Latvia begins revoking residence permits of Russian citizens

Latvian authorities have started cancelling residence permits held by Russian citizens. So far, attempts to contest these decisions in the country’s courts have not been successful.

Dmitry Kasatkin, the acting chargé d’affaires of Russia in Riga, told RIA Novosti that while Russians are filing lawsuits in Latvian courts, no cases have yet resulted in rulings in their favour. However, he noted that affected individuals still have the option to pursue international mechanisms for protecting their rights.

Kasatkin also cited statistics from Latvian migration authorities: over the three years since the rules for reissuing residence permits were implemented — affecting around 30,000 Russians — nearly half have obtained permanent EU residency. Meanwhile, 5,900 individuals received temporary residence permits, and 3,900 are still undergoing the legalisation process. Approximately 3,000 people have left Latvia voluntarily, and 10 were deported.

The diplomat emphasised the humanitarian dimension of the situation, pointing out that the changes in migration law primarily affect elderly residents, who often struggle with bureaucratic procedures and meeting the requirement to pass the Latvian language exam.

By Tamilla Hasanova