On Thursday, January 28, the Cabinet of Ministers issued 27 naturalization orders for Latvian citizenship.
Of the 27 applicants for citizenship, 55% are Russians, 18% Ukrainians, 11% Belarusians, as well as Lithuanians, Poles and other nationalities. 7% of applicants for citizenship have a basic education, 44% - secondary education, 48% - higher education.
In the upcoming days, new citizens will receive a notification by post from the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) about the person's admission to citizenship, as well as the most relevant information about the possibilities for obtaining a new Latvian citizen's passport.
The OCMA reminds that with the acquisition of Latvian citizenship, the legal status of a person is changed, therefore the current non-citizen's passport is no longer valid for use either domestically or for travelling abroad.
147,893 persons have been admitted to Latvian citizenship by naturalization: in 1995 - 984; in 1996 - 3 016; in 1997 - 2,992; in 1998 - 4 439; in 1999 - 12,427; in 2000 - 14,900; in 2001 - 10,637, in 2002 - 9,844; in 2003 - 10,049; in 2004 - 16,064; in 2005 - 19,169; in 2006 - 16,439; in 2007 - 6826; in 2008 - 3,004; in 2009 - 2,080; in 2010 - 2,336; in 2011 - 2,467; in 2012 - 2,213; in 2013 - 1,732; in 2014 - 939; in 2015 - 971; in 2016 - 987; in 2017 - 915; in 2018 - 930; in 2019 - 808; in 2020 - 725; in 2021 - 0 persons.
In order to become a Latvian citizen in naturalization procedures, a person must turn to any territorial division of the OCMA, regardless of his or her place of residence. Persons who have confirmed their skills of the Latvian language, as well as successfully passed the examination of the basic regulations of the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia, the text of the national anthem and knowledge of Latvian history, are admitted to Latvian citizenship.
Prepared:
Samanta Nalivaiko
Ministry of the Interior
Communication departments
Public relations specialist
Phone: 67219082
E-mail: samanta.nalivaiko@iem.gov.lv