The information has been validated
Latvia
Temporary Protection - Latvia
Temporary Protection - Latvia
Overview
Relevant EU legislation
Latvia transposed the Temporary Protection Directive initially in 2005 (under the former Asylum Law) and currently under the Asylum Law | Patvēruma likums adopted on 17 December 2015 (Entry into force on 19 January 2016). Publication: Latvijas Vēstnesis, 2, 05.01.2016, OP number: 2016/2.1
The Government activated temporary protection for Ukrainian Civilians by the Law on Assistance to Ukrainian Civilians | Ukrainas civiliedzīvotāju atbalsta likums adopted on 3 Marched 2022 (entry into force on 5 March 2022, 45A, 04.03.2022. OP number: 2022/45A.1 as amended by the Amendments to the Law on Support of Civilians of Ukraine.)
In November 2024, the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs amended the Law on Assistance for Ukrainian Civilians and extended temporary protection until 4 March 2026.
National legislation
Asylum Law | Patvēruma likums adopted on 17 December 2015 (entry into force on 19 January 2016). Publication: Latvijas Vēstnesis, 2, 05.01.2016, OP number: 2016/2.1
Law on Assistance for Ukrainian Civilians and extended temporary protection adopted on 3 March 2022 (entry into force on 5 March 2022) Publication: Latvijas Vēstnesis, 45A, 04.03.2022. OP number: 2022/45A.1 as amended by the Amendments to the Law on Support of Civilians of Ukraine. Activation of temporary protection.
Implementing decisions:
• Regulations on providing primary support to Ukrainian civilians Cabinet of Ministers 08.06.2022. No 339 / LV, 113, 13.06.2022.
• Veterinary requirements for the import of Ukrainian civilian animals into the Republic of Latvia Cabinet of Ministers 19.04.2022. Regulation No 256 / LV, 78, 22.04.2022.
• Regulations on the Number of Civilians of Ukraine to be Housed in Municipalities Cabinet of Ministers 12.04.2022. Regulation No 235 / LV, 74A, 14.04.2022.
• Regulations on the information necessary to ensure the provision of support to the civilian population of Ukraine Cabinet of Ministers 15.03.2022. Regulation No 172 / LV, 53A, 16.03.2022.
• Procedure for Granting Scholarships to Foreigners Cabinet of Ministers 24.01.2012. Regulation No 68 / LV, 15, 26.01.2012.
Competent authority and stakeholders
| Area | Competent national authority | Assistance to the competent authority (if applicable) |
|---|---|---|
| Screening at the external border (if relevant) | State Border Guard (SBG)| Valsts robežsardze | |
| Biometric data (if relevant) | Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) | Pilsonības un migrācijas lietu pārvalde (PMLP) | |
| Granting temporary protection | Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) | Pilsonības un migrācijas lietu pārvalde (PMLP) | |
| Issuing the residence permit | Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) | Pilsonības un migrācijas lietu pārvalde (PMLP) | |
| Providing accommodation | ||
| Medical care | Ministry of Health | Veselības ministrija | |
| Social welfare | Ministry of Welfare | Labklājības ministrija |
Eligibility
According to Article 1 of the Law on Assistance of Civilians of Ukraine, the following categories of people are eligible for temporary protection:
- Ukrainian citizens leaving Ukraine or who are unable to return to Ukraine due to the Russian war of aggression;
- Persons who have been granted a permanent residence permit, stateless persons and beneficiaries of international protection status in Ukraine;
- Family members of the persons referred to in points (a) and (b).
Admission to the territory
Entry requirements
According to the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement (Ukraine), holders of a Ukrainian biometric passport may enter visa free with a maximum stay of 90 days. From 2025, Ukrainian citizens are required to complete an ETIAS application before travelling to the EU.
Consult the government platform Ukraine to Latvia -Information for Ukrainians coming to Latvia for up-to-date information on Ukrainian nationals entering the territory of Latvia.
Provision of information
Information platforms: Government platform Ukraine to Latvia -Information for Ukrainians coming to Latvia in English, Ukrainian, Russian and Latvian (provides information on arrival, including pets, long-stay visa, cities and regions, social support, accommodation, healthcare, finances/exchange of hryvnia to euro, bank accounts, job opportunities, useful resources).
Other useful resources:
• Embassy of Ukraine in Latvia
• "Gribu palīdzet bēgļiem" Facebook group
• Online resources for learning Latvian
• Latvian news in English: eng.lsm.lv
• Every Friday at 20:05 on Latvian Radio 4 there is a program "Ми з України" for Ukrainian people in Latvia
• The Ukrainian TV programme "RADA" is broadcast free of charge in Ukrainian
• Latvian news in Russian: rus.lsm.lv
• Law on Assistance to Ukrainian Civilians
Procedural aspects
Procedure to register and be granted temporary protection
According to the Section 3(1), (2), (3) and (4) of the Law on Assistance to Ukrainian Citizens:
If a Ukrainian citizen does not have the right to stay in Latvia or has the right to stay but not the right to employment, and if he or she has a valid travel document, the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, the State Border Guard, or the diplomatic and consular missions of Latvia in foreign countries may issue a long-term visa with the right to employment without restrictions for a period up to 1 year, without applying the requirements included in Section 4(1), (3) and 5) of the Immigration Law, and also without collecting a State fee for the examination of the documents submitted for requesting a visa. In such cases, Section 63, para 1 of the Asylum Law shall not be applied.
The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs shall issue a temporary residence permit, i.e. an identity card of a third country citizen, for three years to a Ukrainian civilian who has the right to obtain the status of temporary protection or to whom such status has been granted.
If a person who has been granted the status of temporary protection receives a personal identification document in Latvia for the first time, the identity of the relevant person shall be certified by an interview questionnaire approved by an official of the State Border Guard or the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs.
The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs shall take the decision to issue a temporary residence permit to a Ukrainian civilian who has already been granted the status of temporary protection in the Republic of Latvia within three months.
When issuing the temporary residence permit the State fee shall not be collected, and also the document registration deadline shall not be determined.
| Registration | According to the Section 5(1), (2) and (3) of the Law on Assistance to Ukrainian Citizens: If a Ukrainian citizen requests a visa (also the one referred to in Section 3 of the Law on Assistance of Civilians of Ukraine) or a residence permit, however, the documents submitted for requesting a visa or residence permit do not conform to the requirements provided for in the Document Legalisation Law or all the documents necessary for requesting a visa or residence permit specified in the laws and regulations have not been submitted, the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs may determine a time period of up to one year for the submission of the documents conforming to the requirements. This provision shall also apply to the documents which are necessary for determining the legal status of a person in Latvia, and also for the entering or updating of information in the Register of Natural Persons. A Ukrainian citizen may submit documents for requesting a visa or residence permit also at the State and local government unified customer service centre, and it shall send the documents submitted for requesting a visa or residence permit to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs. The State and local government unified customer service centre shall advise Ukrainian civilians on the submission of the documents necessary for requesting a visa or residence permit and provide Ukrainian civilians with the possibility to submit such documents. In order to enter or update information in the Register of Natural Persons on a person who has received temporary protection, the person shall, when submitting an application, fill in and submit a relevant submission approved by an official of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs if a residence permit is not being requested concurrently with the application. |
|---|---|
| Residence permit | According to the Section 3(2) of the Law on Assistance to Ukrainian Citizens: The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs issues a temporary residence permit, i.e. an identity card for a third-country citizen, for 3 years to Ukrainian citizens who have the right to obtain the status of temporary protection or to whom such status has been granted. Click here for further information. |
| Legal aid | Information is currently not available. |
| Appeal | Information is currently not available. |
| Exclusion | Information is currently not available. |
| Termination/Withdrawal | According to the Section 23(1) of the Law on Assistance to Ukrainian Citizens: A person loses temporary protection in the following cases: 1) he/she no longer conforms to the conditions for the provision of assistance referred to in Section 1(1) of the Law on Assistance to Ukrainian Citizenss; 2) he/she receives international protection in another country or leaves (has left) for the country in which they have the right to reside or to receive a residence permit; 3) the term of validity of a visa or residence permit in Latvia has expired and the person has not submitted an application for receipt of a new visa or residence permit within 1 month. |
Reception and accommodation
Overview
Consult the government platform Ukraine to Latvia -Information for Ukrainians coming to Latvia for relevant and up-to-date information on reception and accommodation.
Organisation of reception and accommodation
As of 20 July 2022, municipalities decide on accommodation for up to 60 days, if it is not possible to provide accommodation for up to 120 days in the municipality. Accommodation for 60 days can only be applied if the municipality has reached 80% of the actually possible number of accommodated Ukrainian citizens and it is not possible to provide accommodation in another municipality.
Certain groups of persons who, for objective reasons, may find it difficult to secure housing after the period of accommodation provided by the state, have the possibility to receive accommodation support also after a period of 60 or 120 days, but no longer than until 31 December 2025.
Latvian residents who accommodate Ukrainian civilians in their homes for free are eligible to receive state support. The municipality may enter into a lease agreement with a private individual (landlord) for the accommodation of Ukrainian citizens.
The website majasbegliem.lv helps Ukrainians to find housing in Latvia and contact landlords without intermediaries. The site provides a detailed description of the rental process, a sample contract, and practical advice on renting a home, including what financial help is available and how to get it.
Consult the government platform Ukraine to Latvia -Information for Ukrainians coming to Latvia for relevant and up-to-date information on the organisation of reception and accommodation.
Rights of people granted temporary protection
| Rights | Description |
|---|---|
| Access to the labour market | Detailed information for Ukrainian citizens seeking employment is available here. Once employed, Ukrainian citizens are entitled to a one-time employment allowance of EUR 700. The benefit must be applied for at the State Employment Agency (SEA) within 1 month after starting work. More information on applying for the employment allowance can be found here. SEA will help Ukrainian citizens find employment in Latvia. Consult the government platform Ukraine to Latvia -Information for Ukrainians coming to Latvia for relevant and up-to-date information on access to the labour market. |
| Access to medical care | Every Ukrainian citizen in Latvia is eligible for the same free, state-covered healthcare and medical services, including medicine, just like Latvian residents. Consult the government platform Ukraine to Latvia -Information for Ukrainians coming to Latvia for relevant and up-to-date information concerning access to medical care. |
| Social welfare assistance and means of subsistence | Ukrainian citizens in Latvia can receive the following benefits: From 1 January 2025, one-off benefit in a crisis situation (EUR 377 for an adult and EUR 264 for a child). From 1 January 2024, an additional monthly allowance of EUR 137 for the first person and EUR 96 for each subsequent person in a household for material support or social services according to individual needs. Consult the government platform Ukraine to Latvia -Information for Ukrainians coming to Latvia for relevant and up-to-date information on social welfare assistance and means of subsistence. |
| Education | Ukrainian citizens can continue their studies as exchange students, while researchers can be employed in Latvian research institutions, receiving the same support for studies as for students in Latvia or researchers in existing research cooperation programmes. The list of higher education institutions, study programmes and contacts is available here. Consult the government platform Ukraine to Latvia -Information for Ukrainians coming to Latvia for relevant and up-to-date information on education. |
| Family reunification | For family members of Ukrainian citizens, residence permits are issued accordingly. |
| Other | Consult the government platform Ukraine to Latvia -Information for Ukrainians coming to Latvia for relevant and up-to-date information. |
Assistance to unaccompanied minors
Article 18 of the Law on Assistance of Ukrainian Civilians, defines the procedure to be followed for unaccompanied minors. Article 19 of the Law on Assistance of Ukrainian Civilians, defines the procedure to be followed for emergency guardian support.
Consult the government dedicated platform Ukraine to Latvia -Information for Ukrainians coming to Latvia for relevant and up-to-date information on assistance to unaccompanied minors.
Assistance to people with special needs
According to Article of the 7 Law on the Assistance of Ukrainian Civilians, the state and local government provide other types of support to citizens of Ukraine if required after assessing the individual needs of the person.
Persons with special needs (e.g. pregnant women, families with children under the age of 2, functional disability (such as obvious mobility impairment, mental disorder, care needs, specific health care and other needs) should inform their place accommodation to provide the immediate support and care.
The place of accommodation will inform the competent authorities (Article 6 Law on the Support of Ukrainian Civilians).
Solidarity (relocation of people who are eligible for temporary protection)
n/a
Impact of simultaneous application for international protection
There is no impact of a simultaneous application for international protection.