Starting March 1, a number of legislative acts regulating the rules of residence in Latvia will change. Don’t miss it! 0 9

New Response Time for Authorities

Starting March 1, 2026, amendments to the Law on Applications (Iesniegumu likums) will come into effect. "The changes are aimed at reducing bureaucracy and speeding up communication between citizens and government agencies," the annotation to the law states.

In the future, state and municipal institutions and agencies must respond to citizens' applications (complaints, requests, proposals, or questions) within 10 working days, rather than within a month as has been the case so far.

However, the new deadline does not apply to all applications, but only to those that "fall within the competence" of that particular institution.

"By reducing the response time to 10 working days, we clearly show that citizens' time is valuable. At the same time, we have maintained flexibility in more complex cases where additional time is needed to assess information," explains the chair of the Saeima committee responsible for adopting this law.

If an institution needs to obtain additional data, contact other institutions, or analyze/process extensive information to prepare a response, it will still be able to respond within a month.

Applications submitted before March 1 will be processed according to the framework that was in effect before March 1, 2026.

KNAB Takes Whistleblowers Under Its Wing

The Bureau for Prevention and Combating Corruption (BPCB, KNAB) will officially become the single contact point for whistleblowers.

The Saeima has adopted amendments to the law in its final reading that expand the functions of the agency and make it the central link in the system for protecting those who report violations at work.

According to the adopted changes to the Whistleblower Protection Law (Trauksmes celšanas likums), KNAB will take on functions that were previously performed by the State Chancellery. From now on, the Bureau will not only accept reports but also monitor compliance with legislation in this area and propose improvements.

In addition, agency specialists will train responsible persons in public and private structures on how to properly work with informants.

One of the key tasks of the contact point will be dealing with "complicated" cases. If a person reports a violation but it is unclear which agency should handle it, KNAB will take charge of the matter. Thus, informants will no longer face bureaucratic football between different authorities.

The Number of Toll Roads Will Increase

The number of roads for which a road fee ("vignette") must be paid is increasing, and the vignettes themselves are becoming more expensive. The changes only affect trucks with a total weight exceeding 3000 kg (commercial vehicles).

For trucks, the fee will be charged not only on main roads but also on many regional roads that were previously used as bypass routes. The fee will apply to sections leading to the border points of Terehovo, Grebnevo, and Paternieki.

The cost of vignettes (road fees) for trucks will increase by approximately 38.5%.

The stated goal is that this money will be directed towards the maintenance and development of state roads.

How Much Will Alcohol Prices Increase?

Excise rates on alcohol (spirits, wines, beer) are significantly increasing, which will lead to price rises. These measures are aimed at increasing state revenues, explains the Ministry of Finance.

• Spirits: the excise tax will increase by 15 euros per 100 liters of absolute alcohol. This means the price of half a liter of spirits will rise by an average of 0.27–0.5 euros.

• Wine and Fermented Beverages: the excise on wine will increase from 134 to 148 euros per 100 liters, and on fermented beverages (up to 6%) from 77 to 85 euros. This means a bottle of wine (0.7 l) will become more expensive by 0.15–0.30 euros.

• Beer: the price increase is small - a few cents per bottle/can. However, the Latvian beer market is already in a prolonged slump.