Brief Overview of Naturalization in Latvia

To undergo the naturalization process in Latvia, an individual must meet the following criteria:

Be at least 15 years of age;
At the time of submitting the application, have permanently resided in Latvia for at least 5 years, with a permitted absence of no more than 1 year in total, and no absence during the last year before the application is submitted.
(For foreign nationals or stateless persons, the 5-year period starts from the date of obtaining a permanent residence permit);
Have proficiency in the Latvian language, basic knowledge of the Constitution of Latvia, the national anthem, and Latvian history and culture;
Have legal income;
Sign a solemn oath of loyalty to Latvia;
After receiving a guarantee letter from the country of their citizenship, submit an application for renunciation of previous citizenship and obtain permission to leave the country of prior citizenship, if required by its national laws.

Required Documents:

Completed application form;
Copy of passport (self-certified by hand);
Proof of legal income;
1 photo (size 3×4 cm);
Documents confirming residence in Latvia during the past 5 years (e.g., statement from employer, local government confirmation of registered address, certificate from an educational institution, etc.);
If the person is a citizen of another country – a criminal record certificate (legalized and translated into Latvian). The certificate must be issued no earlier than 6 months before submission;
State fee payment of €28.46
(Information about exemptions is available here: https://www.pmlp.gov.lv/lv/naturalizacija-0)

Examination:

After submitting the required documents, the applicant must take an exam testing:

Exemptions from the Exam:

Individuals with Group I or II disabilities, including:
- Group II disability due to a progressive mental illness
- Group I or II disability due to deafness or muteness
- Children with officially recognized disabilities
Individuals who have completed primary education in Latvian, covering at least half of the total curriculum

Submission Procedure

All documents must be submitted remotely:

By post to any branch of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (list of branch addresses: https://www.pmlp.gov.lv/lv/filiales)
Electronically, with a qualified electronic signature (eParaksts) to the email address of any Office branch (available at the same link above)

When submitting documents by post, you can provide copies, which must either:

be hand-certified by the applicant,
be notarized, if they contain an apostille,
or you can submit the originals, which will be returned to you by the Office.

Need Assistance?

If you have any questions regarding the preparation and collection of documents for naturalization in Latvia, feel free to contact us:

Contact Information:
Email: follaw@follaw.eu
Phone: +371 24662977
You can also send us a message through the website by scrolling down the page.

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