Latvia raises maximum prison term for organising illegal migration to 12 years
On 15 October, Latvia's parliament adopted in the final reading amendments to the Criminal Law that increase penalties for illegally moving people across the border and enabling illegal residence. In the most serious cases, the maximum sentence is 12 years in prison.
Latvia's parliament, the Saeima, adopted amendments to the Criminal Law in the final reading on Thursday, 15 October, tightening liability for illegally moving people across the state border and for enabling illegal residence in the country. In the most serious cases, the maximum prison sentence is now 12 years. The changes aim to strengthen border security and target those who organise or support illegal migration.
How the penalties change
For illegally transporting a person across the border, the maximum sentence has been doubled from three to six years. For more serious forms of the offence, the upper limit has risen from six to eight years and from eight to ten years. If the offence is committed during a regime of reinforced border protection, or during a state of emergency declared because of a threat to the border, the maximum goes up from ten to twelve years.
Harsher penalties also apply to knowingly enabling a person to stay in Latvia illegally, and to maliciously helping someone obtain legal residence rights in Latvia, another European Union member state, a European Economic Area country or Switzerland. For these offences too, the maximum is raised to six years, and to eight or ten years in the most serious cases.
Statistics and rationale
Data from the Ministry of the Interior show that 124 criminal proceedings were launched over illegal transportation of people across the border in the first eight months of 2026, compared with 52 in all of 2025. For organising illegal residence, 84 proceedings were launched in 2025 and 54 in 2024.
Justice Minister Edvards Smiltēns said that people who organise illegal movement across the border or knowingly help others stay in Latvia illegally endanger national security, and that their liability must match the danger of these crimes. He stressed that the amendments complement the daily work of border guards and other services.
The amendments were prepared together with the Ministry of Justice and are part of the measures carried out under Operation "Vilkatis" to strengthen security on Latvia's eastern border. The defence, interior and justice sectors cooperate in this effort.
