Living in Latvia

EU Exit updates

To keep up to date with information about EU Exit:

• read essential information for UK nationals in the EU
• sign up for email alerts to this guidance
• follow the British Embassy Riga on Facebook and Twitter
• follow the updates in the EU Exit section of the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website

Residency and visas

You may want to check the entry requirements for Latvia.

If you plan to stay in Latvia for longer than 3 consecutive months, you must register with the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA).

Once resident in Latvia you must also declare your place of residence. You can do this:

• at your local municipality
• at the OCMA
• online through the Public Administration Services Portal.

Residency and visas after the UK leaves the EU

You will need to change your residence document for a new one before 31 December 2020.

If you already hold a residence document, a letter from OCMA that explains how to get a new document after EU Exit will be sent to your declared place of residence in Latvia.

All residence documents that are issued before the UK leaves the EU, including eID cards or paper documents in A5 format, will be valid until 31 December 2020, unless the residence document is valid for a time period before that date.

In the event of changes to residency rules or registration processes after the UK leaves the EU, we will update this guidance as soon as information is available. You should sign up to our email alerts.

Passports and travel

You can apply for or renew your British passport from Latvia. If you cannot get a passport in time for your trip, you may need to get an emergency travel document or ‘emergency passport’.

You can look at our travel advice for Latvia and sign up for up-to-date information on local laws and customs, safety and emergencies.

Passports and travel after the UK leaves the EU

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, new travel rules will apply. You should have at least 6 months left on an adult or child passport to travel to most countries in Europe (not including Ireland).

If you renewed your current passport before the previous one expired, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. Any extra months on your passport over 10 years may not count towards the 6 months needed.

You should check your passport is valid for travel before you book your trip.

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If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, theUK Europeannationals Commissionwill has said you may not need visas for short stays elsewhere in the SchengenEU. area or the EU. You maywill be able to stay up to 90 days in anyanother EU country, within a 180 day period. You should retain evidence of travel (e.g. train and plane tickets), in case these are requested by national authorities. If you hold a residence permit from an EU Member State, you will be able to transit through other EU Member States to reach your country of residence. We will update this guidance as more information becomes available.

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, nothing will change until the end of 2020. In this time you can continue to travel freely in the Schengen area with your UK passport. What happens after 2020 will form the next part of negotiations.

Healthcare

If you are a permanent resident of Latvia, you are entitled to the same healthcare as Latvian nationals. If you are a temporary resident and live in Latvia in connection with your employment or you are self-employed, you and your family members can receive state funded healthcare services.

The NHS has more information about healthcare for UK nationals living in and visiting Latvia.

If you live in Latvia and receive an exportable UK pension, contribution-based Employment Support Allowance or another exportable benefit, you may currently be entitled to state healthcare paid for by the UK. You will need to apply for a certificate of entitlement known as an S1 certificate.

If you are resident in Latvia, you should not be using a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from the UK to access healthcare in Latvia.

• you may use an EHIC to access state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland
• the EHIC covers treatment that is medically necessary until your planned return home
• an EHIC is not a replacement for comprehensive travel insurance
• for more information you can read our travel advice pages and advice on foreign travel insurance

You can read the NHS guidance on healthcare and studying abroad.

You can find an English-speaking doctor in Latvia.

You should also check your prescriptions are legal in Latvia.

Healthcare after the UK leaves the EU

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, your current rights on access to healthcare in Latvia will remain the same until 31 December 2020.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, you will have the right to state funded healthcare until 31 December 2020 if:

• you are employed or self-employed, in which case your family members will be entitled to the same healthcare services as you
• your healthcare is provided under the S1 form scheme
• you started your studies at university or college in Latvia before the day the UK leaves the EU, you will have access to state funded healthcare for the duration of your studies

Your EHIC may not be valid in the event the UK leaves the EU without a deal. The UK has offered to maintain the EHIC scheme should the UK leave the EU without a deal, however this is reliant on Latvia continuing to accept UK EHICs.

Working in Latvia

Read our guidance on working in another EU country.

Some jobs may need you to apply for a UK criminal records check.

Your employer will need to apply to the State Revenue Service for your unique tax code. If you already have a personal code in Latvia, they will use this. Your employer is responsible for deducting your income tax and social security payments from your income.

If you are self-employed, you must register with the tax authorities yourself. You will be responsible for calculating and paying your tax and social security contributions.

Working in Latvia after the UK leaves the EU

If you are e planning to start a business, provide a service, or do a job in a regulated profession after the UK leaves the EU, further guidance can be found here.

If the UK leaves with a deal, your right to work will not change until the end of the implementation period.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal and you enter Latvia after the UK leaves the EU, rules for third country nationals will apply for working in Latvia. You should read the Latvian government’s guide on working in Latvia as a citizen of countries outside the EU and European Economic Area (EEA).

Money and tax

The UK has a double-taxation agreement with Latvia to ensure people do not pay tax on the same income in both countries.

You should read the guidance on:

• tax if you leave the UK to live abroad
• tax on your UK income if you live abroad
• paying income tax in Latvia by the European Union

National Insurance

You may be able to pay National Insurance while abroad in order to protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances

Money and tax after the UK leaves the EU.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, it may become more expensive to use your UK bank card in the EU. You can read more about using a bank card, insurance or other financial service in the EU..

The UK leaving the EU will not change existing double taxation arrangements for UK nationals living in Latvia. You should direct individual taxpayer questions about double taxation to the relevant tax authority.

We recommend you get professional advice on paying tax in Latvia. Find an English-speaking lawyer in Latvia.

You can also seek professional advice at the Latvian Association of Accountants.

Pensions

You will need to tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.

If you retire to Latvia, you can claim:

• your UK State Pension or new UK State Pension. Contact the International Pension Centre to claim
• your Latvian pension, if you have worked in Latvia
• pensions from working abroad, if you have worked in other EU countries

Life certificates for UK State pensions

If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you must respond as soon as possible. Your payments may be suspended if you don’t.

Pensions after the UK leaves the EU

The UK government will uprate your UK state pension for the fiscal year 2019/2020 in any scenario.

The UK government will continue to pay State Pension, child benefits and disability benefits to those eligible in the EU after the UK leaves the EU. Find guidance on benefits and pensions in a no deal scenario.

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal and you work and pay social security contributions in Latvia you will still be able to add your UK social security contributions towards your Latvian pension. This will happen even if you claim your pension after the end of the implementation period.

Benefits

You may still be able to claim some UK benefits like child and disability benefits if you live in Latvia. You should:

• read our guidance on claiming benefits if you live, move or travel abroad
• use our tool to check which UK benefits you might be able to get while you’re abroad and how to claim them

If you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks, many income-related benefits such as Pension Credit and Housing Benefit cannot be paid to you.

You can request proof of the time you’ve worked in the UK from HMRC if you are asked for this.

Latvian benefits

You may be eligible to claim some Latvian social security benefits if you have made enough social security contributions in Latvia.

To get benefits you must have a residence document and be living in Latvia for employment or family reasons.

The State Social Security Agency has more information.

Benefits after the UK leaves the EU

The UK Government will continue to pay child benefits and disability benefits to those eligible in the EU after the UK leaves the EU.

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal and you work and pay social security contributions in Latvia, your UK social security contributions will be taken into account when applying for Latvian contributions-based benefits. This will happen even if you claim contributions-based benefits after the end of the implementation period.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, you can read our guidance on benefits and pensions in a no deal scenario.

Driving in Latvia

You should exchange your UK licence for a Latvian driving licence before the UK leaves the EU, as your UK licence may no longer be valid after the UK leaves the EU. You can still use your Latvian licence in the UK for short visits or exchange it for a UK licence without taking a test if you return to live in the UK.

For information on driving in Latvia, read our guidance on:

• what you need to drive abroad
• driving rules in Latvia
• Driving licence exchanges and renewals

Bringing a UK vehicle to Latvia

Read our guidance on taking a vehicle out of the UK.

If you are resident in Latvia, you must register your car and make the necessary changes so that it is suitable for left-hand driving. You have 6 months from the date you registered your residency to do this. The Latvian Road Traffic Safety Directorate has more information.

You can read the EU´s guidance on car registration and taxes in Latvia. You may be exempt from some of these taxes. If so, you will need certificates of exemption.

Driving in Latvia after the UK leaves the EU

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, driving licence rules will stay the same as they are now until the end of the implementation period.

Please read our guidance on driving in the EU after the UK leaves the EU.

Voting

You may be able to vote in some UK elections. You can:

• check if you are able to vote
• register as an overseas voter if you would like to vote

If you’re resident in Latvia, you can register to vote in local municipal and European Parliamentary elections.

To vote in Latvia you must be:

• at least 18 years old on election day
• registered on the Population Register of Latvia
• registered to vote

To register to vote in the European Parliament elections, citizens of EU Member States need to submit a signed application to the Central Election Commission of Latvia. You can get the application form and more guidance from the Central Electoral Commission of Latvia.

Once the UK leaves the EU, you will no longer be eligible to vote in local and European Parliament elections.

Births, deaths and getting married

If your child is born in Latvia, you will need to register a birth abroad.

If someone dies in Latvia you can:

• read our guidance on what to do after someone dies abroad
• find a list of English-speaking funeral directors in Latvia

Find out how you can get married abroad.

You may also need:

• English-speaking lawyers
• translators in Latvia
• notarial and documentary services for Latvia

Accommodation and buying property

See buying a property abroad.

Pets

When the UK leaves the EU, you will still be able to travel to and from the UK with a cat, dog or ferret but the rules will change. You can read guidance on pet travel to Europe after the UK leaves the EU.

While the UK is still a Member State you’ll be able to travel with your pet to the EU under the current pet travel rules using your current EU pet passport. If you’re travelling with your pet for the first time you’ll have to visit your vet to get a pet passport.

Read guidance on returning your cat, dog or ferret to the UK. For moving pet horses and other equines read guidance on export horses and ponies: special rules.

Emergencies

Dial the European emergency number on 112 or Latvia also has:

• 110 – police
• 113 – first aid

If you’re the victim of crime, have been arrested, or are affected by a crisis abroad, contact the British Embassy Riga.

Returning to the UK

You should read our guidance on:

• returning to live in the UK
• returning to live in the UK in the case of no-deal
• bringing your family to the UK
• access to higher education, 19+ further education and apprenticeship funding
• importing vehicles back to the UK
• bringing your pet back to the UK
• checking your tax status after returning to the UK

Tell the Latvian and UK authorities if you are returning to the UK permanently.

To move your pension to the UK, contact the International Pension Centre.

Check if your tax status will change if you return to the UK.

Read our guidance on bringing your pet to the UK and importing vehicles to the UK. If you get healthcare in Latvia through the S1 form, you must contact the Overseas Healthcare Team on +44 (0)191 218 1999 to make sure your S1 is cancelled at the right time.

Disclaimer

Please note that this information is provided as a guide only. Definitive information should be obtained from the Latvian authorities. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information.