As of 1 July 2017 an individual personal identity number, starting with the digits “32” will be allocated to all persons, regarding whom information will be included in the Population Register (initial registration of a person).
The personal identity number shall consist of eleven digits, ensuring non-repeating of personal identity numbers. The first digits of the personal identity number shall be “32”, but the rest of digits shall be digits from “0” to “9” automatically and casually generated by the system. The new personal identity number, starting with “32” will be permanent, except the case, when a person is being adopted.
As of 1 July 2017 a person shall be entitled to change the personal identity number ONCE PERSONALLY, if a personal identity number, containing the date of birth (personal identity numbers until 30 June 2017 including), is allocated to the person. Change of the personal identity number shall be free of charge.
It shall not be possible to select a combination of digits for the personal identity number and after the change of the personal identity number a person will not be able to change his or her mind and to recover the previous personal identity number, because the Population Register shall generate it automatically once!
The personal identity number, containing the date of birth, may be changed during the whole life of the person, by submitting a submission in presence to any division of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) or in the representative office of the Republic of Latvia abroad.
In the presence of an application, it is currently possible to submit only a prior record for the change of an identity document.
[!] After change of the personal identity number:
- a personal identity document (passport and/or personal identity card) shall become invalid for use;
- a person shall have a duty (as of the age of 15 years) to submit documents within 30 days for receipt of a new personal identity document (passport and/or personal identity card), regarding which the state fee is to be paid;
- it is necessary to change all documents, specifying the personal identity number allocated to the person in Latvia (such as driver’s licence, personalised card, student’s, disabled person’s or pensioner’s card, electronic signature etc.). If the issuing authority issues or changes these documents for a fee, then change of the personal identity number shall not serve as a reason to exempt the person from payment for receipt of a new document;
- if a personal identity number is changed for a child of minor age and the child is recorded in the passport of his or her parents with the personal identity number, parents will have to receive a new passport, including updated information on the child, if the parents want to travel together with the child or, for example, present the passport with entry on the child in another authority. The state fee is to be paid for receipt of a new passport.
Necessary documents:
- personal identity document - a passport or personal identity card (eID);
- submission regarding the change of the personal identity number (for each person separately);
- certificate of birth if the child of minor age will receive the personal identity document for the first time after the change of the personal identity number.
Samples of submission for change of the personal identity number:
- Submission, if the person wants to change the personal identity number for the one, which does not specify the date of birth. Submission may be submitted also by a person with restricted capacity, if no restriction of capacity to turn to state authorities is not determined for him or her;
- Submission, if the willing to change the personal identity number for a child (being under the age of 18) for the one, which does not specify the date of birth. Submission shall be submitted by a legal representative of the child - father, mother of both together, or a guardian(-s). If the minor person is in the age between 15 and 18 years, a consent and presence of the child shall be necessary;
- Submission,if a minor person, who has a restricted capacity and a restriction for capacity to turn to state authorities is determined, wants to change the personal identity number for the one, which does not specify the date of birth. Submission shall be submitted by a person together with the guardian appointed for him or her.
Change of the personal identity number and preparation of a new personal identity document is possible during one visit of the OCMA division. Next visit shall be receipt of a new personal identity document.
When changing a personal identity number allocated to the person until 30 June 2017 (including), a new identity shall not be obtained, because the previous personal identity number shall be stored in historical entries of the Population Register.
Other services:
- Free e-service “Compliance of personal identity numbers for one person” is established, where the compliance of two personal identity numbers, specified by the e-service user, with one person may be verified. Service is available for authenticated users and within the framework of it the personal identity numbers allocated for a person in Latvia are verified.
- Module for verification of correctness of the personal identity number (hereinafter - Module) is a module to be integrated in certain programming environments (currently JavaScript and NET), enabling to ascertain, whether the personal identity number is syntactically correct. During the course of verification turning to the Population Register is not taking place and it is not verified, whether the personal identity number to be verified is updated, whether it is allocated to any person. The personal identity number to be verified may be syntactically correct, but probably not allocated to any person.
In order to receive the Module, it is necessary to send a request to the OCMA regarding the issue the Module’s standard software, specifying for what purpose such verification module for personal identity numbers is necessary. As well as it is necessary to indicate in what programming environment (currently available in JavaScript and NET) the Module is required. Payment details shall be specified in the request, in order it would be possible for OCMA to issue an invoice for paid service .