvia Digital Nomad Visa
Since the digital nomad visa for Latvia is still undergoing changes and approvals, the application process has not been disclosed yet. Therefore, we’ll update this page as soon as the next steps are confirmed.
Documents required to apply for the digital nomad visa in Latvia
Valid passport
Citizenship or Residency of OECD Country
Proof of income by working remotely
Income of at least 2,857.50€ per month
Proof of Health Insurance
How much does it cost?
This information is not available yet. We will update this page as soon as we know more!
Timeline for Applying
Applications are not open yet, so the application timeline is unknown. Stay tuned for more information!
Latvia is a dream come true for many digital nomads. Soon you’ll be able to make Latvia your next destination on your digital nomad journey!
