Pursuant to the amendments to the Citizenship Law which came into force on 1 October in 2013, citizenship of Latvia may be retained for persons who have acquired:
- Citizenship of another EU Member State or another EFTA Member State;
- Citizenship of another NATO Member State;
- Citizenship of Australia, Brazil or New Zealand;
- Citizenship of such a country with which Latvia has concluded an agreement on the recognition of dual citizenship (no such agreement is currently concluded);
- Citizenship of a country not referred to previously if due to important national interests permission from the Cabinet is received to retain dual citizenship;
- Citizenship of a country not referred to previously if it has been acquired automatically (ex lege) through marriage or as a result of adoption.
Children of citizens of Latvia may hold dual citizenship with any country.
However, we would like to point out that, pursuant to the Citizenship Law, a citizen of Latvia, for whom dual citizenship has formed with an unpermitted country will, after reaching the age of majority, have to make a choice between citizenship of Latvia and citizenship of the unpermitted country by the age of 25. This obligation does not refer to a citizen of Latvia whose citizenship of Latvia has been registered as for a descendent of an exile or who holds dual citizenship with a permitted country.
Persons registering citizenship of Latvia as Latvians or Livs, or exiles will have the right to retain dual citizenship with any country. After acquiring citizenship of Latvia new citizenship of another country may only be acquired in accordance with the general provisions (permitted countries, permission from the Cabinet, marriage, adoption).
The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs invites citizens of Latvia who have acquired citizenship of another country to follow Article 15 of the Register of Natural Persons, namely to provide information about acquiring citizenship of another country.
In order to notify the acquisition of citizenship of another state, Latvian citizens need to submit a document certifying the existence of citizenship of another state, such as a passport, identity card or citizenship certificate and personal identification document of a Latvian citizen.
Documents can currently be submitted to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs only remotely:
- by sending e-mail to the one of the OCMA territorial division, signed with an electronic signature;
- using the official electronic eAddress;
- by post to the one of the OCMA territorial division.
Documents may also be submitted to the nearest diplomatic or consular representation of Latvia in foreign states. For possible means of submitting documents, please contact the mission in question or watch on the Internet: https://www.mfa.gov.lv/en/latvias-embassies-and-consulates
At the same time, if it is necessary to verify the legal strength of the original document or the accuracy of the derivative of the document, the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs may at any time request that the original document be produced.
Pursuant to the Citizenship Law, if a citizen of Latvia may also, in accordance with foreign laws, be simultaneously considered a citizen of the relevant foreign country, he or she is considered solely a citizen of Latvia in legal relations with the Republic of Latvia.
Important!
A citizen of Latvia who has acquired citizenship with an unpermitted country has an obligation to submit an application for the renunciation of citizenship of Latvia within 30 days after acquiring citizenship of this country.
Where to receive additional information?
In case of any questions or concerns please write an e-mail: pskn@pmlp.gov.lv or call the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs on +371 67209400.