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Latvia is one of the well-known student destinations for good universities and the low-maintenance lifestyle it offers. The country is known for its cultural heritage and natural beauty. Along with the picturesque landscape, the country offers students a high-quality education system. A lot of students post the completion of the program wish to stay back and work in Latvia. To find employment opportunities students need extra time in the country. The permit to stay in the country after the education program is over is offered by the Latvia post study work visa.
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What Is Latvia Post Study Work Visa
The Latvia post study work visa is a type of visa that is made for students who have recently graduated with a master’s, bachelor’s, or PhD from a university in Latvia. The visa allows them to stay in the country for the students after their student visa expires. This is to find employment. The students can look for a job, do an internship, or set up a business. The country is an innovation hub and a hotspot for startups.
- The students who have pursued a master’s are given a residence permit for the duration of the course and an additional four months to look for a job or enroll in a master’s.
- The students who have pursued master’s or PhD, are given an extra permit of four months to look for the employment opportunity.
The students from master’s and doctorate programs can also apply for an additional 9 months of permit post studies to look for a job. The grant of this permit is completely dependent on the Office of Citizen and Migration Affairs and your conduct in the country during your stay as a student.
Requirements For The Latvia Post Study Work Permit
The following are the eligibility requirements for the 4-month extra stay work permit in Latvia:
- You should have completed a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from an institute in Latvia
- You should know the Latvian language and have a proof of it
- You should have no criminal record or else your work permit can be terminated
- You should have proof of the availability of the finances to be able to financially support yourself during your stay in the country without any trouble
Also Read: Study in Latvia without IELTS
Application Process For Latvia Post Study Work Visa
There is no need to put up a special application for the extra 4-month grant. The student residence permit already allows you to have the permit for the post-education residence too. The student residence permit comes with an extra 4 months to stay in the country for the search of education program in case of a bachelor’s and to look for employment in case of PhD and master’s.
- If you are a Ph.D. or Doctoral student and the 4 months that have been offered to you are over, you can apply for 9 months of extra time or a permit.
- The application for the 9-month extra post-study permit has to be put in physical format to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs
- The provision of the permit is not guaranteed, the decision completely lies in the hands of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs
- The decision on the permit will be made after the check of your stay in the country as a student, the criminal record if in case you hold, or any type of indiscipline that you might and might not have made.
Visa Options After Latvia Post Study Work Visa
The students who can land themself a job or a business setup in the post-study work permit duration can then obtain the following visa to continue to stay in the country and pursue their job or business:
This visa is for people who have secured employment in the country. To get this visa you need to provide job offer proof, qualification proof, and pass a medical fitness test.
Watch the video below to learn how to get a work visa after completing studies in Latvia
Entrepreneur Visa
This visa is for people who have already started a business or have a concrete business plan and can prove that their business will be successful in generating income.
Residential permit
You are eligible to get a Latvia residence permit if you secure a permanent job, start a business, or have close family ties in the country like if your spouse is a citizen of Latvia.
Read this Guide for Part Time Jobs in Latvia
Latvia Post-Study Work Visa: Cost & Processing Times
After completing your education you can obtain a work permit or a residence permit. A temporary residence permit (TRP) can cost EUR 100 and is valid for a year. Apart from that, you need to pay the processing fee of EUR 14.23. For documentation translation, you might have to pay additional charges. Generally, a TRP is processed within 30 days. However, in some cases, it can take up to 90 days. By paying an additional fee, you can get the same within 5 days. The additional charges can be EUR 400.
On the other hand, to obtain the work permit a payment of EUR 60 is needed. The Lativa work permit processing time is between 7-10 working days. Before applying, you need to get a mandatory health examination. The cost of this health examination is between EUR50-EUR100. You will get the results within a few days.
FAQs
Latvia is the hotspot for startups and is the hub for innovations. It can be very interesting and rewarding to work in the country. There are ample opportunities and development ways in there for recent graduate students.
There is no extra cost for the Latvia post study work visa. The permit is granted at the same time as that of the student visa. It is just a 4-month-extended permit on the student visa to look for employment opportunities and hence costs no extra money.
If you are successful in securing an employment source in the country be it in the form of a job or self-employment, you become eligible for a residence permit. Apart from this, even if your spouse or close daily member is a citizen of Latvia, you can get a residence permit for the country.
For Bachelor’s degree, a gap of 5 years is acceptable. For Master’s a gap of 10 years is acceptable in the country
A master’s student can work for 20 hours a week. During the holiday period, they can work full time for 40 hours a week.
This was all about Latvia post study work visa. To read more such informative blogs, follow Student Visa Archives. To learn about studying abroad, follow Leverage Edu.
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