Latvia has instructed 841 Russian citizens to leave the country by Oct. 13, saying they failed to meet new residency conditions that include proving basic Latvian language skills and passing national security checks, according to Politico on Oct. 10.
The move follows a series of legal changes tightening the rules for Russian nationals wishing to remain in the Baltic country.
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Amendments tightened Latvia’s Immigration Law in 2022 after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and were subsequently reinforced in 2024.
The updated rules require Russian citizens to obtain EU long-term resident status, demonstrate at least A-2 proficiency in Latvian, and pass security and background screenings by June 30, 2025 to remain in the country legally.
Officials say roughly 30,000 Russians were affected by the policy shift, and Politico reported that around 2,600 of them voluntarily left Latvia as a result. The remainder must now either comply with the regulations or leave.
According to the outlet, the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) confirmed that 841 people had missed the deadline to submit the required documents and have been formally notified to exit the country by Oct. 13.
Speaking to Latvian Television’s “De facto” program, Maira Roze, the OCMA chief, said many Russians did not even realize the law had changed until they lost access to state benefits.
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“Only when they are no longer paid a pension do they realize something is wrong,” she said. “Then they call. Why am I not being paid my pension? We tell them: You have no residence permit. They ask: Where is my residence permit? We say: You should comply with the law.”
OCMA’s head of public relations, Madara Puke, said that if any individuals attempt to stay after Oct.13, it will be “unlawful” and access to social service will be withdrawn.
Authorities may have to respond with forced deportation in the event of persistent non-compliance without justification.
It was also reported on Oct. 10 that, alarmed by Moscow’s huge military spending, the Baltic states are drawing up contingency plans for mass evacuations triggered by a Russian troop buildup or attack.
Latvia estimates that a third of its 1.9 million people could leave their homes if invaded, Reuters reported, citing Ivars Nakurts, the deputy head of the country’s State Fire and Rescue Service.
Latvia intensified its focus on national security as tensions with Moscow mounted over recent months.
In May, it called on all European Union states to suspend visas for Russian citizens, citing concerns over a suspected Kremlin-backed sabotage campaign across Europe.
In February, Baltic states Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia disconnected from the Russian power grid in an effort to sever their Soviet-era energy ties with Moscow.
All three states had stopped purchasing Russian gas and electricity after the invasion, but their power grids remained connected to Russia and Belarus.