Monthly Newsletter

The News of the Naturalization Board

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Address: Smilsu iela 1/3, Riga, LV-1050, Latvia

Telephone/fax: (371) 7814213, e-mail:

Website:

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July15 –August 15, 2007No. 66

Statistical Information on Acquisition of the Citizenship of Latvia as at July31, 2007

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Naturalization

Since February 1, 1995

  • 123,713naturalization applications have been received from the applicants of the citizenship of Latvia.

Breakdown of the number of applicants of the citizenship of Latvia as to their ethnic origin and age:

  • 125,523 persons, including 13,452underage children (under the age of 15) naturalizing together with a parent, have been granted the citizenship of Latvia through naturalization according to thedecrees of the Cabinet of Ministers.

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Recognition of a person to be a citizen of Latvia

Since January 1, 1999

  • 6,930 applications have been received as to recognition of a child, who was born in Latvia after August21, 1991 and whose parents are non-citizens or stateless persons, to be a citizen of Latvia as prescribed by article 31 of the Law on Citizenship.6,747children, who were born in Latvia after August21, 1991 and whose parents are non-citizens or stateless persons, have been recognized to be a citizen of Latvia.
  • 7,884applications have been received as to recognition of a person to be a citizen of Latvia through registration of the status of a citizen of Latvia as prescribed by the paragraphs 1, 11, 12 or 13, article 2 of the Law on Citizenship. 7,781persons, including 494underage children (under the age of 15), have been recognized to be a citizen of Latvia.

Latest Events

  • On July 19 Ms Eizenija Aldermane, the Head of the Naturalization Board, met with MsI. Liepa, Head of theSecretariat of the Minister for Special Assignments for Society Integration Affairs to discuss the opening of a research “On the Way to a Civil Society”.
  • On July 25Ms Eizenija Aldermane, the Head of the Naturalization Board,gave an interview to Ms Inara Murniece, journalist of the newspaper“Latvijas Avize”, on the issues concerning double citizenship.
  • On July 26 the administration of the Naturalization Board met with Mr A. Kursitis, Deputy Director of the State Language Centre, to discuss the work experience of both institutions.
  • On July 29 – 30 Ms Eizenija Aldermane, the Head of the Naturalization Board, Ms Liga Lukso, the Deputy Head of the Information Centre of the Naturalization Board and Ms Mara Kokina, the Head of Foreign Relations Department of the Naturalization Board, visited Estonia to meet the authorities of the Office of the Minister of Population and Ethnic Affairs and the Citizenship and Migration Board. During the meeting the issues pertaining to introduction of a Citizen’s Day in Latvia were discussed.
  • On August 1 Ms Eizenija Aldermane, the Head of the Naturalization Board, took part in the press conference organized by the Ministry of Justice about the usefulness of merging the Naturalization Board and the State Language Centre.
  • On August 3 – 4 the team of the Naturalization Board took part in the 12th Sports Games of the Ministry of Justice.
  • On August 6 and August 10 Ms Eizenija Aldermane, the Head of the Naturalization Board, took part in the meeting of a working group set up by the Minister of Justice for possible merging of the Naturalization Board and the State Language Centre.
  • On August 6 Ms Eizenija Aldermane, the Head of the Naturalization Board, took part in a Latvian Radio 1 discussion about the voting rights for non-citizens in the municipality elections.
  • On August 8 Ms Eizenija Aldermane, the Head of the Naturalization Board, took part in the meeting organized by the Society Integration Foundationabout working out guidelines for the Society integration project.
  • On August 8 Ms Eizenija Aldermane, the Head of the Naturalization Board, gave an interview for the newspaper “Diena” about the usefulness of merging the Naturalization Board and the State Language Centre.
  • On August 10 Ms Eizenija Aldermane, the Head of the Naturalization Board, gave an interview to the News Agency BNS about the idea to introduce a “Citizen’s Day” in Latvia.
  • On 15 August a regular “Information Day” was organized in the Methodology and Examination Centre of the Naturalization Board. Visitors had the possibility to pre-test their proficiency in the Latvian language as well as their knowledge of the basic principles of the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia and the history of Latvia by filling in the test samples. 7 visitors had arrived.

Planned Events

  • On 17 Augustthe monthly seminar of the Heads of the departments and the regional branches of the Naturalization Board will take place.
  • On August 21 a solemn ceremony to issue the dockets of the Cabinet of Ministers on granting the citizenship of Latvia through naturalization will take place in JurmalaCity Council.
  • On 23 August Ms Eizenija Aldermane, the Head of the Naturalization Board, will take part in the first meeting of the new Board of the Council of Civic Society.
  • Till 27 August analysis of the activities of the Naturalization Board will be carried out according to the order of the Minister of Justice to assess the possibilities of merging the Naturalization Board and the State Language Centre.
  • On September 5 a solemn ceremony to issue the dockets of the Cabinet of Ministers on granting the citizenship of Latvia through naturalization will take place in the Riga Russian Theatre.
  • Till October 1 the working group set up in the Naturalization Board will work out a conception of a Citizen’s Day in Latviafor submission to the Ministry of Justice.

Study visitsto Norway, Sweden and Finland

In the framework of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Programme “Exchange of Civil Servants” from 3 December 2006 till 31 May 2007 three employees of the Naturalization Board:Ms Solvita Viba, Deputy Head of the Board,Ms Baiba Jakovleva, Head of the Information Centre andMs Mara Kokina, Head of Foreign Relations Department, visited several institutions in Norway, Sweden and Finland to acquaint themselves with the issues of citizenship, testing language proficiency and integration of society.

The study visit to Norway took place on 3 – 7 December 2006. The following institutions were visited: Immigration Directorate, TanumReception Centre for Refugees, Sondre Nordstrand (Oslo) municipality body dealing with the Introduction programme for immigrants, Directorate of Integration and Diversity.

The study visit to Sweden took place on 23 – 26 April 2007. During the visit the employees of the Naturalization Board met with the authorities of the Swedish Migration Board, Swedish Integration Board and the Office of Refugee and Immigrant Affairs of Norrköping municipality.

The study visit to Finland took place on 29 – 31 May 2007. During the visit the employees of the Board were acquainted with the work of the Directorate of Immigration of Finland, Multi-Service Office for Immigrants inVantaa municipality andImmigration Department of the Ministry of the Interior of Finland. Useful meetings have also been with the authorities of the Labour Ministry of Finland and the National Board of Education.

After visits the information and experience acquired in the three Nordic countries was summarized and analyzed; a report on the visit with suggestions for improvement of the work of the Naturalization Board was submitted to the administration of the Board. The following suggestions for improvement have been submitted:

  1. For solving the issues of citizenship
  • To continue the Naturalization Board’s cooperation with the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Riga to make use of the opportunity for the employees of the Board to continue study visits to Nordic countries to get acquainted with the experience of the institutions of these countries in solving the issues of citizenship, testing language proficiency and integration of society. This would be important also because both in Sweden and in Finland the institutions responsible for the issues of migration and integration are being reorganized in the second half of this year and all expected changeswere not clear yet at the time the study visits took place. After a certain time it would be necessary to have another meeting with representatives of these institutions to evaluate the innovations.
  • To consider a possibility to use the experience of Nordic countries in setting up a structural unit with a special data base in which information about the so called hot spots of the world where possible asylum seekers and refugees may come from could be summarized and regularly analyzed. Such information will be necessary for taking decisions when immigrants’ applications and the information they have provided are reviewed and evaluated.
  • To continue cooperation with Nordic institutions also in information exchange and solving practical issues, for example, regular exchange with annual reports of institutions, information about solving topical issues pertaining to legal acts, etc.
  • Solemn ceremonies for the new citizens are a comparatively new idea in Norway. However, the Naturalization Board could use the Norwegian experience in raising the prestige of citizenship and promotion of patriotic feelings by publishing and presenting a special book for the new citizens taking part in the solemn ceremony. In Norway regards from the King are in the book, but in Latvia the State President could sign the address to the new citizens.
  1. For solving the issues pertaining to testing the knowledge of the proficiency in the Latvian language for acquisition of the citizenship
  • The responsible institutions in Sweden and Finland offer their candidates an interactive test on their websites that enables every person to test their conformity to the criteria for acquisition of the citizenship. The Naturalization Boardcould consider offering citizenship applicants a possibility to do mock tests also concerning the examinations as prescribed by the Law on Citizenship by revising and updating its home page on the Internet.
  • Making use of the procedure and methodology for testing the proficiency in the Finnish language for acquisition of the citizenship to improve testing of the proficiency in the Latvian language for acquisition of the citizenship of Latvia (in Norway and Sweden there are no language tests for acquisition of the citizenship).
  1. For solving the issues pertaining to information of society and integration of society
  • Taking into consideration the increasing role of Internet for information of society it would be useful to summarize and analyze the experience of Nordic countries concerning circulation of electronic documents and the on-line service of customers. The most effective up-dating of information on the Naturalization Board’s website should be ensured.
  • Concerning the issues of integration of society the responsibilities of the parties involved are clearly and concretely determined in the Nordic countries. The authorities of the Naturalization Board should acquaint their colleagues participating in the work for revising the National Programme “Integration of Society in Latvia” with this experience.
  • Essential role in the implementation of the integration policy in the Nordic countries is played by municipalities. They also organize language training courses. The Naturalization Board should continue its cooperation with all levels of self governments whenever possible also extending it.

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