How to apply for Latvian passport?
Updated on May 20, 2021
If you have been granted Latvian citizenship by descent, the following guidelines below will help you understand the process of getting a Latvian identification document now that you are a Latvian citizen.
To apply for passport of the Republic of Latvia you have to be registered as a Latvian citizen. To have your Latvian citizenship registered you first of all have to go through the process of applying for Latvian citizenship. If your application is successful, the Citizenship Office will issue a decision admitting you to the citizenship of Latvia. It will be the main document required to proceed with getting yourself a Latvian identification/travel document, i.e. a Latvian passport and/or Latvian eID.
Latvian citizens can get their passports either at the Citizenship Office in Latvia or at the Latvian embassies. If travelling to Latvia to get a passport is not an option, then you can do it at the closest Latvian embassy. Each embassy may have their own specific process, rules and forms required for applying for a passport. Below we have endeavored to summarize the main steps and details of the process to give newly become Latvian citizens an understanding of the process of getting a passport at the embassy.
To get Latvian passport you will have to follow the following steps:
STEP 1
Schedule an appointment at the Latvian embassy in advance. To schedule an appointment, use the electronic registration system at the website of the embassy in question. Children receiving Latvian passports have to be present at the appointment too.
STEP 2
Take with you the following documents to the embassy at the day of the appointment:
- Decision of the Citizenship Office by which you were admitted to the citizenship of Latvia;
- Valid passport;
- Payment card;
- Application forms (please note that you may be asked to fill in the forms at the embassy).
Please note that some embassies may also ask you to bring a birth certificate, a ready-made photograph (35x45mm, white background, no glasses) and a document confirming your residence status in the country where you apply (e.g. if you are applying in the USA, but you are not a citizen of the USA). Some other embassies will not require any of that.
STEP 3
Fill in the required forms. Forms will vary from one embassy to another. The official forms are in Latvian language. Each embassy may have their own specific form that needs to be filled in. If you require help understanding the procedure, the forms or the list of required documents, please feel free to contact us for advice.
STEP 4
Receive your passport. Some embassies can courier/deliver the passport to your address once it is produced, whereas some other embassies will require you to visit personally to pick up your passport. If you are required to visit in person for pick-up, give a phone call to the embassy to schedule appointment. Passport formation may take up to three months, but on average it takes 4-8 weeks depending on the particular embassy. For those who do not have a Latvian embassy close to their place of residence special trips of mobile passport stations take place from time to time across some of the countries thus enabling citizens to obtain Latvian identification documents.
SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS
Belyaev & Belyaev is a full service law firm also specializing in Citizenship Law. Our services in the area of Citizenship law range from application drafting and archive research to complex legal matters involving representation at the court. If you require help with the process of applying for Latvian citizenship, please feel free to inquire about our services and fees by email or using the form below.
Get in touch with us
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Something went wrong while submitting the form. Please try again!
