The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (hereinafter the OCMA) has developed a solution – an interactive questionnaire to support Ukrainian civilians in the process of applying for a residence permit. The interactive solution includes an explanation of how to fill in the questionnaire, giving more precise instructions on the information to be included.
On March 4, around 15,000 Ukrainian civilians will reach the end of their long-term visas and residence permits in Latvia. The documents need to be renewed to continue receiving benefits and other services here. One of the documents to be submitted to request an extension is a questionnaire, which is now available in digital format with additional explanatory notes to make it easier to complete.
"Sometimes the questionnaire is filled in carelessly. We can see that the applicant has not read the questions carefully or that some part of the questionnaire has not been filled in. As a result, we receive incorrect or incomplete answers, the time needed to clarify which prolongs the applicant's ability to receive the document. We hope that the introduction of the interactive format will significantly facilitate the completion of the questionnaire," says Maira Roze, Head of the OCMA.
The OCMA reiterates its call on Ukrainian civilians who have previously been issued with a residence permit or visa in Latvia to check carefully the validity of the permit and, if necessary, apply for a new residence permit. It should be considered that the processing time can take up to three months, so the OCMA encourages timely submission of documents.
If a residence permit or a long-stay visa had been issued previously, the following should be submitted to extend it:
- a copy of a travel document;
- completed free-form application.
However, if the Ukrainian civilian is an adult citizen of Russia or Belarus, the following must be submitted to the OCMA in order to obtain a residence permit or a long-stay visa:
- a copy of a travel document;
- a completed residence permit application questionnaire;
- a completed additional questionnaire to provide information to the competent state authorities.
The prepared documents can be submitted:
- electronically, signed with a secure e-signature and sent to the e-mail address: pasts@pmlp.gov.lv;
- by post to the address of the territorial OCMA division;
- at the state and municipal single customer service centres.