The right to seek asylum in Latvia, including obtaining refugee status, alternative status, or temporary protection, is regulated by the Asylum Law. Asylum can be requested by third-country nationals or stateless persons who are outside their country of origin and seek legal protection in Latvia.

Applications must be submitted in person to the State Border Guard, either at a border crossing point, a transit zone, or a territorial office within Latvia. Applicants must submit all available documents before a final decision is made, unless they have other legal grounds to reside in Latvia (e.g., a valid visa or residence permit). Instead, the State Border Guard issues an asylum seeker's identity document to an asylum seeker who is not detained.

An application for granting refugee or alternative status in the Republic of Latvia is examined by OCMA.

If the person lacks legal residency grounds, they are accommodated in the Asylum Seekers Accommodation Center “Mucenieki” during the process. The State Border Guard also issues an identity document to non-detained asylum seekers.

Issued Documents 

  • Asylum seeker receives an identity document from the State Border Guard, which allows them to stay in the accommodation center and leave it with permission.

  • Refugee is granted a permanent residence permit and a travel document, which also serves as an identity document.

  • Person with alternative status receives a temporary residence permit and, if needed, a travel document.

After receiving the documents submitted by the asylum seeker from the State Border Guard, the OCMA shall, within 10 working days, make a decision on accepting the asylum seeker’s application for consideration, indicating the date, time and place of the personal interview with the asylum seeker.

The personal interview with the asylum seeker must take place within a month of the adoption of the aforementioned decision, and shall be conducted by the OCMA employees.

After the personal interview, OCMA shall, within three months, make a decision on granting or refusing to grant refugee or alternative status, but the decision on granting or refusing to grant refugee or alternative status shall be made in total no later than six months after the asylum application.

The decision-making period may be extended by another nine months, thus the total decision-making period may reach 15 months.

 

 

Refugee status may be applied for by any person, except Latvian citizens, non-citizens, and those granted stateless person status in Latvia.

It may be granted if the person has a well-founded fear of persecution in their country of citizenship or previous residence (if stateless), based on specific grounds:

  • race,

  • religion,

  • ethnic origin,

  • nationality,

  • social background,

  • political affiliation.

Any person, except citizens of the Republic of Latvia, non-citizens and persons who have received the status of a stateless person in Latvia, may apply for the alternative status. 

Alternative status may be granted if there are grounds to believe that a person:

  • is at risk of the death penalty, corporal punishment, torture, or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in their country of citizenship or previous country of residence (including stateless persons);

  • cannot return to their country of citizenship or previous residence due to international or internal armed conflicts.

Temporary protection may be granted to groups of persons who have left their country due to ethnic conflicts or civil war. It entitles them to reside in Latvia for a certain period. The decision is made by the Cabinet of Ministers.

Accelerated procedures may be applied in individual cases under Section 33 of the Asylum Law, allowing a decision on refugee or alternative status within 20 business days after the personal interview.

  • Both refugees and persons with alternative status have the right to family reunification and to receive an allowance.

  • Refugees additionally have the right to freely leave and return to Latvia and can receive an allowance for learning the official language.