Correcting and supplementing an entry in the register of civil status documents in Latvia is regulated by Law On Registration of Civil Status Documents and Cabinet of Ministers 03.09.2019. regulation No.761 “Regulations on Registers of Civil Status Documents” Chapter IX.
The General Registry office shall correct mistakes in an entry in the register of civil status documents and enter the missing or new information according to a submission of the interested person, if the civil status document has been registered with the General Registry institution, if there are sufficient grounds for correcting or supplementation of the entry and if there is no dispute between the interested persons. If the General Registry office does not have sufficient grounds for correcting or supplementing an entry in the register of civil status documents or if there is a dispute between the interested persons, or the entry in the register of civil status documents was made in a foreign state, the entry in the register of civil status documents shall be corrected or supplemented on the basis of a court judgment.
Supplementations to an entry in the register of civil status document
An entry in the register shall be renewed based on:
- a court judgement;
- a statement regarding dissolution of marriage issued by a sworn notary;
- a submission of a person and an opinion of a General Registry office;
- a submission of a person without an opinion of a General Registry office;
- an administrative act;
- Cabinet decision.
Based on a court judgement, an entry in the register shall be supplemented, if:
- paternity of the child has been determined;
- the fact of paternity has been established;
- the court has satisfied the claim by which the paternity assumption has been contested (it has been established that the child has not been born of his or her mother's husband) or recognized paternity has been declared annulled;
- maternity has been determined or contested;
- an entry in the register regarding the parents of a child or one parent of the child has been annulled;
- adoption has been confirmed or cancelled;
- marriage has been dissolved or declared annulled.
Based on a submission by a person and an opinion of a General Registry office, an entry in the register shall be supplemented, if:
- the parents of a child whose fact of birth has been registered as a foundling have become known;
- a fictitious entry regarding the father has been deleted (if birth of the child was registered in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 58 of the USSR Marriage and Family Code, by completing the information regarding the father with the surname and ethnicity of the mother, and the given name of the father of the child and patronymic according to the instructions of the mother);
- for a child under 15 years of age a religious name as the second name of the child is entered;
- for a child under 15 years of age who is given two names, but is called by only one name, the name which is not used is deleted;
- a child under the age of 15 changes his/her name (names) to any name (names) - once, if the name (names) of the child is/ are difficult to pronounce, or it/ they is/are not good-sounding;
- for a child from the age of 15 and a person of legal age to whom in the entry of the birth registry and the original copy of the birth certificate two names have been entered, one name which is not used is deleted if in other personal documents only one name has been entered;
- the surname of a child is changed to the surname of the father or the mother, after entering into marriage of the parents, dissolving marriage of the parents, entering into marriage of the father or mother;
- surnames of the parents of a child are different, and based on an agreement between the parents or on a court decision, separate custody has been established for one parent, and the surname of the child is changed to the surname of the parent who exercises separate custody rights;
- surnames of the parents of a child are different, and one of the parents has been deprived of custody of the child, and the surname of the child is changed to the surname of the parent who exercises custody rights;
- information regarding one parent has been deleted, and the surname of the child is changed to the surname of the parent, who exercises custody rights;
- the person has undergone complete or partial change of sex, and the entry regarding the sex of the person is changed in accordance with the sex indicated in a medical certificate issued by a medical treatment institution or a medical practitioner or another document certifying the change of sex. The form of the name (s) and surname shall be reproduced in accordance with the sex;
- the nationality record of a child is changed if the information regarding one of the parents has been deleted from the birth register of the child or the information regarding one of the parents has been supplemented. Changing the nationality record requires the consent of the child if he or she has reached the age of twelve;
- the adoptee's place of birth and date of birth are changed according to the original entry in the birth register indicated before the adoption was approved (if the adoption was approved before 31 August 1993 on the basis of Article 112 of the LSSR Marriage and Family Code and place and date of birth);
- the nationality record of a child is changed to the paternal or maternal nationality record after the change of the nationality record of mother or father. Changing the nationality record requires the consent of the child if he or she has reached the age of twelve.
Based on a submission of a person without an opinion of a General Registry office, an entry in the register shall be supplemented if:
- fictitious entry regarding the father has been deleted (if birth of the child was registered in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 58 of the USSR Marriage and Family Code, by completing the information regarding the father with the surname and ethnicity of the mother, and the given name of the father of the child and patronymic according to the instructions of the mother), and a submission for acknowledgement of paternity has been submitted at the same time;
- paternity of the child has been recognized;
- upon entering into mutual marriage of the parents, the parents and the child acquire a common surname;
- the name (names) and surname, that has (have) been entered in the register in dialect or a foreign language, shall be reproduced in accordance with the norms of the literary Latvian language regarding orthography of person's names;
- a person in reproducing a person's name which has been entered in dialect or a foreign language, also wishes to retain the historical form of his/ her surname or the original form in another language.
Based on an administrative act, an entry in the register shall be supplemented if:
- it is allowed to change the given name (names) or surname (given name (names) and surname) of a child;
- it is allowed to change the entry regarding ethnicity;
- it is allowed to change the name (names) or surname (name (names) and surname) of a person who has undergone complete or partial change of sex. The entry regarding the sex of the person shall be changed in accordance with the sex indicated in a medical certificate issued by a medical treatment institution or a medical practitioner or another document certifying the change of sex. The name (names) or surname (name (names) and surname) shall be entered in accordance with the decision regarding permission to change the name (names) or surname (name (names) and surname).
Corrections to an entry in the register of civil status document
A correction shall be made in any entry in the register, if:
- a clerical or spelling error, distortion or omission of the information or separate words have been made, incorrect or inaccurate information has been recorded;
- alignment of person's names (prevention of variants of forms of person's name) shall be made.
A General Registry office shall correct an entry in the register, based on:
- a submission of an interested person and an opinion of a General Registry office;
- an opinion of a General Registry office without a submission of an interested person, if the General Registry office has established that upon including information in the unified register of civil status documents, it has made a misspelling or orthography error;
- court decision.
Submission of an application for supplementation or correction to an entry in the register of civil status document
An application for making an addition or correction to an entry in the register, together with the necessary documents, shall be submitted to the registry office in Latvia or to the nearest diplomatic and consular mission of the Republic of Latvia abroad, which will forward it to the Ministry of Justice. In its turn, the Ministry of Justice will forward the application with the attached documents to the registry office in Latvia, where the relevant entry in the civil status register is kept.
The state fee for updating (correcting or supplementing) an entry in the civil status register is 7 euros.
The legal basis for changing a person's name, surname, and nationality record is determined by the Law on the Change of a Given Name, Surname and Nationality Record (hereinafter referred to as "the Law").
Persons Eligible to Change Name, Surname, or Nationality Record
A name or surname (name and surname) can be changed from the age of 15, if the person is:
- Citizen of the Republic of Latvia;
- Non-citizen of the Republic of Latvia;
- Stateless person granted this status in the Republic of Latvia.
A name or surname (name and surname) can be changed for a younger person if one or both parents of the minor have been convicted of a deliberate, serious, or particularly serious crime.
A nationality record can be changed from the age of 15, if the person is:
- Citizen of the Republic of Latvia;
- Non-citizen of the Republic of Latvia;
- Stateless person granted this status in the Republic of Latvia;
- Person residing in the Republic of Latvia with a valid residence permit, registration certificate, or permanent residence certificate, and wishes to acquire the nationality "Latvian" or "Livonian (Liv)".
Reasons for Changing Name, Surname, and Nationality Record
A name or surname (name and surname) can be changed if one of the following reasons exists:
- The name or surname hinders the person's integration into society;
- The person wishes to add a second name to the name recorded in the birth register. The name recorded first in the register is considered the main name;
- The person wishes to acquire or add the spouse's surname;
- The person wishes to acquire their family surname in a direct ascending line;
- The person wishes to regain their birth or pre-marriage surname;
- The person's gender has been changed;
- One or both parents of the minor have been convicted of a deliberate, serious, or particularly serious crime;
- The person wishes to acquire the mother's or father's surname.
A nationality record can be changed to the nationality of direct ascending relatives within two generations (to the nationality of parents and grandparents) once.
Application for Changing Name, Surname, or Nationality Record
The application for changing a name, surname, or nationality record can be submitted:
- In person at the municipal civil registry office, presenting a valid identity document;
- At the Department of Civil Registry of the Ministry of Justice:
- Sending from the official electronic address (E-address), indicating the recipient "Civil Registry Department of the Ministry of Justice";
- Sending to the email dzimts.dep@tm.gov.lv, if the application is signed with a secure electronic signature;
- Sending via the portal latvija.gov.lv, indicating the recipient " Civil Registry Department of the Ministry of Justice" (section Enter My Latvija.gov.lv with the application);
- Sending by mail: Civil Registry Department of the Ministry of Justice, Brīvības bulvāris 36, Riga, LV-1536;
- In person at Brīvības bulvāris 36, Riga, LV-1536, placing the application in the correspondence box of the Ministry of Justice.
The sample application form is determined by the Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No. 183 of March 22, 2022, "Regulations on the Application Form for Changing Name, Surname, and Nationality Record".
Required Documents for Changing Name or Surname
The following documents must be attached to the application for changing a name or surname:
- If the name or surname is changed for a minor – written consent of the parents. Written consent of the parent convicted of a deliberate, serious, or particularly serious crime is not required;
- If the name or surname is changed for a minor under guardianship – written consent of the guardian and the decision of the Orphan's Court on the compliance of the name or surname change with the child's interests;
- If any of the civil status registration documents are composed abroad, the person must present the foreign-issued documents (i.e., birth certificate, marriage certificate, minor child's birth certificate), formatted according to the procedure specified in the Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No. 291 of August 22, 2000, "Procedure for Certifying Document Translations in the State Language" or with a notarized translation according to the third part of Article 10 of the State Language Law;
- If the reason for changing the name or surname is hindering integration into society – a reasoned explanation of why the current name or surname hinders integration into society and how the chosen name or surname will promote integration into society;
- If the reason for changing the name or surname is gender change, a medical document issued by a medical institution or medical person certifying partial or complete gender change must be presented. If the medical document is composed abroad, it must be attached according to the procedure specified by the Cabinet of Ministers (Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No. 291 of August 22, 2000, "Procedure for Certifying Document Translations in the State Language" or with a notarized translation according to the third part of Article 10 of the State Language Law).
Required Documents for Changing Nationality Record
The following documents must be attached to the application for changing a nationality record:
- If the nationality record is changed for a minor – written consent of the parents;
- If the nationality record is changed for a minor under guardianship – written consent of the guardian and the decision of the Orphan's Court on the compliance of the nationality record change with the child's interests;
- If the nationality record is to be changed to "Latvian" – an educational document or other document certifying the person's proficiency in the state language at the highest (third) level, but in cases where the person is a Group 1 disabled person with indefinite disability, Group 2 or 3 visually, hearing, or speech impaired person, or is over 75 years old – an educational document or other document certifying the person's proficiency in the state language at the intermediate (second) level;
- If any of the civil status registration documents are composed abroad, the person must present the foreign-issued documents, i.e., birth certificate, also father's or mother's birth certificate or extract from the birth register, proving the person's kinship with direct ascending relatives, and documents confirming the nationality of these persons. The foreign-issued document must be attached according to the procedure specified by the Cabinet of Ministers (Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No. 291 of August 22, 2000, "Procedure for Certifying Document Translations in the State Language" or with a notarized translation according to the third part of Article 10 of the State Language Law);
- If the nationality record is to be changed to "Livonian (Liv)" – the opinion of the Livonian (Liv) organization on the person's ethnic origin, and if it is not possible to prove ethnic origin with documents proving kinship with direct ascending relatives.
State Fee
The state fee for changing a name is 71 euros, for changing a surname – 71 euros, and for changing a nationality record – 71 euros (payable upon submission of the application). The state fee is payable to the account of the institution where the application is submitted. If the application is submitted to the Department of Civil Registry of the Ministry of Justice, the following payment details are used:
State Treasury
Reg. No. 90000050138
Recipient: State Treasury
Code: TRELLV22
Account: LV83TREL1060000919900
Payment purpose: for (name, surname) change of name, surname, or nationality record.
The state fee is not payable:
- If one or both parents of the minor have been convicted of a deliberate, serious, or particularly serious crime;
- If the person wishes to change the current nationality record to "Livonian (Liv)".
Refusal to Change Name or Surname
The change of name or surname is refused if:
- The reason for changing the name or surname does not correspond to any of the reasons listed in the Law;
- The person has not submitted all the necessary documents;
- The person has not paid the state fee.
Refusal to Change Nationality Record
The change of nationality record is refused if:
- The person has already changed the nationality record after reaching adulthood;
- The documents do not prove the person's kinship ties and degree of kinship with the person whose nationality is desired;
- The person has not submitted all the necessary documents;
- The person has not paid the state fee.
Document Certifying Change of Name, Surname, or Nationality Record
- The decision to change the name, surname, or nationality record or refusal to change is made within one month from the date of receipt of the application at the Department of Civil Registry of the Ministry of Justice.
- The decision is sent to the addressee by registered mail to the address indicated in the application or electronically, signed with a secure electronic signature or to the official electronic address.
- The decision comes into force when it is notified to the addressee, as specified in the first part of Article 70 of the Administrative Procedure Law. According to the second part of Article 10 of the Notification Law, a document sent by registered mail to a European Union member state is considered notified on the seventh day after its delivery to the post office, but to other countries, it is considered notified three weeks after the document is delivered to the postal service provider. According to Article 9 of the Notification Law, a document sent to the official electronic address or the person's indicated email address is considered notified on the second working day after its sending.
- The decision to allow the change of nationality record certifies the legality of the nationality record change.
- After changing the name or surname (name and surname) according to Article 10 of the Law, to receive a new identity document, within 30 days after the decision to allow the change of name or surname (name and surname), this decision must be submitted to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs or the diplomatic or consular representation of the Republic of Latvia.
Upon the person's request, the Department of Civil Registry of the Ministry of Justice issues a derivative or certificate of the permission or decision to change the name, surname, or nationality record.
The application can be submitted:
- To the Department of Civil Registry of the Ministry of Justice:
- Sending from the official electronic address (E-address), indicating the recipient "Department of Civil Registry of the Ministry of Justice";
- Sending to the email dzimts.dep@tm.gov.lv, if the application is signed with a secure electronic signature;
- Sending via the portal latvija.gov.lv, indicating the recipient "Civil Registry Department of the Ministry of Justice";
- Sending by mail: Civil Registry Department of the Ministry of Justice, Brīvības bulvāris 36, Riga, LV-1536;
- In person at Brīvības bulvāris 36, Riga, LV-1536, placing the application in the correspondence box of the Ministry of Justice.
- In person at the municipal civil registry office;
- At the diplomatic or consular representation of the Republic of Latvia.
Another person has the right to request and receive a derivative or certificate of the permission or decision to change the name, surname, or nationality record if they justify their legal interest, indicating the purpose of use, or based on a power of attorney.
The certificate of change of name, surname, or nationality record can be issued upon the person's request in Latvian or English.
The fee for document preparation is determined according to the Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No. 770 of December 19, 2017, "Price List of Paid Services of the Ministry of Justice". According to points 2 and 4 of the appendix to these regulations, the fee for a derivative or certificate of the permission or decision to change the name, surname, or nationality record is 7.16 euros. The fee for a certificate of change of name, surname, or nationality record signed with a secure electronic signature is 8.28 euros.
The requested document is issued within one month from the date of receipt of the application at the Department of Civil Registry of the Ministry of Justice. The service can be received urgently within five working days, then the fee for such a service is applied with a coefficient of 3. The person pays for the service before receiving the service.
Payment details:
Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Latvia
Reg. No. 90000070045
Brīvības bulv. 36, Rīga
Account: LV04TREL2190455079000
State Treasury TRELLV22
Payment purpose: 21379 – certificate/derivative of change of name/surname/nationality record (application No.)
Exempt from the service fee, upon presenting a document certifying the relevant status:
- Person fully supported by the state or municipality;
- Person recognized as needy according to the procedure specified in regulatory acts;
- Orphan or child left without parental care after reaching adulthood until the age of 24;
- Large family (3+ children).
The certificate of change of name, surname, or nationality record or the derivative of the document will be sent by registered mail to the correspondence address, to the email (certificate signed with a secure electronic signature) or to the official electronic address, to the civil registry office or the diplomatic or consular representation of the Republic of Latvia – for receiving in person.
Useful Information:
- Address of the Civil Registry Department of the Ministry of Justice: Brīvības bulvāris 36, Rīga, LV-1536, Latvia
- Email: dzimts.dep@tm.gov.lv
Consultations can be received by phone: +371 67830690, +371 67830688; +371 67216032, +371 67830681
- The fact of death must be reported to the civil registry office no later than six working days from the moment of death or when the deceased is found.
- A death certificate is issued upon registration of the death.
- There is no state fee for the registration of death.
The obligation to notify the civil registry office about the death lies with:
1) The spouse;
2) Other family members;
3) Any other person who was present at the time of death or otherwise informed about the death.
If the person died in a medical institution, social care or rehabilitation institution, nursing home, or place of imprisonment, and none of the deceased's relatives or any other person informed about the death has notified the civil registry office, the head of the respective institution or their authorized person must notify the civil registry office in writing.
If none of the above-mentioned persons have notified the civil registry office about the death, and the municipality becomes aware of the death, it must notify the General registry office in writing.
If an investigation is conducted in connection with the person's death, the investigative or inquiry institution must notify the civil registry office in writing.
When notifying about the death, one of the following documents must be submitted to the civil registry office:
- A medical certificate of the cause of death issued by a medical institution or healthcare professional;
- A court judgment establishing the fact of death or declaring the person deceased;
- A notification from rehabilitation institutions about the death of a repressed person.
The fact of death of an unknown (unidentified) person is confirmed by a medical certificate of the cause of death issued by a medical institution. If the deceased is identified later, the missing information is recorded based on a certificate issued by the medical institution about the identification of the person (corpse), a decision of the inquiry institution, or a court judgment.
The cause of death is not indicated on the death certificate; it is recorded only in the death register.
A child's birth must be reported to the General Registry office within one month after the child's birth.
A birth certificate is issued for the registration of the birth.
There is no state fee for birth registration.
Persons required to report a child's birth:
- The child's father or mother. The child's father and mother can authorize another person to report the birth in accordance with the law.
- If the child's parents are deceased or unable to report the birth for other reasons, the obligation to report the birth falls on the medical professional or another person present at the birth.
- If the child is born in a shelter or prison, the head of the respective institution must report it in writing.
- If none of the above-mentioned persons have reported the child's birth and the municipality becomes aware of the birth, it must report it in writing to the civil registry office.
When reporting a child's birth, a medical certificate issued by a medical institution or medical professional confirming the birth must be submitted.
Determining the child's origin:
- When registering the child's birth, the General Registry office records information about the child's parents - father and mother.
- The mother is recognized as the woman who gave birth to the child.
- The father is presumed to be the mother's husband if the child is born during the marriage or within 306 days after the marriage has ended due to the husband's death, divorce, or annulment.
- If the child is born within 306 days after the end of the marriage and the mother has entered into a new marriage, the child is considered to be born in the new marriage. In this case, the former husband or his parents have the right to contest the child's origin.
- The child's origin from the father, who is or was married to the mother, is confirmed by the marriage registry entry.
- If the mother is not married, paternity can be acknowledged by the father and mother jointly submitting a declaration to the civil registry office or a notarized declaration addressed to the civil registry office.
- Paternity can also be acknowledged if the mother, her husband or former husband, and the biological father jointly submit a notarized declaration.
- The declaration of paternity can be submitted at the time of birth registration, after the birth has been registered, or before the birth.
- If the mother is deceased or her whereabouts are unknown, the father can submit the declaration of paternity alone. If the child is a minor, the guardian's consent or the orphan's court's consent is required if no guardianship has been established.
- A father who is a minor can submit the declaration of paternity with the consent of his parents or guardian.
- The child's consent is required for acknowledging paternity if the child is twelve years old or older.
- If the court satisfies a claim contesting the presumption of paternity, the entry about the father in the birth registry is considered null and void from the date it was made.
- If the child's origin from the father cannot be established based on the presumption of paternity or the court has ruled that the child is not the mother's husband's child, the child's origin from the father is based on voluntary acknowledgment of paternity or court determination.
- Paternity established by a legally binding court judgment cannot be contested.
- If paternity is established by the court or the court satisfies a claim contesting paternity, the child's surname is determined by the court, considering the child's interests.
Child's Name, Surname, and Nationality:
- A child can be given no more than two names. If the parents cannot agree on the child's name, the name is recorded according to the orphan's court decision.
- The child's surname is recorded according to the parents' surname.
- If the parents have different surnames, the child's surname is recorded according to the agreement between the parents.
- If the parents cannot agree on the child's surname, the surname is recorded according to the orphan's court decision.
- If the mother has not married or paternity has not been acknowledged, the child's surname is recorded according to the mother's surname.
- The nationality of the child may not be recorded in accordance with the parents' agreement, or the nationality of the child's relatives in the direct ascending line within two generations shall be recorded. If the parents cannot agree, the nationality of the child shall be recorded in accordance with the decision of the Orphan's Court.
According to the legal regulations specified in the Civil Law, marriages are officiated by a General registry office official or clergy of the denominations indicated in the Civil Law.
Marriages are concluded no earlier than one month and no later than six months after the submission of the application and other necessary documents to the General registry office, provided there are no obstacles to marriage as specified in the Civil Law. In urgent cases, the civil registry office official has the right to shorten the aforementioned minimum (one month) period.
The marriage is registered on the specified day at the General registry office, provided no obstacles to marriage as specified in the Civil Law have become known. At the request of the persons, the civil registry office official may register the marriage at another suitable location, provided the persons wishing to marry ensure appropriate or suitable conditions for the marriage registration. The marriage can be registered in the presence of two adult witnesses, but it is not mandatory.
If the marrying parties belong to the Evangelical Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Old Believer, Methodist, Baptist, Seventh-day Adventist, or Jewish denominations and wish to marry by a clergyman of their denomination who has the permission of the respective denomination's leadership, they are married according to the rules of the respective denomination.
After the marriage is concluded, a marriage certificate is issued. The state fee for marriage registration is 14 euros.
Submission of Marriage Application and Other Documents:
- Persons wishing to marry must personally submit a joint application, signed by both parties, to the General registry office or the diplomatic and consular representation of the Republic of Latvia abroad. Only Latvian citizens and non-citizens residing abroad can submit the marriage application to the diplomatic and consular representation of the Republic of Latvia abroad. If one of the spouses is a foreigner, the marriage application must be submitted in person by both parties at the civil registry office in Latvia.
- When submitting the application, the persons must present valid identification documents.
- Adult Latvian citizens or non-citizens can also submit the marriage application electronically by sending it to the official email address of the civil registry office where they wish to marry, provided the application is signed by both parties with a secure electronic signature and has a timestamp.
- Persons who have previously been married and whose divorce information is not included in the Population Register must present one of the following documents:
- The death certificate of the former spouse;
- A divorce certificate issued by the civil registry office or a sworn notary;
- A court judgment that has come into legal force, dissolving or annulling the marriage;
- An extract or certificate from the divorce register or marriage register with information about the divorce. If the person wishing to marry cannot obtain any of the above documents, it can be replaced by a court judgment establishing the relevant fact.
- If the person wishing to marry is a minor, the application must be accompanied by a written permission from the minor's parents or guardians, or the relevant orphan's court.
- If the persons wish to marry in a different General registry office or by a clergyman, rather than the office where they submitted the marriage application, the civil registry office where the application was submitted will issue a certificate verifying the necessary documents for marriage. The certificate is valid for six months from the date of issue.
Obstacles to Marriage:
- Marriage is prohibited before reaching the age of eighteen. Exceptionally, with the consent of the parents or guardians, a person who has reached the age of sixteen may marry if the marriage is concluded with an adult. If the parents or guardians unreasonably refuse to give permission, the orphan's court may grant permission based on the place where the parents or appointed guardians live.
- Marriage is also prohibited between relatives in the direct line, between siblings and half-siblings, between persons of the same sex, between an adopter and the adopted, and between a guardian and the ward before the guardianship relationship is terminated. A new marriage is prohibited for a person who is already married.
Foreigners' Right to Marry:
- A citizen of the European Union, the European Economic Area, or the Swiss Confederation, or a citizen of another country, a stateless person, a refugee, or a person granted alternative status who is legally residing in the Republic of Latvia at the time of marriage, may marry a Latvian citizen, a Latvian non-citizen, a citizen of the European Union, the European Economic Area, or the Swiss Confederation, or a citizen of another country, a stateless person, a refugee, or a person granted alternative status who is legally residing in the Republic of Latvia at the time of marriage.
- The foreigner must also submit a document issued by the competent authority of the respective foreign country regarding their marital status.
- If the foreigner has multiple nationalities or legal ties with several countries due to employment or education, documents regarding marital status must be submitted from all relevant countries.
- Documents issued abroad must be accompanied by a certified translation into the state language, as specified in Article 10 of the State Language Law.
- Documents issued abroad must also be legalized or certified with an apostille.
- If a person granted stateless, refugee, or alternative status in the Republic of Latvia does not have the necessary documents and cannot obtain them, the relevant documents can be replaced by a written declaration of the person's marital status.
Marriage Registration Abroad:
- If a Latvian citizen or non-citizen concludes a marriage outside the Republic of Latvia, in accordance with the laws of the foreign country where the marriage is concluded, this marriage is valid in the Republic of Latvia if the provisions of Articles 32, 35, 37, and 38 of the Civil Law are observed.
- A person can request and receive a certificate of marital status from the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (www.pmlp.gov.lv, information phone 8300).
- At the request of the person, the Ministry of Justice issues an informative certificate about the regulatory requirements according to which a Latvian citizen or non-citizen has obstacles to marriage in Latvia, for submission to the relevant foreign institution if such a certificate is necessary for marriage. The certificate is prepared in Latvian.
The application for receiving the informative certificate can be submitted in free form. The application should be submitted to the Department of Civil Registry of the Ministry of Justice:
- By sending it to the email dzimts.dep@tm.gov.lv, if the application is signed with a secure electronic signature;
- By sending it through the portal latvija.gov.lv, indicating the recipient as "Department of Civil Registry of the Ministry of Justice" (in the section Enter My Latvia.lv, the application is placed);
- By sending it by mail: Department of Civil Registry of the Ministry of Justice, Brīvības bulvāris 36, Rīga, LV-1536.
The issuance of the informative certificate is a paid service. The fee is determined according to the Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 770 of December 19, 2017 "Price List of Paid Services of the Ministry of Justice" (hereinafter – Regulation No. 770).
Prepayment must be made for the service (Regulation No. 770, point 5).
The following persons are exempt from the service fee upon presenting a relevant status certificate:
- A person who is fully supported by the state or municipality;
- A person who is recognized as needy in accordance with the procedures specified in regulatory enactments;
- An orphan or a child left without parental care after reaching adulthood until the age of 24;
- A large family.
Payment details for the issuance of the informative certificate:
Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Latvia
Reg. No. 90000070045
Brīvības bulvāris 36, Rīga
Account: LV04TREL2190455079000
State Treasury Code: TRELLV22
Payment purpose: for the informative certificate for marriage abroad
If the service is paid for, the informative certificate is issued within one month from the registration of the application in the Civil Registry Department of the Ministry of Justice.
Change of Documents After Marriage Registration:
- If a marriage is concluded and as a result, the surname is changed (taking the spouse's surname or adding the spouse's surname to one's own), the identification document becomes invalid for use and travel and must be changed.
- Within 30 days (after the previous identification document has become invalid for use and travel), one must apply to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs to receive a new identification document.
- If a person has concluded a marriage abroad, the person is obliged to notify the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs or the nearest Latvian consular or diplomatic representation abroad about the concluded marriage.
- Additional information about the change of identification documents and residence permits after a surname change or marriage concluded abroad can be obtained from the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (www.pmlp.gov.lv, information phone 8300).