Working in Latvia from Brazil: Visa, Permit, Costs (2026)

Moving from Brazil to Latvia for work is a realistic option, but you must follow the correct legal steps before spending money or leaving your job back home. Latvia is a Baltic nation in the European Union that actively hires international workers for technical and manual roles in logistics, construction, and production. However, compared to countries like Portugal or Poland, Latvia has a smaller job market and fewer consular processing slots in South America. If you want a fast transition or need to work in Portuguese, Portugal or Poland may offer simpler routes. But if you have a genuine job offer from a Latvian company, the immigration process is direct when done properly.

As a Brazilian passport holder, you can enter the Schengen area for up to 90 days as a tourist without a visa, but you cannot legally work in Latvia on a tourist entry. You cannot enter Riga, find a job, and start working on the spot. You must secure a work permit and a national long-stay visa before you can legally earn money in Latvia.

The Legal Permit Route: Who Applies First?

To work legally in Latvia in a skilled or manual trade, you need a National Long-Stay Visa (Type D) combined with a work permit, or a Temporary Residence Permit (TRP) based on employment. In Latvian law, the process starts entirely with the employer, not the worker.

First, the hiring company in Latvia must register the job opening with the State Employment Agency (NVA - Nodarbinātības valsts aģentūra). If no qualified Latvian or EU citizen fills the position after the required listing period, the employer submits an official invitation (ielūgums) to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP - Pārvalde par pilsonības un migrācijas lietām).

Once the PMLP approves the employer's request, they issue an official invitation number. Only after receiving this number can you submit your visa application. As a applicant based in Brazil, you submit your application through the Embassy of Latvia in Brasília or the official visa application centre serving Brazil.

Trades Genuinely Hiring Foreign Workers in Latvia

Latvian companies turn to international recruitment to fill labor shortages in key industrial sectors.

• Heavy vehicle drivers: Transport and logistics companies hire C and CE category drivers with valid international driving qualifications to operate freight routes across Northern and Central Europe.
• Construction trade specialists: Welders, formwork carpenters, and concrete workers are recruited for commercial developments, residential building projects, and civil infrastructure.
• Food processing workers: Fish, meat, and agricultural processing facilities routinely employ manual operators for factory assembly lines and packaging operations.

Required Documents and Legalization in Brazil

Gathering documents in Brazil requires careful preparation because official papers must meet Latvian legal standards. You cannot simply present standard Brazilian documents without formal verification.

The main documents required for your visa application include:

• Valid Brazilian passport: Must be valid for at least three months beyond your planned stay in Latvia and contain at least two blank pages.
• Signed employment contract: A formal agreement or binding offer from the Latvian employer detailing your role, salary, working hours, and workplace location.
• Brazilian police clearance: An official Federal Police record (Atestado de Antecedentes Criminais) showing no criminal record.
• Proof of qualifications: Trade certificates, diplomas, or your official employment record book (Carteira de Trabalho) demonstrating your experience in the trade.
• Health insurance: Travel medical insurance valid for the Schengen area until you are covered by local state health or private company insurance.
• Biometrics: Facial photographs and digital fingerprints taken during your application appointment.

Because both Brazil and Latvia are signatories to the Hague Convention, you do not need to legalise documents at the embassy. Instead, your Brazilian public documents (such as police clearance and trade certificates) must receive an Apostille (Apostila de Haia) at an authorised Brazilian notary public (cartório). Once apostilled, documents must be translated by a certified sworn translator (tradutor juramentado) into English or Latvian as specified by the embassy.

Official Fees, Processing Times, and Real Worker Costs

It is critical to separate official immigration fees paid to the government from your individual preparation costs in Brazil.

The official government processing fees for a Latvian Type D visa are set by Latvia and generally range from approximately €60 to €150, depending on the visa type and processing speed. Approval times at the PMLP stage take approximately 10 to 30 days, while consular processing at the embassy typically takes approximately 15 to 30 days after your appointment.

Your personal preparation costs in Brazil will include the following realistic estimates:

• Hague Apostille in Brazil: Approximately 100 to 200 BRL (€15 to €35) per document at a local cartório.
• Sworn translation: Approximately 100 to 250 BRL (€15 to €40) per document or page.
• Police clearance: Issued free online by Federal Police, though cartório apostille and translation costs apply.
• Medical certificate: Approximately 150 to 350 BRL (€25 to €55) for required health assessments.
• Flight ticket to Riga: Approximately 3,500 to 7,500 BRL (€600 to €1,200) depending on baggage and booking timing.

Regarding placement fees: Under European regulations and Latvian employment law, employers carry recruitment costs and official application fees. No recruiter, middleman, or employer may legally charge you a fee in exchange for giving you a job. Watch out for illegal operators in Brazil demanding thousands of Reais for guaranteed employment or fast-track visas.

Myths vs facts

• Myth: You can enter Latvia as a tourist and convert your status to a work permit locally.
  Fact: Brazilian citizens cannot convert tourist entries into work permits inside Latvia. Your visa must be processed through consular channels before you travel.
• Myth: A work permit from Portugal or Poland allows you to work legally in Latvia.
  Fact: National work permits are country-specific. A permit issued in another country does not authorize employment with a Latvian employer.
• Myth: You can pay an agency to guarantee a Latvian work visa.
  Fact: No commercial agency can guarantee a visa decision. Approval rests solely with the Latvian PMLP and consular officials.
• Myth: You must speak fluent Latvian before you apply for a trade job.
  Fact: Many industrial employers accept basic English or Russian on job sites, though learning basic Latvian helps with daily living and safety.

Before you sign

• Verify the PMLP invitation: Ensure your employer registered the job with the NVA and obtained an official invitation approval from the PMLP.
• Check your written contract: Ensure your hourly rate, working hours, exact work location, and overtime rules are clearly stated in writing.
• Confirm document apostilles: Verify that your Brazilian police check and qualification papers carry official Hague Apostille stamps from a cartório.
• Reject placement fee demands: Never pay an agent or company money in exchange for a job offer or employment contract.
• Check accommodation details: Clarify whether accommodation is provided, deducted from salary, or your own responsibility.
• Check passport validity: Make sure your Brazilian passport has at least 18 months of total validity remaining to cover your permit period.

Build your profile on Workuro

If you are a Brazilian worker looking to bring your manual or skilled trade to Europe, creating an accurate profile is the best place to start. List your specific trade skills, your actual years of experience, and your document status, such as whether you hold a valid passport or police record. Highlight your driver's license categories or technical certifications, as European employers search profiles to find reliable workers directly. Workuro is free for workers - employers pay to search the register, and nobody may charge you for a job.