Moving Guide

The personas kods is Latvia's equivalent of a national ID number - a unique personal identifier required for opening bank accounts, signing leases, accessing healthcare, registering a company, filing taxes, and nearly every administrative process. Getting it is the absolute first priority after arriving. EU citizens get it at PMLP by showing their passport; non-EU nationals get it with their residence permit or visa.

Riga Airport and city centre shops all have LMT, Tele2, and Bite SIM cards available immediately. Latvia has excellent 4G/LTE nationwide coverage and expanding 5G in Riga. A data plan costs €5–€20/month. Many Airbnbs include WiFi; coworking spaces provide fast internet; cafés in Centrs typically have good WiFi.

Citadele Banka is generally recommended as the most expat-friendly - they're experienced with non-resident and new-resident account openings and have English-language service. SEB Latvia and Swedbank are alternatives. Bring your personas kods, passport, proof of address in Latvia, and documentation of your income source. The AML (anti-money-laundering) review is thorough - be prepared to explain your income clearly.

Yes - EU pet passport and up-to-date rabies vaccination required for dogs, cats, and ferrets. Non-EU pets need a rabies vaccination, microchip, and health certificate from an authorised vet. Latvia applies standard EU pet import rules. No quarantine is required for compliant pets from most countries.

Logistically, 3–4 weeks to complete the core admin (identity code, bank account, GP, insurance). Socially, Latvians are initially reserved, so building a local network takes 2–3 months. The expat community is accessible quickly via Facebook groups and coworking events. Most expats report feeling genuinely 'at home' in Riga within 3–6 months.