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On Wednesday, 18 July, members of the Citizenship Law Amendments Subcommittee of the Saeima reviewed amendments to the Citizenship Law and agreed on enabling Latvian expatriates to acquire dual citizenship, Latvians in exile and their descendants to retain their citizenship, and ethnic Latvians and Livs permanently residing outside Latvia to be granted citizenship.

“Today the Subcommittee agreed on making it possible to retain Latvian citizenship for those citizens of Latvia who have acquired the citizenship of another member state of the European Union, European Free Trade Association or North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Dual citizenship is also an option for a Latvian citizen who has acquired the citizenship of a state that has signed an agreement with Latvia on recognising dual citizenship,” explained Ingmārs Čaklais, Chairman of the Subcommittee.

Čaklais pointed out that people who have acquired the citizenship of a state not mentioned above will be able to retain dual citizenship upon permission of the Cabinet of Ministers. Those who have acquired the citizenship of another state through marriage or adoption will also be able to retain Latvian citizenship.

MPs also agreed that dual citizenship will be available for Latvians in exile and their descendants who submit a relevant notification. This applies to citizens who left Latvia because of the occupation regime of the USSR or Germany or were deported and had not returned for permanent residence by 4 May 1990.

With regard to Latvians and Livs permanently residing outside Latvia, the Subcommittee supported the motion to grant citizenship to those who can prove that their ancestors used to live in the territory of Latvia and that they speak Latvian.

The next meeting of the Citizenship Law Amendments Subcommittee will deal with the citizenship of children born abroad into families of Latvian citizens.

On 10 November 2011, the 11th Saeima decided to draft amendments to the Citizenship Law. The Legal Affairs Committee, which is responsible for the amendments, formed a subcommittee for drafting the new version of the Law.

The Subcommittee is now preparing the Draft Law on the Amendments to the Citizenship Law for the second reading.

Photos from the meeting are available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/saeima/sets/72157630636419248/
When using the material, please give credit to the Saeima Chancellery.




Saeima Press Service