Starting as of 1992 until the end of 2020 Latvia has issued:
- 7 583 436 passports, including:
- 1 221921 alien’s passports;
- 590 travel documents for persons, who have been granted an alternative status; 1980 travelling documents of a stateless person;
- 286 travelling documents of a refugee.
Beginning of the passport system
The word “passport”, when translated from French “passport” and Italian “passo”, means a step, a possibility to cross.
The beginning of passports can be found in 1672, when King Louis XIV of France forbade the inhabitants of the country to leave France and foreigners to enter France without passports.
In turn, during the reign of Peter I in the Russian Empire, the function of the passport was the guarantor of the functions of tax payment control. This passport system was valid in Latvia until 1919, when passports were issued to persons moving outside the country of permanent residence.
Passport during the 1st occupation of Latvia
During the first occupation of Latvia, when with the economic system collapsed, standardized trade in goods was introduced and notes on the purchase of deficit goods (clothing, sugar, etc.) were made in passports.
Domestic passport of a Latvian citizen
From 1918 to 1940, the Latvian domestic passport was a document for unlimited period of time and was required for every person over the age of 16. Foreign passports of the Latvian citizens, which were issued by the Latvian Embassy in Great Britain until 1992, were also issued for the Latvian citizens residing abroad of Latvia.
The issuance of foreign passports was suspended in Latvia after the occupation of Latvia in 1940.
Passport of the former USSR in Latvia
After the Second World War, the USSR passport system was introduced in Latvia. Two types of passports were issued - ordinary passports and foreign passports - as of 1974. The passport was for an unlimited period of time and was issued from the age of 16.
After the renewal of the Republic of Latvia
With the restoration of Latvia's independence on 4 May 1991, the issue of what identity documents should be used by the citizens of the restored Latvia in their country and during their trips abroad became topical.
A compromise decision was made to continue using the documents being at the disposal of inhabitants.
The passport of a Latvian citizen was valid in the territory of Latvia until 31 December 1997, for aliens - until 31 March 2000.
At the same time, new Latvian identity documents were developed - a Latvian citizen's passport, a Latvian diplomatic passport and a stateless person's identity card.
1992 - we start issuing passports of Latvian citizens
The names of columns in the passport of Latvian citizens were in Latvian. Initially, passports were issued by the State Police, but in May 1994 this responsibility was transferred to the Office due to the fact that the passport system was closely related to the Population Register, which has been under the competence of the Office since the beginning of establishment thereof.
Passports were personalized in 37 places in Latvia and in the largest representative offices abroad.
In 1997, the issuing of the Latvian alien’s passports was started, which was intended for use in Latvia and abroad.
Staring as of 31 March 2000, the use of domestic passports of the former USSR was discontinued.
Passports with biometric data
In 2002, we started to issue a passport of a new model to the residents of Latvia, which was developed in accordance with the recommendations of the Council of the European Union, both in terms of content and structure, as well as security requirements.
Passport paper was especially produced for Latvian passports, incorporating multi-tone watermarks with images of flying cranes.
After joining the European Union in 2007, we started to issue passports, the microchips of which included information on personal biometric data - facial images and fingerprints. These requirements were corresponding with the highest passport security standards.
Passports with Latvian symbols
In 2015, we started issuing the Latvian citizen's passports of the fourth model with modern protection against counterfeiting and a new visual appearance. The General Song and Dance Festival, which is an essential part of the national identity, was selected as the main theme.
The first opening of the passport depicts a theme from the Midsummer flag at the first Song Festival in 1873 and a fragment from the first printed version of the Latvian anthem as well as the coat of arms of the Republic of Latvia.
The inside pages of the passport display a motive from the Song and Dance Festival procession, but the last opening of the passport shows a motive from the closing concert of the festival.
The unifying graphic element is the Lielvārde belt, but the design of several passport protective elements (such as, a watermark) also depicts: a pair of folk dances, a folk musical instrument kokle (a Latvian national musical instrument similar to the harp/zither), words and music type of the anthem of the Republic of Latvia, a morning star - one of derivatives of the symbol of star in the Latvian ornaments.