What is naturalizācija and who goes through it

In Latvian law, the acquisition of citizenship by a person who does not have it by birth is called naturalizācija — a procedure governed by the Pilsonības likums (Citizenship Law). The decision to grant citizenship is made by Pilsonības un migrācijas lietu pārvalde (PMLP) — the body that administers everything related to a person's legal status in the country: from residence permits to the award of citizenship. The basic principles on which the entire system is built are established in the Satversme — the Constitution of Latvia.

Naturalization is available to an adult who has lawfully and continuously resided in Latvia for a statutory period and meets the other conditions at the time of application — language knowledge, legal income, absence of debts to the state, and loyalty to the state. The key word here is continuously: the law counts not just any stay in the country, but only time under a status that provides the right to naturalization. As a rule, this is the period lived under a permanent residence permit — we wrote in detail about how to obtain it in our article on obtaining permanent residence in Latvia. Time spent under most temporary permits either does not count at all or only counts partially — and this is where applicants most often make mistakes.

Naturalization is not the first step in Latvia's migration system, but one of the final stages of a longer journey that usually starts with a residence permit. If you are just beginning this journey, it is worth planning it with the ultimate goal in mind — this is why there is a separate direction of migration assistance in Latvia that covers all stages: from the first permit to submitting a citizenship application.

The status of nepilsonis — a separate category

There is a separate status in Latvian law known as nepilsonis ("non-citizen") — this is neither a foreigner nor a stateless person in the classical sense, but a special category of people who were permanently residing in the country at the moment of Latvia's independence restoration, had Soviet citizenship, but did not automatically acquire Latvian citizenship and did not acquire citizenship of any other state. Such persons have a separate document — a non-citizen passport — and a narrower range of rights compared to citizens: for example, restrictions on participation in elections and holding certain public positions.

Naturalization of a non-citizen differs from naturalization of a foreigner who arrived in Latvia later and had no previous legal connection with the state: for non-citizens, there are historically separate grounds for acquiring citizenship. But this does not mean automatic acquisition of citizenship — the PMLP still makes the decision according to the established procedure, and a mistake in application processing costs just as much as for any other applicant.

Simplified pathways: children and certain categories

The law provides not only general naturalization for adult applicants, but also separate simplified mechanisms for acquiring citizenship — primarily for children and for several clearly defined categories.

Citizenship for children

A child born in Latvia to parents without Latvian citizenship, including in a non-citizen family, can acquire citizenship through a simplified procedure — registration, rather than the full naturalizācija procedure with an exam. Children do not need to take either the language exam or the test on knowledge of the Constitution, anthem, and history — the decision is made on the basis of an application from the parents (or one of them) and confirmation of the fact of the child's birth and permanent residence in Latvia. Parents have the right to file such an application within the timeframe established by law; if the deadline is missed, the path to citizenship for the child becomes more complicated, and the case may revert to the general procedure after the child reaches adulthood.

There are also separate simplified grounds for persons of Latvian descent, those who received education in Latvian in an accredited educational institution, as well as for some other categories listed in the Citizenship Law. Each of these grounds has its own set of documents — applying the "general" procedure where a simplified one actually applies means wasting an extra year on requirements that do not apply to your specific case.

Legal tip. Before collecting documents for general naturalization, it is worth checking whether your case — or your child's case — falls under one of the simplified grounds. This is the question to raise at your first consultation, not after submitting the application.

The exam: language, Constitution, anthem, and history

The central requirement of naturalization is passing a state exam that checks not only language but also basic knowledge about the state. The exam has two parts.

State language proficiency test

The first part is valsts valodas prasmes pārbaude, a test of state language proficiency: understanding of spoken language, reading, writing, and oral speech — the applicant must demonstrate a level sufficient for everyday and official communication in Latvian. The format, scope of tasks, and minimum passing threshold are set by the appropriate regulations and are reviewed periodically, so before applying it is worth checking the current version of requirements rather than relying on what you read a few years ago.

Knowledge test for Constitution, anthem, and history

The second part is a test of knowledge of the basic provisions of the Satversme, the text of the state anthem, and key facts from Latvia's history. This is not a history faculty level exam: it tests the basics that every citizen must know. At the same time, this part most often catches applicants by surprise, because preparing for it "by ear" is harder than for the language part — you need separate study materials, not just general knowledge.

Who is exempt from the exam in full or in part

The law provides for exemption from taking the exam — either fully or partially — for certain categories: in particular, for persons who have reached the statutory retirement age at the time of applying, as well as for persons whose health objectively does not allow them to take the exam in the usual format, confirmed by documentation. Persons who received education in Latvian are generally exempt from the language part — the level of language proficiency is already confirmed by their diploma.

Legal tip. If you have grounds for exemption from the exam — age, health status, or education in Latvian — this must be confirmed with properly prepared documents before submitting the naturalization application, not clarified during case review when time is essentially lost.

Documents, state fee, and income requirement

The package of documents for naturalization is much broader than just an application: a completed questionnaire in the form established by PMLP, a document certifying identity, confirmation of lawful and continuous residence throughout the entire necessary period, a certificate of passing the language exam and the Constitution, anthem, and history test (or a document confirming exemption), as well as confirmation of a legal source of income.

Income source requirement

The applicant must confirm a stable legal source of funds for living: a salary, income from business activities, a pension, or other officially confirmed income. This is not a requirement for a specific amount "in the account," but for stability and legality of the source itself: occasional or unofficial income is not considered by PMLP.

State fee and benefits

Submitting a naturalization application is accompanied by payment of a state fee. The amount of the fee and the list of categories entitled to a reduced fee or exemption from payment — for example, certain socially vulnerable categories of applicants — are set by regulatory act and reviewed periodically. The exact amount and eligibility for benefits should be clarified directly before submitting rather than using figures from old sources.

After successful completion of naturalization, a person's status changes, and along with it, basic documents are updated: personal code, identity card, passport. We wrote in detail in a separate article about how personal codes and documents in Latvia work in general — it is worth familiarizing yourself with it beforehand to understand what exactly will need to be reissued immediately after the oath.

Where to apply, review timeline, and oath

The naturalization application is submitted to Pilsonības un migrācijas lietu pārvalde (PMLP) in person, at the place of residence, together with a complete package of documents and proof of passing the exam. PMLP checks the completeness of the package at the reception stage: an incomplete set is a formal reason to refuse to accept the application, and the consequence for the applicant is essentially the same — lost time.

After acceptance of the application, the review of the case begins, during which PMLP checks compliance with all statutory conditions: continuity of residence, absence of grounds for refusal, correctness of submitted documents. A realistic review period is measured in months, not weeks — coordination between agencies and possible requests for additional documents can significantly extend the timeline, especially if the file is submitted with defects.

A positive decision to grant citizenship is not yet the final step. The procedure is completed by taking an oath of loyalty to Latvia — a solemn ceremony after which the person is officially considered a citizen of Latvia and has the right to apply for a Latvian passport.

Handling such a case is a typical example of our firm's work within the migration services direction: checking file completeness, controlling timelines, responding to agency requests, and if necessary, appealing a refusal.

Dual citizenship: when it is possible

The question that concerns most applicants from Ukraine is whether they will have to renounce Ukrainian citizenship for Latvian citizenship. There is no single "yes" or "no" answer for everyone: Latvian law allows dual citizenship not with any country, but only with a defined circle of states.

The general principle is this: naturalization is available without a requirement to renounce existing citizenship for citizens of states that are members of the European Union, states of the EEA, states that are members of NATO, as well as for citizens of certain other states whose circle is defined by current regulations and is not immutable. For other countries, naturalization under the general rule is accompanied by a requirement to confirm withdrawal from previous citizenship.

This is precisely why we deliberately do not provide here an exhaustive list of countries and do not claim with certainty whether an applicant's country of origin falls under the exception or not: this is governed by acts that are adopted and reviewed separately. Each such case requires separate verification against the regulations in force at the time of submission — this determines whether the applicant will have to formally withdraw from previous citizenship or not.

Legal tip. Do not make a decision about withdrawing from existing citizenship — and do not refuse to submit an application out of fear that you will have to withdraw from it — until you receive a definitive answer about your specific case. The consequences of mistaken withdrawal from citizenship are far more difficult to reverse than waiting for an answer over a few weeks.

Refusal, reapplication, and mistakes that cost a year

Refusal of naturalization is not always a final verdict on the case, but almost always means loss of time invested. PMLP refuses when an applicant does not meet one of the statutory conditions: the continuous residence requirement is not fulfilled, the exam is not passed, there are grounds that directly prevent the acquisition of citizenship, or the document package does not confirm the stated facts.

A refusal decision can be appealed through the established procedure, and if there are grounds, a new application can be filed after eliminating the reasons for refusal. But "eliminating the reasons" in practice often means starting the count anew — especially if the reason was interrupted residence: a break in the continuous period is not "preserved" for the next attempt but devalues the already accumulated time.

Mistakes that cost applicants a year or more

Each of these mistakes is completely preventable if the file is reviewed before submission rather than after refusal. This is where the firm takes on the most time-consuming part of the work: verification of continuity of residence using actual border crossing dates and permits, monitoring the validity of the language certificate, checking the applicant's tax status, and calculating precisely the date from which the application can be submitted rather than an approximate "in about a year." If a refusal has already been received, we assess whether there are grounds for appeal or whether it is faster to proceed with a reapplication.

Questions people ask most often

Can time spent on a temporary permit count toward residency?

As a general rule — no, or only partially: time spent under a status that provides the right to naturalization counts first and foremost, usually this is a permanent residence permit. Whether any period on a temporary permit counts in your case must be verified individually.

How long does it take to review a naturalization application?

Realistically — several months, not weeks, and the timeline depends significantly on the completeness of the document package submitted and whether PMLP has additional questions for the applicant during the review.

What happens to an applicant's children after naturalization?

For children, the law provides separate, usually simplified grounds for acquiring citizenship — they do not always go through the same procedure as an adult applicant, and in some cases do not require a separate exam.

Do I have to renounce Ukrainian citizenship?

Not always — it depends on whether your specific case falls under the circle of exceptions defined by law that allow dual citizenship. You should get a definitive answer before submitting your application, not after.

What should I do after receiving a refusal?

First — clarify the exact reason for the refusal and check whether it can be appealed. If appeal is not expedient, you must eliminate the reason for refusal and assess from what date you can resubmit to avoid repeating the same mistake.

Latvian citizenship through naturalization is a procedure with clear but numerous conditions, each of which is checked separately: residency period, exam, income, absence of debts, loyalty to the state. It is precisely the number of these conditions that makes a mistake likely even for a careful applicant — and this is why file verification should be entrusted to those who handle such cases regularly.

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