REQUESTING ASYLUM IN LATVIA
Many people leave their home land due to persecution threat, war, economic circumstances and other reasons. If such persons arrive to Latvia and request protection (asylum), they are asylum seekers.
Asylum seeker may obtain a refugee or alternative status in Latvia.
The refugee status may be received by the asylum seeker, who reasonably fears from persecution in country or previous country of residence due to:
- race,
- religion,
- nationality,
- social background,
- political opinion.
Alternative status may be received by the asylum seeker, who is in danger of home country or previous country of residence from:
- war,
- death penalty,
- torture, punishment,
- humiliating attitude.
People, who leave their country due to unemployment or poverty, cannot acquire a refugee or alternative status.
If the asylum seeker cannot receive a refugee or alternative status and he/or she does not have any other ground to stay in Latvia (visa or residence permit), he/she shall leave Latvia.
A permanent residence permit is issued to the recipients of the refugee status, but a temporary residence permit - to recipients of the alternative status.
|
Refugees receive: |
Persons with alternative status receive: |
|
Permanent residence permit (for 5 years) |
Temporary residence permit (for 1 year, afterwards - for 2 years) |
|
Travel document |
Travel document (if it cannot be issued by a home country) |
|
Right to employment |
Right to employment |
|
Right to family re-union right after acquisition of the refugee status |
Right to family re-union 2 years after acquisition of the alternative status |
|
Possibility to declare the place of residence in Latvia |
Possibility to declare the place of residence in Latvia |
|
In case of lack of sufficient means, a single-time financial support: for an adult person - 278.00 euro for a minor person - 194.00 euro if the persons are spouses, then for one person - 278.00 euro, the other - 194.00 euro
|
In case of lack of sufficient means, a single-time financial support: for an adult person - 278.00 euro for a minor person - 194.00 euro if the persons are spouses, then for one person - 278.00 euro, the other - 194.00 euro
|
|
In case of lack of sufficient means, a benefit for 10 months: for an adult person - 139.00 euro per month for a minor person - 97.00 euro per month if the persons are spouses, then for one person - 139.00 euro per month, the other - 97.00 euro per month |
In case of lack of sufficient means, a benefit for 7 months: for an adult person - 139.00 euro per month for a minor person - 97.00 euro per month if the persons are spouses, then for one person - 139.00 euro per month, the other - 97.00 euro per month |
In order to request asylum in Latvia, a person has to write an application.
The application shall be PERSONALLY submitted:
- when entering Latvia
- at the border crossing place;
- in the transit zone of airport.
- when staying in Latvia (if a person has a visa or residence permit in Latvia)
- at the State Border Guard office.
Information about places of location of the Border Guard offices: https://www.rs.gov.lv/lv/filiales or https://www.rs.gov.lv/en/branches
In Riga you have to go to Ieriķu iela 15, but applying in advance via phone:
- during working days via phone 67075732;
- during weekends and public holidays, outside working hours via phone 67323994
AFTER REQUESTING ASYLUM
State Border Guard shall:
- accept and register the application;
- accept personal identity documents and travel documents;
- establish personality and nationality of the asylum seeker;
- take fingerprints (as of the age of 14 years);
- establish, whether the person has not requested the asylum in another Member State of the European Union;
- establish the reasons, why a person needs asylum;
- may perform inspection of personal property.
Interview with the asylum seeker takes place with the assistance of an interpreter.
The asylum seeker’s personal identity document shall be issued to the asylum seeker.
The asylum seeker’s personal identity document confirms the status of the asylum seeker and provide the right to stay in the territory of Latvia. It is not possible to travel to other countries with the asylum seeker’s document.
For minor asylum seekers without parents or adult relatives the state shall appoint a guardian.
The State Border Guard delivers all information to the Asylum Division of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs.
Asylum Division of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs shall:
- Assess, whether the application of the asylum seeker should be reviewed in Latvia or in any other country.
If the asylum seeker has requested asylum in another Member State of the European Union or he or she has a visa or residence permit issued by another Member State, contact with the relevant Member State.
- Make a decision regarding acceptance of the application for review.
- Organize personal interview with the asylum seeker.
Applications regarding requesting asylum shall not be reviewed from the persons:
- who has been granted the protection by another state,
- who has any other first asylum state,
- who has arrived from a safe third-country,
- who submits the application repeatedly without specifying new circumstances.
AFTER REVIEW OF THE DOCUMENTS AND PERFORMANCE OF THE PERSONAL INTERVIEW
Asylum Division of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs may:
- grant a refugee status,
- grant an alternative status,
- refuse to grant a refugee or alternative status.
The decision shall be made within 3 months after personal interview. Sometimes it may last for up to 15 months from the day of submission of the application.
If the asylum seeker does not agree with the decision, he or she may appeal it to the Administrative District Court.
The asylum seeker has the right at any time to refuse from asylum procedure and to return to its country.
More detailed information about requesting of the asylum is available here: https://www.pmlp.gov.lv/en/guidance-asylum-seekers-latvia
Information is available in Arabic, Dari, English, Farsi, French, Latvian, Pashto, Russian, Tigrinya, Kurdish, Georgian, Azerbaijani, Turkish.
ACCOMMODATION OF THE ASYLUM SEEKER
If the asylum seeker is not detained, he or she may stay during the review of documents at the Asylum Seekers Accommodation Centre. The Centre is located in the distance of 17 km from Riga city centre- in Mucenieki.
More detailed information about the Centre is available here:
https://www.pmlp.gov.lv/en/guidance-asylum-seekers-latvia
Information is available in Arabic, Dari, English, Farsi, French, Latvian, Pashto, Russian, Tigrinya, Kurdish, Georgian, Azerbaijani, Turkish.
The asylum seeker may at own expense stay also anywhere else - in the hotel, in the own property or lease an apartment. In such case he or she has to specify address of stay to the State Border Guard.
DETENTION OF THE ASYLUM SEEKER
The asylum seeker may be detained if:
- personal data or nationality should be established;
- facts should be examined on requesting of the asylum;
- there is a reason to consider that the person cause threat to public safety or public order;
- if forwarding of a person to another Member State of the European Union is commenced;
- if it is necessary to decide on the rights of the asylum seeker to enter Latvia;
- there is a reason to consider that the person requests asylum only in order to delay extradition.
FAMILY REUNION PROCESS
The person with a refugee or alternative status has the right to reunite with family members, who stay abroad. This is called family reunion.
The family means a spouse of the person and their single children until the age of 18 years, as well as disabled children being under custody.
The person, who has not reached the age of 18 years and is single, may receive the mother and father arriving from abroad.
Refugees have the right to family reunion right after acquisition of a refugee status.
Persons with alternative status have the right to family reunion 2 years after acquisition of the alternative status.
For family reunion a call should be arranged at first at the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs.
It can be performed on the website www.latvija.lv in the service “Approval of invitation or call for requesting a visa or residence permit in Latvia”.
Family members should have valid travel documents.
Family members have to submit to the representative office of Latvia in their country the following documents:
- present valid travel documents;
- questionnaire;
- photograph;
- copies of documents certifying kinship;
- payment document, confirming payment of the State fee.
Should any family member be not able to submit copies of documents certifying kinship and has specified in writing the justified reason for that, the institution may accept the documents for family reunion without the relevant document.
State fee for approval of invitations and issue of visas https://www.pmlp.gov.lv/en/state-fees-issuance-visa-and-services-related-thereto-0