Citizenship in Latvia [21 May 2010]

Citizenship is one of the strongest links between an individual and the State of Latvia. Citizenship is also the key to full political participation. Statistical data for the year 2010 indicate that more than 82% of Latvia's resident population holds Latvian citizenship. Latvia has adopted all necessary legislation in relation to naturalisation and citizens' rights and ensures that it is fairly and equitably implemented.

The Law on Citizenship was adopted on 21 July 1994. In elaborating its citizenship legislation, Latvia took into account recommendations of international human rights organisations such as the UN, the Council of Europe, and the OSCE. These organisations have acknowledged that Latvia's citizenship legislation corresponds to the norms of democracy and human rights. Several amendments to the Law have been made in consultation with experts from the OSCE and the Council of Europe. The latest amendments, affirmed by the people of Latvia at a referendum in 1998, led to the law being further liberalised. Latvia also in future intends to seek advice from international organisation on issues of enhancing citizenship legislation. 

The fundamental principles of the Law on Citizenship are based on the fact that after Latvia's independence was renewed, all laws and the Constitution adopted during the period prior to Soviet and Nazi occupations remain in force. Consequently, holders of Latvian citizenship prior to 1940 and their descendants were granted citizenship automatically after 1991. A large number of Russians residing in Latvia at the time, for example, also obtained their citizenship in this manner.

Addressing the issue of the status of persons, or descendants of persons, who arrived in Latvia voluntarily or under compulsion as the result of policy of the Soviet Union, the Law on Citizenship determines the procedure by which all permanent residents of Latvia may become citizens and establishes the requirements that applicants for citizenship need to fulfil in order to participate fully in national public life. 

Naturalisation

The naturalisation process has always had an important role to play in furthering social integration. Following the liberalisation of the Law on Citizenship in autumn of 1998, the number of naturalisation applications rose almost fourfold. The Law provides for the granting of citizenship within a one-year time frame, however, in practice, the procedure takes about six months.

On 30 April 2004, the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration in co-operation with the Ministry for Children and Family Affairs sent a letter to parents of the 15,000 children born after 1991 inviting them to register their children as citizens of Latvia and also explaining the due procedure. This initiative stimulated increased activity on the part of these parents. Altogether 7089 children who were born in Latvia after August 21, 1991 and whose parents are non-citizens or stateless persons, have been granted Latvian citizenship.

Interest in naturalisation and the rate at which citizenship is granted remains consistently high. Since September 2003, the number of applications for naturalisation doubled (2,422 applications during the period from September to December 2002 compared to 5,159 applications during the same period in 2003). A total of 2,440 applications for naturalisation were received in November 2004, and this is the highest number of applications received during one month in the history of the Naturalisation Board. The number of applications has also remained very high during 2005, as is indicated by the 19,807 applications received during the year. During 2006, there were 10,581 applications, and 3308 applications were received during 2007. Significant factors leading to an increase in the number of naturalised persons were the public campaigns carried out by the Government and Latvia's joining the European Union.  There was a short period of decline in number of submitted applications in 2008, but in the year 2009 the number of applicants for the citizenship once again increased. Since the start of the naturalisation process in 1995 and until 1^st of April, 2010, altogether 132 102 applications for naturalisation were received. By order of the Cabinet of Ministers 133 234 persons were granted Latvian citizenship, including 13 820 minors.

The major portion of all applicants for citizenship consists of Russian residents and represents 68.1% of the total. Due to the successful naturalization process, in 2004, citizens of Russian nationality outnumbered non-citizens of Russian nationality for the first time. By the 15^th of April 2010, 59,2% or 366, 684 individuals among those 618 841 residents of Russian nationality in Latvia had obtained citizenship.

Number of persons granted Latvian citizenship by order of the Cabinet of Ministers

Citizenship to Children

Children born to non-citizens in Latvia after the restoration of Latvia's independence in 1991 are automatically entitled to Latvian citizenship, if their parents wish so.

In 2004, the Secretariat of the Minister of Special Assignments for Society Integration Affairs in co-operation with the Ministry of Children and Family Affairs sent letters to the parents of the 15,000 children born after 21 August 1991, urging them to register their children as citizens of Latvia and also explaining the necessary procedure. Following this campaign, there has been an increased activity on the part of parents. Before 31 October 2009, a total of 8076 children born in Latvia after 21August 1991 to non-citizens or stateless persons, have been recognised citizens of Latvia. 

Recently there has been an increasing interest, among the young people in particular, in the possibilities for registering a citizen's status. Under the Law on Citizenship, persons who have taken a full course of basic education, or general secondary education in the Latvian language can be registered as citizens of Latvia. Before 31 October 2009, the Latvian citizenship was registered for 9,284 persons.

Facilitation measures

The Government has adopted a number of measures to sustain the naturalisation process and encourage non-citizens to apply for citizenship. In the fourteen years from the beginning of the naturalisation process in 1995 to 2009, the number of non-citizens has decreased from 29% to 15.3%.

In certain cases the naturalisation examinations have been simplified. Graduates of national minority schools who have passed the centralised exams in the Latvian language and literature are not required to take the language test for naturalisation.  Applicants who have reached the age of 65 need to take only the oral part of the language test.

Since the beginning of the naturalisation process the government has made a number of amendments to legislation, rendering naturalisation more accessible to low- income applicants. Thus the Government reduced the standard naturalisation fee by one third and broadened the number of groups entitled to a reduced naturalisation fee (under 5 EUR). On average around 50% of applicants for citizenship pay either a reduced state fee or are fully exempt from any fees.

Outreach activities

The Naturalisation Board within the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs operates an information hotline and an internet website; open door days are held on regular basis in the regional offices. In order to analyse requirements of its target audiences and to streamline its work, the Board, within the limits of its possibilities, carries out research. Seeking to facilitate a dialogue even further, the Board holds information days in companies employing large numbers of non-citizens, meets with minority cultural associations, organises various events for students, etc. Since its establishment, the Naturalisation Board with support from international organisations and foreign institutions has organised also awareness raising and informative campaigns. The outreach efforts take place within the limits of the Board, s capacity, also during financial crisis.

In 2008, with support from the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Knut Vollebaek, the first Baltic states conference on citizenship issues was held, with participation also of Nordic experts.

State officials, including the President, the Prime Minister and ministers have made public statements on several occasions encouraging non-citizens to naturalise.

Latvia has fulfilled recommendations regarding citizenship by various international organisations and their high representatives. Those organisations have recognised that Latvia's citizenship legislation complies with fundamental principles of democracy and human rights.