On Thursday, 30 May, the Saeima adopted in the final reading amendments to the Maintenance Guarantee Fund Law, enabling young adults of legal age studying abroad to receive maintenance from the state if parents do not pay it. 

The Saeima adopted amendments to the law in order to be able to grant maintenance to young adults whose declared place of residence is still in Latvia, but education is acquired abroad. According to the authors of the draft law, young adults up to the age of 21 should be eligible to social security while acquiring education.

“Currently, if a parent does not pay maintenance to his or her child, the state will only provide maintenance for young adults who have reached the age of majority if they are enrolled in Latvian schools. This inequality was pointed out by the Ombudsman, and the members of the Committee unanimously supported the need to eliminate this inequality," said Leila Rasima, Chair of the Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee responsible for the draft law.

Until now, if a parent does not pay maintenance to his or her child, the state disbursed them up to 18 years of age, as well as after the age of majority, if they continued to acquire basic education, secondary education, vocational education or special education only in Latvia, but beyond the age of 21.

The changes will come into force on 1 September this year.

Saeima Press Service