I read on the bb.lv portal that a transitional period is planned until January 15, 2026, during which Russian citizens with long-term visas and residence permits issued by Latvia will be able to continue entering and residing in Latvia.
To remain in Latvia after this date, they must replace their current passport with a new biometric one by January 15, 2026.
If, after the transitional period, a Russian citizen residing in Latvia does not have a valid Russian passport (biometric), this will be considered a violation of the Immigration Law and an administrative fine may be imposed.
Could you clarify the amount of this fine and what other consequences may arise in the absence of a valid passport? Reader bb.lv"
We respond:
– The requirement to replace the passport with a biometric one applies to all individuals who hold Russian citizenship — including those who live in Latvia permanently, without age restrictions. After January 15, passports of citizens of the Russian Federation without biometric data will no longer be valid documents for entry and residence in Latvia, for applying for a visa, for obtaining a residence permit, etc.
The main differences of the new passport are:
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validity period — 10 years (old passport — 5 years)
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mandatory fingerprinting (there are none in the old passport)
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the photo for the document is taken by an Interior Ministry (embassy) employee
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number of pages — 46 (the old passport has 36)
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information about children cannot be included (the old passport allowed information about children under 14)
According to the clarification from the Citizenship and Migration Office, Russian citizens with residence permits who do not have a biometric passport will be able to stay in Latvia until January 15, 2026. After this date, continued residence will only be possible with a passport containing biometric data.
After replacing the passport with a biometric one, it will not be necessary to change the residence permit if the personal data (full name, date of birth) remains the same. Re-registration of the residence permit until January 15, 2026, is possible even with a non-biometric passport, however, after the transitional period ends, a passport with biometric data will be required for renewal.
If, after the end of the transitional period, a Russian citizen in Latvia does not have a valid Russian passport (biometric), this will be considered a violation of the Immigration Law, as the law requires not only a visa or residence permit but also a valid identity document.
For staying in the Republic of Latvia without a valid travel document, visa, residence permit, travel authorization, Union citizen registration certificate, permanent residence certificate, health insurance policy, or for any other violation of the conditions of stay in the Republic of Latvia, a warning or a fine of up to seventy penalty units (up to 350 euros) may be applied.
It is also important to understand that if a person does not have a valid travel document, they will not be able to submit documents for obtaining a new residence permit or for registering an existing one.
