Latvia Citizenship By Ancestry - How Can You Get Yours?

Latvia is located on the Baltic coast of Europe, within the Schengen Zone. Its capital, Riga, was founded in 1201 and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Forests occupy over half of Latvia's land area, providing several nature paths and parks. Latvia has excellent transport and cultural ties to Western Europe.

Since the 1st of October 2013, the laws of the Republic of Latvia have allowed dual (multiple) citizenship. Such citizenship can be obtained through ancestry under specific requirements outlined in the Latvian Citizenship Law. You may apply for a Latvian passport, an EU passport, provided you satisfy certain conditions, regardless of your current permanent residency. You can prove Latvian heritage by providing documentation indicating that one of your parents or grandparents is/was Latvian.

All Latvians are automatically European Union (EU) citizens

WHO CAN APPLY FOR LATVIAN CITIZENSHIP BY ANCESTRY?

There are three main categories of applicants for Latvian citizenship:

1. CATEGORY: LATVIAN EXILES

You may be eligible for Latvian citizenship if your ancestor:

• Was a Latvian citizen on June 17, 1940, and
• Left Latvia between 17 June 1940 and 4 May 1990, escaping from the USSR or German occupation regimes and
• Due to the aforementioned circumstances, did not return to Latvia for permanent residency until May 4, 1990.

Dual (multiple) citizenship is permitted in any nation under this category.

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2. CATEGORY: DESCENDANT OF A LATVIAN CITIZEN

You can be eligible for Latvian citizenship if your ancestor:

• Acquired Latvian citizenship On June 17, 1940 (regardless of when your ancestor left Latvia).

Dual citizenship is permitted in the following countries: NATO, EU, EFTA member states, Brazil, New Zealand, and the Commonwealth of Australia.

3. CATEGORY: LATVIANS & LIVS

You may be eligible for Latvian citizenship if:

• At least one of your parents or ancestors is Latvian (of Latvian or Liv ethnic background), and
• You are a native Latvian speaker, and
• In 1881 or later, Your ancestor had been permanently residing in Latvian territory as it existed until 17 June 1940.

Dual citizenship is permitted in any nation under this category.

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Your eligibility is passed to all your children and descendants

THE PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING LATVIAN DUAL CITIZENSHIP BY ANCESTRY

It is not as simple to apply for Latvian citizenship as it is for some of the other ancestry-based citizenship programs. Before applying for Latvian citizenship through ancestry, it is advised to carefully review the documents that will be presented to justify the application.

Frequently, archival records of an applicant's ancestry include contradictory information. Procedures for gaining dual Latvian citizenship may be complicated, and many details are often overlooked. Before applying for Latvian citizenship by descent, it is essential to confirm the legal strength of the original document or the correctness of the document's derivative.

When applying for Latvian citizenship by ancestry, you must provide several supporting documents to the Citizenship Office. The procedure of preparing your documentation will begin with the collecting of needed documents and the search for missing ones. Such a search is often conducted at Latvian archives. The search for records in Latvian archives might take 20 to 40 workdays.

After collecting the appropriate papers, they must be verified according to the protocol outlined by the in-laws. Their translation must be completed if the documents are not in Latvian. Unless otherwise provided by Latvian international treaties or legal rules of the European Union, documents issued in other nations must be validated by Apostille or legalized.

The following papers must be provided to gain dual Latvian citizenship:

• Application form filled in Latvian;
• A passport 
• Documents proving that the individual was a Latvian citizen before June 17, 1940, or is a descendant of a Latvian citizen before June 17, 1940;
• Identification document 
• Documents proving family ties (the exile's passport or birth certificate);
• A document proving the change of name or surname in cases where such personal data has been altered.

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Having dual citizenship by Latvia ancestry, your children may attend a free European university

APPLICATION PROCESSING

The procedure is divided into two stages:

• The preparatory stage usually lasts 1-2 months and is used to gather any missing papers from Latvian archives, legalize the documents, prepare relevant forms and applications, and so on.
• Application Processing Timeframe - The legal processing time by the authorities is between 4-12 months, depending on the application category. However, decisions by authorities are often made faster.
  

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Neighbourhood in Liepaja, Latvia

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF OBTAINING LATVIAN CITIZENSHIP?

Having dual citizenship by Latvia ancestry and a Latvian passport provides various benefits, especially if you are a non-EU citizen. These benefits apply not just to you but also to your whole family.

• Once you become a Latvian citizen, you may pass on Latvian/EU citizenship to your children, grandchildren, and beyond. Consider this: You will benefit from becoming an EU citizen. Your children may attend a free university in Europe.
• You have the right to work, study, retire, and live in any EU nation for as long as you like. Affordable medical care and much more. All Latvians are automatically European Union (EU) citizens since Latvia is a member of the European Union.
• This means that once your Latvian citizenship is verified, you will have access to all of the advantages and privileges of being an EU citizen.
• If you have Latvian heritage, you may live, work, travel, study, own property, and conduct a company in any of the 28 EU countries. Your eligibility is passed to all your children and descendants after you get your Latvian dual citizenship and Latvian passport.

Kuldiga, Latvia

CONCLUSION 

Obtaining Latvia citizenship by ancestry is a way of honouring your ancestors while taking advantage of various benefits of the Latvia passport. If you need assistance with the application procedure, you can contact us.