On Tuesday, August 11, the Cabinet of Ministers issued an order to admit 59 persons to Latvian citizenship by naturalization, including 7 of them minor children.
Of the 52 applicants for citizenship, 71% are Russians, 11% Ukrainians, 5% Belarusians, as well as Lithuanians, Poles and other nationalities. 7% of applicants for citizenship are basic, 65% - secondary, 25% - higher education.
The draft order of the Cabinet of Ministers includes 52 applicants for citizenship who naturalise in accordance with Section 12 of the Citizenship Law and 7 applicants for citizenship who naturalize in accordance with Section 15 of the Citizenship Law. In the next few days, new citizens will receive a notification from the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) admission to citizenship, as well as the most important information on the possibilities of drawing up a new Latvian citizen's passport will be provided.
The OCMA reminds that with the admission to Latvian citizenship, the legal status of a person is changed, therefore the current non-citizen's passport is no longer valid for domestic or travel abroad. 147,644 persons have been admitted to Latvian citizenship by naturalization: in 1995 - 984; In 1996 - 3 016; In 1997 - 2,992; In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 - 476 persons.
In order to become a Latvian citizen by naturalization, a person must apply to any territorial branch of the OCMA, regardless of his or her place of residence. Persons who have proved their proficiency in the Latvian language, as well as successfully passed the examination of the basic provisions of the Satversme, the text of the national anthem and knowledge of Latvian history, are admitted to Latvian citizenship.
Prepared by:
Samanta Nalivaiko
Communication Division of the Ministry of the Interior
Public Relations Specialist
Tel .: 67219082
E-mail: samanta.nalivaiko@iem.gov.lv