A Latvian exile is a person who meets all the following requirements:
- was a citizen of Latvia on 17 June 1940 (or is a descendent of a citizen of Latvia);
- fled from Latvia the USSR or German occupation regime or was deported during the period from 17 June 1940 to 4 May 1990;
- due to the reasons referred to in Paragraph 2 has not been able to return to Latvia as a permanent resident until 4 May 1990.
Their descendants born before 1 October 2014 may concurrently acquire citizenship of Latvia.
In case of registration of Latvian citizenship, can retain their current citizenship.
Pursuant to Paragraphs one and two, Article 81 of the Citizenship Law, a procedure under which the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs accepts and examines applications and registers a person as a citizen of Latvia is established by Cabinet Regulation of 24 September 2013 Procedure for Registering a Person as a Citizen of Latvia.
Necessary documents:
Documents required:
- Application.
The application must include your personal name in Latvian, your date of birth or personal identification number, your place of residence (preferably in block capitals) and contact details (e-mail, phone).
The application may be signed by a person aged 15 or over.
The application for a child under 15 years of age must be signed by the child’s lawful representative.
Application forms:
- Personal identification document (passport, ID card)
(when sending documents by post, ONLY A COPY of the identification document must be sent).
- Proof of birth (a birth certificate or an extract from the birth register).
- in case of marriage or divorce, a marriage certificate or divorce certificate should be provided;
- in case of a changed personal name (first name, surname), a document proving the change of a personal name should be provided (except if the change is the result of marriage or divorce);
- if there are children under 18 years of age, the child's birth certificate should be provided.
Birth, marriage and personal name change documents must be legalised in accordance with the procedure set out in the legislation and translated into Latvian.
No legalisation required in Member States of the European Union, Member States of the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (except its overseas territories) or the Swiss Confederation for public documents issued for use in Latvia.
4. Documents confirming the right to acquire citizenship of Latvia:
4.1. Confirmation that an applicant or his or her ancestor left Latvia during the period from 17 June 1940 to 4 May 1990 fleeing from the USSR or German occupation regime or was deported and therefore has not been able to return to Latvia as a permanent resident until 4 May 1990 (confirmation form);
The confirmation may be signed by a person aged 15 or over.
The confirmation for a child under 15 years of age must be signed by the child’s lawful representative.
4.2. Persons’ or ancestors’ belonging to the Latvian citizenry on 17 June 1940 one of the following documents must be submitted:
- civil status registration documents - birth certificate or an extract from the Birth Register, marriage certificate or an extract from the marriage registry issued by the Civil Registry Department, address: A.Čaka iela 38, Riga, LV-1011, e-mail: dzimts.dep@tm.gov.lv or phone +371 67226222;
- documents relating to the 1935 census, the tax administration matters, military service matters, issued by the State Historical Archives, address: Slokas Street 16, Riga, LV-1048, phone +371 20017505.
https://www.arhivi.gov.lv/content.aspx?id=343&mainId=342
- the pre-war Latvian citizen's passport .
Documents certifying the registration of civil status deeds (certificates or statements on the registration of the fact of birth, marriage or death) may be requested and received by persons at any civil registry office of the local government of Latvia, regardless of the place of compilation of the register in Latvia. Certificates may be obtained only in respect of entries in the registers drawn up during the last 100 years.
Where to submit documents?
Documents must be sent by post to the Persons Status Control Division of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs at: Čiekurkalna 1. līnija 1, k-3, Riga, LV-1026, Latvia.
Copies of documents must be certified by a notary and legalised, except for a copy of an identification document. However, if the original documents are sent by post, they will be returned to the correspondence address indicated in the person's application, together with the decision.
For information on how to submit documents to a Latvian diplomatic or consular mission abroad, please contact your nearest mission or see on the website.
How long does the examination of submitted documents take?
A decision on granting citizenship, updating data in the Population Register and assigning an identity number or refusal to grant citizenship is taken within four months from the day the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs receives all the necessary documents.
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.
To check the Latvian rendering of your personal name, please contact the Latvian Language Agency: www.valoda.lv, phone +371 67225879, e-mail: konsultacija@valoda.lv
Information about the legalisation of documents may be found at: