Issue of a temporary travel document

In the event that a resident of the Republic of Latvia has lost their travel document (passport), or if it has been stolen or rendered invalid, the resident should contact the Consular officer at the Embassy of Latvia in Ottawa (address: Embassy of Latvia, 350 Sparks St, Suite 1200, Ottawa, ON K1R 7S8, Consular Section tel.: 613-238-6868) in order to receive a temporary travel document – a return certificate. This document then certifies the identity of the person permanently residing in Latvia and allows him/her to return to Latvia, with a single crossing of the border.

A return certificate is a document that allows its recipient to return to Latvia

In order to receive a return certificate from the Embassy of Latvia, a person must:

1. fill out an application form indicating, among other points, personal data, place of residence in Latvia, relatives, the document the person was bearing when leaving Latvia;
2. invalid passport;
3. if passport was stolen or lost - a police certificate/report concerning the lost or stolen document;
4. if the document was lost - written explanation,;
5. if possible – the copy of lost document or other ID with photo;
6. include two 3x4cm photos;
7. add payment for the consular fee ($25 CAD for adults, $15 for children (till 15 years) in the form of cash, money order, certified or corporate cheque made out to the Embassy of Latvia. The Embassy does not accept personal cheques, and cannot accommodate the use of credit or debit cards).
   In exceptional cases, when documents are submitted by mail, an extra $ 25 CAD is required.

Having received the above-mentioned items, the consular officer then has to receive the determination of the Office of Citizens and Migration Affairs of the Ministry of the Interior as to whether or not a return certificate can be issued to the person before doing so.

Upon crossing the border and returning to the Republic of Latvia, the person must hand in their return certificate to the local division of the Office of Citizens and Migration Affairs of the Ministry of the Interior (the division that corresponds to their place of residence) in order to arrange for a new passport.

Material Assistance

The Latvian state budget does not include provisions for any financial resources to be allocated for non-refundable material assistance rendered to persons who have lost their means of subsistence while abroad. Consequently a special procedure must be followed in order to provide a person with the sum of money they require to return to Latvia.

Residents of Latvia who have lost their means of subsistence can turn to the Consular Section of the Embassy of Latvia in Ottawa for technical assistance (address: Embassy of Latvia, 350 Sparks St, Suite 1200, Ottawa, ON K1R 7S8, Consular Section tel.: 613-238-6868, Fax: 613-238-7044). With the Embassy as intermediary, the person can contact their relatives and/or friends in Latvia, to ask them to deposit the required amount of money with the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia (address: Elizabetes iels 57, Rīga, LV1050, tel: 371-701-6364). Only upon receipt of confirmation that the necessary amount of money has been deposited with the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, can the consular officer in Ottawa provide the equivalent sum of money from the Embassy resources to the person who has lost their means of subsistence. Money can be deposited with the Consular Department even on holidays, as there are Consular officials on duty during those days, and they can be contacted on the department cell phone: 371-928-7398.

In the Case of Serious Accident or Death

If a resident of Latvia is involved in a serious accident while in Canada, or in the event of the death of a resident of Latvia while in Canada, the local police are to be notified immediately, and the Consular officer at the Embassy of Latvia in Ottawa is to be contacted (address: Embassy of Latvia, 350 Sparks St, Suite 1200, Ottawa, ON K1R 7S8, Consular tel.: 613-238-6868, Fax: 613-238-7044)