Citizenship

Citizenship is an enduring legal link between an individual and Latvia. Latvia, through the adoption of the Citizenship Law in 1994 and other relevant legislation, ensures that the procedure for acquisition of citizenship is fair and equitable. Statistical data for July 2011 indicate that more than 82% of Latvia's population are Latvian citizens.

Since the beginning of the naturalisation process on 1 February 1995 and up to 1 April 2011, Latvian citizenship by Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers has been granted to 135,840 persons including 13,965 under-age children. The most significant increase in applications for naturalisation during this period was due to the liberalisation of the Citizenship Law in 1998, as well as due to Latvia's accession to the European Union and NATO in 2004.

Number of persons granted Latvian citizenship by Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers.

At present, the pace of naturalisation process is stabilizing. In 2009 up to September approximately 271 application was submitted per month, but in 2010 – approximately 265 applications per month. The total number of applications submitted in 2008 were 2601, in 2009 – 3470 applications, and in 2010 – 3182.

Trend of naturalisation applications number (2008 – 2010)

The procedure of naturalisation was simplified several times and the scope of persons who had to pay a decreased naturalisation state duty was enlarged. In 2010, more than 60 % of all applicants paid a reduced fee or were fully exempt from paying any fees.

Children born to non-citizens' families after the restoration of Latvia's independence in 1991 were able to obtain citizenship through the procedure of recognition, if their parents wished so. However, on 7 July 2011, the government approved a simplified procedure of obtaining citizenship for children. Before that parents had to submit the application for their children to be recognized as the citizens of Latvia to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, but now they can submit the application to the Registry Office when registering the birth of children; thereby, the procedure is made easier and the administrative obstacles for non-citizen or stateless persons’ children to obtain the citizenship of Latvia are reduced.

Before 1 March 2011, a total of 19,170 children born in Latvia after 21 August 1991 to non-citizens or stateless persons, have been recognised as the citizens of Latvia.

High-ranking officials from the Council of Europe and the OSCE have recognised that Latvia has fulfilled all their recommendations regarding citizenship. The European Union has commented positively on the enforcement of the Citizenship Law and on the naturalisation process in general.