According to Official Latvian citizenship statistics, from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017, Latvia has received 1 085 applications for the admission of Latvian citizenship through naturalization and granted citizenship to 915 persons. The applicants are from:
- Lithuanians and Estonians-3.7%,
- Russians – 67.9%,
- Poles – 4.1%,
- Belarussians – 9.7%,
- Ukrainians – 8.9%,
- other – 4.4%.
Naturalization process began in Latvia on February 1, 1995.
- Since the beginning of naturalization process 145 605 naturalization applications have been received requesting 158 964 persons to be naturalized.
- 145 430 persons including 14 508 underage children have been granted the citizenship of Latvia by the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers.
| The number of received naturalization applications | The number of persons having acquired Latvian citizenship through naturalization |
|||
| 2016 | 2017 | 2016 | 2017 | |
| January | 92 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| February | 88 | 103 | 102 | 98 |
| March | 93 | 96 | 93 | 62 |
| April | 82 | 59 | 142 | 75 |
| May | 91 | 99 | 138 | 76 |
| June | 76 | 74 | 0 | 88 |
| July | 69 | 89 | 90 | 0 |
| August | 82 | 98 | 64 | 187 |
| September | 60 | 103 | 107 | 0 |
| October | 88 | 111 | 0 | 64 |
| November | 99 | 81 | 64 | 114 |
| December | 81 | 72 | 187 | 151 |
| TOTAL | 1001 | 1085 | 987 | 915 |
Naturalisation
The following persons may be admitted to citizenship of Latvia under a naturalisation procedure:
- Reached the age of 15;
- Permanent place of residence has been in Latvia for not less than the last five years
- Fluent in the Latvian language, know the basic principles of the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia, the text of the National Anthem, and the basics of the history and culture of Latvia;
- Legal source of income;
- Renounced of their former citizenship and received an expatriation permit from the country of their former citizenship
Latvia Passport
Latvia is a baltic EU member state and participates in Schengen Area. Latvia passport is ranked #12 powerful european passport in the world with visa free access to 166 countries, according to 2018 Henley passport index.
Golden Visa
Latvia also offers Golden visa program starting from 250,000 euros through property investment or bank deposit to foreign investors.
Dual Citizenship
- Citizenship of another EU Member State or another EFTA Member State;
- Citizenship of another NATO Member State;
- Citizenship of Australia, Brazil or New Zealand;
- Citizenship of such a country with which Latvia has concluded an agreement on the recognition of dual citizenship (no such agreement is currently concluded);
- Citizenship of a country not referred to previously if due to important national interests permission from the Cabinet is received to retain dual citizenship;
- Citizenship of a country not referred to previously if it has been acquired automatically (ex lege) through marriage or as a result of adoption.
- Children of citizens of Latvia may hold dual citizenship with any country.
Source: http://www.pmlp.gov.lv/en/home/statistics/naturalization.html
