The MFA of the Republic of Latvia does not object of local recruitment of administrative and technical staff or private servants if they are Latvian nationals or permanent residents in Latvia.

According to the Vienna Convention 1961, locally engaged staff who are Latvian nationals or permanent residents shall not be entitled to privileges and immunities. The State Protocol does not issue ID cards to the aforementioned category either.

It must be noted, that Latvian nationals or permanent residents employed by entities subject to the Protocol (No. 7) ON THE PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION enjoy strictly functional immunities laid out in this Protocol without having a valid accreditation and an ID card.

Social Insurance

According to Paragraph 3, Article 33 and Paragraph 2, Article 37 of the Vienna Convention 1961, diplomatic agents or consular employees who employ persons who are citizens of the country of residence or permanent residents shall observe the obligations which the social security provisions of the receiving State impose upon employers. In Latvia, a social security system has been established by the Law on State Social Insurance. The Law does not foresee state mandatory social insurance of domestic employees working at diplomatic or consular posts accredited to the Republic of Latvia. The Law, however, provides that the person in question may join the State social insurance voluntarily, which qualifies that person for receiving of a State old-age pension in the amount based on the amount of total contributions in the social insurance fund.

More information available at: The State Revenue Service
(
Valsts ieņēmumu dienests)
Address: Smilšu iela 1, Riga, LV-1978
Tel.: +371 6702 8761
+371 6702 8703
Homepage: www.vid.gov.lv

Annual Leave

Paid annual leave is considered a part of the social security provisions in Latvia. Thus, Latvian citizens and permanent residents in Latvia employed by a foreign diplomatic mission are entitled to full annual leave, as stipulated in the Latvian Labour Code.

Neither the Vienna Conventions nor Latvian laws contain any specific regulations prohibiting or limiting the employment of spouses or other family members of the members of the diplomatic missions. For work outside the diplomatic mission they are, however, bound by the general regulation relating to foreigners who wish to work in Latvia. For third country nationals, a work permit is a prerequisite to work in an EU country Nationals of other EU member states, as well as those of the European Economic Area are exempt from this requirement.

Latvia has also concluded bilateral agreements with several states concerning gainful employment of family members of accredited staff members of missions to facilitate their employment in Latvia and vice versa.

According to the Vienna Conventions, spouses and dependent children do not enjoy immunity from civil and administrative jurisdiction in case of actions carried out in relation to any professional or commercial activity. Nor do they enjoy exemption from taxes or social dues on income from such activity.

Applications for work permits of the family members from the states with whom Latvia have a bilateral agreement on such employment should be submitted to the State Protocol of the MFA.

Applications for work permits of the family members of the states outside EU and with whom Latvia does not have a bilateral agreement on such employment should be submitted to the Residence Permit Division of the Office of Migration and Citizenship Affairs (OCMA).

More information available at: Office of Migration and Citizenship Affairs (OCMA)
(Pilsonības un migrācijas lietu pārvalde (PMLP)
Address: Čiekurkalna 1. līnija, building 3, Riga, LV 1026
OCMA for information tel.: +371 8000 7657
Preliminary signing-up tel.: +371 6782 9750
Fax: +371 6721 9654
E-mail: pmlp@pmlp.gov.lv
Homepage: www.pmlp.gov.lv

A diplomatic mission shall submit a verbal note notifying the State Protocol on the intended employment of a private servant by a member of the mission along with the documents necessary for accreditation and issuance of an ID card. The ID card is issued for a period not exceeding that of his or her employer in the mission. Family members of private servants are not accredited at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Their presence in the Latvian territory is regulated by the Immigration Law.

The relevant member of the mission shall ensure that his or her private servant leaves Latvia after expiry of the work contract.