Latvia - Apply for Citizenship

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Procedure

• To register as a Latvian Citizen applicanrs must submit notarized copies of all required documents witnessed by any regional branch of the OCMA.

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Required Documents

Persons who have been living in Latvia beginning June 17, 1940

• passport of a citizen of Latvia (issued till June 17, 1940)
• birth certificate (issued till June 17, 1940) in which belonging of a parent or parents to the citizenship of Latvia have been indicated
• certificate from the archives or a registry office
• court decision on stating the fact on a person' s belonging to the citizenship of Latvia
• another document directly indicating a person' s belonging to the citizenship of Latvia on June 17, 1940

Latvians and Livonians whose permanent place of residence is in Latvia

• passport with an entry as to nationality (ethnic origin) "Latvian" or "Livonian" or a permission to change an entry as to nationality (ethnic origin) to "Latvian" or "Livonian"
• birth certificate or another document in which a parent has been indicated as a Latvian or a Livonian if a person hands in a passport, which has been issued till August 21, 1991 or a passport in which no information as to nationality ( ethnic origin) is given

Persons whose permanent place of residence is in Latvia

• certificate issued by an educational establishment of the archives as to having done a full educational course in primary or general education schools with the Latvian language as a language of instruction.

Women, whose permanent place of residence is in Latvia

• passport of a citizen of Latvia (issued till June 17, 1940)
• birth certificate (issued till June 17, 1940) in which belonging of a parent or parents to the citizenship of Latvia have been indicated
• certificate from the archives or a registry office
• a court decision on stating the fact on a person' s belonging to the citizenship of Latvia; another document directly indicating a person' s belonging to the citizenship of Latvia on June 17, 1940
• document attesting a person' s marriage with an alien due to which a person lost the citizenship of Latvia.

Office Locations & Contacts

The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs

Info phone: 8300

Head of OCMA: Vilnis Jekabsons

Telephone: 67219183

Email: [email protected]

Fax: 67829825

Address: Riga, Ciekurkalna 1st line, 1, building 3

The reception time of the Head every first Friday of the month from 10.00 (with preliminary signing up phone: 67829773)

Persons Identification Documents Department

Inguss Treiguts

Telephone: 67219183

Email: [email protected]

Fax: 67829825

Address: Riga, Ciekurkalna 1st line, 1, building 3

For Regional Divisions: http://www.pmlp.gov.lv/en/home/contacts/pmlp-divisions/

For Diplomatic and Consular Representations: http://www.mfa.gov.lv/en/mission/

Eligibility

Persons who can register as Latvian Citizens:

• Persons who have been living in Latvia beginning June 17, 1940, and their descendants who have registered in the Residents' Register Office in accordance with the procedures as prescribed by law, except persons who have acquired the citizenship (nationality) of another state after May 4, 1990.
• Latvians and Livonians whose permanent place of residence is in Latvia and who have registered in the Residents' Register Office in accordance with the procedures as prescribed by law and who do not have citizenship (nationality) of another state, or who have received an expatriation permit from the state of their former citizenship (nationality), if such a permit is provided for by the laws of that state.
• Persons who have been living permanently in Latvia, who have registered in the Population register in accordance with the procedures as prescribed by law, and who have done a full educational course in general education schools with the Latvian language as a language of instruction, or have done a full educational course in general education schools with the Latvian language as a language of instruction and the Russian language as a language of instruction but in the Latvian language, thereby acquiring a basic primary or a general secondary education if these persons do not have the citizenship (nationality) of another state, or if they have received an expatriation permit from the state of their former citizenship (nationality), if such permit is provided for by the laws of that state. Their minor children up to the age of fifteen who permanently reside in Latvia shall also acquire citizenship at the same time as these persons.
• Women, living permanently in Latvia and who had lost their citizenship (nationality) of Latvia in accordance with the Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Latvia (August 23, 1919) and their descendants, if these persons have registered in the Residents' Register Office in accordance with the procedures as prescribed by law, except for persons who have acquired the citizenship (nationality) of another state after May 4,1990

Fees

Explain the fees structure which is required for obtaining the certificate/document.

Validity

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to Use

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Sample Documents

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Processing Time

Please explain the processing your application.    

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type="website">video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the "&" inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver, 
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M" Video ID is "Y0US7oR_t3M". 
	

Instructions

The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs is the only institution authorized to solve the issues related to naturalization or loss of citizenship.

Required Information

A list which displays the kind of information which is required to complete the procedure.
e.g.
1. Date of Birth.
2. City or County of Birth.

Need for the Document

Citizenship represents the link between a person and a state or an association of states. Possession of citizenship is normally associated with the right to work and live in a country and to participate in political life.

Information which might help

Riga Working Hours

Monday 08:00 - 20:00

Tuesday 08:00 - 20:00

Wednesday 08:00 - 20:00

Thursday 08:00 - 20:00

Friday 08:00 - 20:00

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

• Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs:

http://www.pmlp.gov.lv/en/home/citizenship/registration-of-citizenship.html

Others

More information which might help people.