Living in Latvia as a French National: Cities, Settling In, Schooling, Safety and Cost of Living

Latvia is a member of the European Union and the Schengen area, and uses the euro: a French national travels there without a visa, with the same currency as in France. The French Treasury (Direction générale du Trésor) observes an economic recovery after weak years, driven by public consumption and wages, and a manufacturing sector benefiting from external demand.

• An approved French lycée: the Jules-Verne international French lycée in Riga, a partner of the AEFE network, covers the whole of schooling.
• A normal vigilance level: France Diplomatie rates the whole country at normal vigilance and describes a generally safe and calm country.
• Online procedures: the latvija.gov.lv portal brings together public services, including the residence declaration, with an English version.
• A human-scale capital: Riga concentrates services, the French embassy and the hospitals, and the Baltic Sea is close.

The points to watch should be known from the preparation stage: the Latvian language, cold winters, and a health system where adults pay for their dental care and a share of consultations (see healthcare reimbursement in Latvia).

Riga, the capital and main employment hub, is home to the French embassy, the French lycée and most international companies. France Diplomatie recommends caution at night near the station and the central market, avoiding parks and poorly lit, little-frequented places, and flags pickpockets in busy places (old Riga, stations, markets). Jūrmala, a seaside resort close to the capital, Liepāja, a port on the west coast, and Sigulda, in the Gauja National Park, attract for their quality of life.

France Diplomatie specifies that the drone incursions recorded in the east of the country give rise to yellow alerts (potential threat) and orange alerts (confirmed threat, immediate shelter), received on the phone according to location. This benchmark helps in choosing a place of residence and in identifying a shelter in advance.

The minimum wage is close to €780 gross per month, well below the French level (Eurostat). This figure gives a sense of a local household’s budget; the real cost of an expatriation project depends on the neighbourhood, the size of the home and the lifestyle.

• Housing: rents and purchase prices vary widely between Riga, the coast and small towns; the Latvian statistics office publishes the reference statistics.
• Tax: an employee benefits from a fixed monthly tax-free minimum and a deduction per dependant, revised each year (Latvian Ministry of Finance).
• Health: care is funded mainly by taxation, with a patient charge for each consultation and a hospital daily charge; see the healthcare system in Latvia.
• Currency: the euro, with no exchange-rate risk for a French budget.

The guide on budgeting for health abroad helps you build medical costs into the overall budget.

France Diplomatie specifies that French nationals should carry a valid national identity card or passport for the whole length of their stay. Identity cards issued to adults between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2013 remain valid five years after the date printed on the back; the Latvian authorities officially accept this extension, but a passport is strongly recommended.

• Permanent stay of more than 90 days: an EU citizen applies for a registration certificate, according to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP); the list of documents can be consulted on its website.
• Residence declaration: it is made on the latvija.gov.lv portal through an online service, or at the municipality of the place of residence; the cost on site is €4.27 (latvija.gov.lv).
• Personal identification number: it is assigned to the holder of a residence permit; the procedure is detailed by the PMLP.
• Family: non-European family members follow their own rules, to be checked with the PMLP.

Registration on the register of French nationals living abroad, with the embassy in Riga, completes the settling-in for anyone staying more than six months. France Diplomatie does not itself detail residence formalities beyond three months and refers to the embassy (9 Raina bulvāris, Riga).

The AEFE profile presents the Jules-Verne international French lycée in Riga as a partner establishment of the network, with 529 pupils and 15 levels, from the first year of nursery school to the final year of lycée, all approved; the CNED (the French distance-learning centre) is not involved. The school is at Patversmes iela 20 in Riga. The French embassy manages school grants: the pupil must be of French nationality, their parents registered on the register of French nationals living abroad, and the child enrolled in an approved establishment.

Families who prefer local education will find Latvian public schools and international schools. The choice depends on the children’s age, the length of stay and the planned return to France. The approval of each level should be checked with the school and the AEFE before enrolling. Children under 18 are exempt from the patient charge for routine care (CLEISS); see also expat family insurance.

France Diplomatie rates the whole country at normal vigilance and describes a generally safe and calm country. The terrorist risk is described as low, without being ruled out.

• Theft: pickpockets target busy places; tourists report excessive bills and fraudulent use of bank cards in certain nightlife venues in the city centre, where it is advised to avoid using the card.
• Drone alerts: follow the authorities’ instructions received on the phone; the yellow alert calls for caution, the orange alert for immediate shelter.
• Sea and ice: in a storm, avoid swimming in the Baltic, in particular at Kolka where the current can be strong; it is forbidden to walk on the frozen public waters of Riga and on public coastal waters, with rare exceptions.
• Documents: keep a scanned copy of your passport and driving licence, know the card-blocking number for your bank card and take the EHIC with travel insurance including repatriation.
• Emergencies: 112, the police on 110 and the ambulance on 113; the 112 Latvija application gives instructions, with some functions in English.

Latvia has cold winters and mild summers; as no readings were taken from an official source, no temperature figure is given here, and the Latvian meteorological centre publishes the normals. Winter clothing and good insulation of the home are among a newcomer’s first purchases.

The official language is Latvian; English is widely spoken in international sectors, but Latvian makes employment, paperwork and social life easier.

On the health side, up-to-date French vaccinations are advised, and France Diplomatie mentions tick-borne encephalitis for stays in rural or wooded areas. For an overview of cover, see expat health insurance; Expavy helps you compare the options according to your status and budget.