Facilitation measures

Latvia has achieved remarkable progress in the promotion of naturalisation process: the number of non-citizens has decreased from 29% (730,000) in 1995 to 14.4% (319,267) in July 2011.

The naturalisation examinations in the Latvian language and history have been simplified sseveral times. Applicants who have reached the age of 65 need to take only the oral part of the language test. The disabled of Group I, II and III have various facilitation measures according to their disability.

In certain cases the naturalisation examinations have been simplified. Graduates of national minority schools who have passed the centralised exams in the Latvian language and literature at required level do not need to take the language test for naturalisation. Applicants who have reached the age of 65 need to take only the oral part of the language test.

The government reduced the standard naturalisation fee by one third and broadened the number of groups entitled to a reduced naturalisation fee (less than 5 EUR), thereby rendering the naturalisation more accessible to low-income applicants, politically persecuted persons, disabled, orphans, etc. In 2010, more than 61 % of all applicants paid a reduced fee or were fully exempt from paying fees.

Since the Naturalisation Board (NB) has joined to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) the availability of naturalisation process has increased. The applications for naturalisation can be submitted in 30 regional divisions of the OCMA in major towns and cities in Latvia instead of previous seven regional divisions of the NB.