Outreach activities

The Naturalisation Board within the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs operates an information hotline and an internet website; open door days are held on regular basis in the regional offices, where the applicants for citizenship have the opportunity to do the simulation test of naturalisation examinations. In order to analyse requirements of its target audiences and to streamline its work, the Board, within the limits of its possibilities, carries out research on its target audiences. Seeking to facilitate a dialogue even further, the Board holds information days in companies employing large numbers of non-citizens, meets with minority cultural associations, organises various events for students, etc. Since its establishment, the Naturalisation Board with support from international organisations and foreign institutions has organised also awareness raising and informative campaigns. The outreach efforts take place within the limits of the Board's capacity also during financial crisis.

In 2008, with support from the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Knut Vollebaek, the first Baltic states conference on citizenship issues was held, with participation also of Nordic experts.

State officials, including the President, the Prime Minister and ministers have made public statements on several occasions encouraging non-citizens to naturalise.

Latvia has fulfilled recommendations regarding citizenship by various international organisations and their high representatives. Those organisations have recognised that Latvia's citizenship legislation complies with fundamental principles of democracy and human rights.