Latvian Citizenship by Descent: 2025 Updated Guide

Latvian Citizenship by Descent: 2025 Updated Guide

Why Latvia Is One of the Most Generous EU Citizenship-by-Descent Programs

Unlike most European countries that limit ancestry claims to grandparents or require language and residency, Latvia has practically no generational limit and no mandatory language test for descendants of pre-1940 citizens. As long as you can prove direct descent from someone who was a Latvian citizen on 17 June 1940 (the day before the Soviet occupation), you are eligible — even if the connection is four, five or more generations back latvian citizenship by descent

Key Legal Principle: Citizenship Never Ceased to Exist

Latvia’s official position is simple: every person who was a citizen on 17 June 1940, and all their descendants by blood, remained Latvian citizens under international law, regardless of Soviet or any other passports they were later forced to accept. When you “apply” today, you are not asking for naturalization — you are registering an existing citizenship.

Who Qualifies in 2025 (Current Rules)

You are eligible if you are a direct descendant (child, grandchild, great-grandchild, etc.) of a person who:

• Was a citizen of the Republic of Latvia between 4 April 1919 and 17 June 1940, and
• Was still alive and listed as a Latvian citizen on 17 June 1940.

Important notes:

• No limit on generations (confirmed again by the Citizenship and Migration Affairs Board in 2023–2025)
• Collateral relatives (aunts, uncles, cousins) do NOT qualify — only straight-line descent
• Dual/multiple citizenship is fully permitted since 2013; you keep all existing passports

What Counts as Proof of the Ancestor’s Citizenship?

Strongest evidence (almost automatic approval):

• Latvian passport issued before 17 June 1940
• Latvian personal ID card (personas apliecība) from the 1930s
• Entry in the 1935 Latvian census with citizenship noted

Good evidence (usually sufficient):

• Military service records of the Latvian army (1918–1940)
• Voter lists from the 1920s–1930s
• School or university diplomas issued by the Republic of Latvia
• Birth or marriage registered in a Latvian church book where citizenship is mentioned

If nothing above exists, the State Archives or local parish archives can still issue an official certificate confirming citizenship based on residence registers and other indirect records.

Documents You Will Actually Need in 2025

For a typical great-grandchild application:

1. Your full birth certificate (apostille + sworn Latvian translation)
2. Birth certificates of your parent, grandparent, and great-grandparent linking you to the Latvian ancestor
3. Marriage certificates explaining any surname changes in the chain
4. Proof of the ancestor’s citizenship (see above)
5. Your passport copy
6. Criminal record certificate from every country where you lived for 12+ months after age 16 (only for applicants 18+)

Everything must be apostilled (Hague countries) or legalized (non-Hague) and translated by a certified Latvian translator.

Where and How to Apply (2025 Options)

• In person in Riga: Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP), Čiekurkalna 1. līnija 1, k-3, Riga
• At any Latvian embassy or consulate worldwide (recommended for first-timers)
• By post to Riga (possible but slower and riskier)

Fees (as of December 2025):

• Standard processing (up to 12 months): €28.46
• Fast-track (10 working days): €71.14

Processing Time in Practice (2024–2025 Real Data)

• With a pre-1940 passport in the family: 1–3 months
• When archives must be searched: 6–14 months
• Fast-track cases: usually under 30 days

After Approval: Oath and Passport

Once approved, adults and children over 14 must take a short oath of loyalty (can be done at any embassy). Children under 14 are registered automatically.

You then apply for:

• Latvian personal ID number (personas kods)
• eID card (mandatory for residents, optional for non-residents)
• Passport (valid for 10 years adults / 5 years children)

Why People Pursue Latvian Citizenship in 2025

• Full EU citizenship with no residence or language requirements
• One of the strongest passports in the world (Henley Index 2025: 183 countries visa-free)
• Safety net for families from politically unstable regions
• Right to live and work anywhere in the EEA + Switzerland
• Ability to pass EU citizenship to future children automatically

Bottom Line

If you have even a single ancestor who was a citizen of independent Latvia before the summer of 1940, you already are — technically — a Latvian and EU citizen. The application process is just a formality to get it officially recognized and receive your passport.

Start digging through family papers. One faded 1930s passport or a yellowed school certificate could be worth an EU citizenship for you and all your descendants.