If you want to make a request, a complaint or a question to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, let us set up your own  e-address. The e-address is a common solution for the secure communication of public authorities (including municipalities) with individuals in an electronic environment. For citizens and entrepreneurs, the e-address is available as a digital mailbox on the Latvija.lv portal, enabling them to communicate and send documents to national authorities, regardless of their location. If you have activated your e-address account, all messages from national and local authorities will be sent to it in the future. To submit a request, a complaint or to ask a question to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, you may also electronically by signing the application with a secure   electronic signature and when sending a document to pasts@mfa.gov.lv.

You have the opportunity to follow the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports to the authorities on Facebook and on Twitter. You can also follow the information of the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on a Facebook page.

If you need to send an application to one of the Latvian authorities, you can do it electronically by signing the application with   electronic signature and by sending the document to the institution concerned, using  e-address.

If you want to communicate only electronically in future with the national regulatory authorities, you have the option to create your own from 2019.  e-address. E-address there is a common solution for the secure communication of public authorities (including municipalities) with individuals in an electronic environment. For citizens and entrepreneurs  e-address available as a digital mailbox on the Latvija.lv portal, which enables you to communicate and send documents to national authorities regardless of their location. If you have activated your  e-addresses the account, then all messages from the national and local authorities will be sent to it in the future.

Lost, damaged passport or identity card (eID card)

If you have problems with your passport or identity card (eID) when you are abroad – it has been lost, damaged, stolen or stolen, turn to the nearest diplomatic or consular mission of Latvia.

If you have lost or you have stolen an identity card (eID card) and include certificates that enable you to verify your identity in an electronic environment, as well as an electronic signature, you must contact the hotline of your trusted certification service provider The State Radio and Television Centre of Latvia (SRTCL) by phone immediately (+371) 67108787 and to be asked to suspend the functioning of the certificates. The hotline operator will ask a secret question to verify your identity, which you will have indicated when drawing up an application for the issuance of the eID card.

Temporary travel document

To return to Latvia if your passport or identity card (eID card) is damaged or lost, you need a return certificate – a temporary travel document that gives the right to return to the country of residence within 30 days.

For a return certificate, please refer to the nearest Diplomatic or consular mission of Latvia.

Returning certificates shall be issued by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (informative telephone for calls from abroad (+371) 67015905, for assistance in emergency situations abroad (+371) 26337711 or palidziba@mfa.gov.lv). In such a situation, the Emergency Travel Document can also be obtained at the embassy of any Member State of the European Union represented in that country.

Return certificate upon return to Latvia must be transferred immediately to the nearest Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) in the territorial division when submitting documents for the receipt of a new personal identification document.

Recording a trip. The consular register shall be an information system under the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It may be registered by any resident of Latvia who has a personal identification document issued in Latvia (passport or eID card) and who intends to travel abroad for a trip not exceeding 6 months.

If you have registered in the Consular Register, the representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be able to provide you with consular assistance in emergency situations more quickly if necessary.

Registration is available on the Latvija.lv portal via e-service Electronic registration in the Consular Register.

The user profile shall indicate the personal data and contact person in Latvia to be contacted in the event of an accident. When registering a trip, the travel details (time, country), insurance company, foreign accommodation, passengers should be indicated. When you register the next trip, you no longer need to complete the user profile, but you can edit it if necessary. You will find more information about registration in the Consular Register as well as the e-service execution video guide in the description of the life situation Travel.

Registration of residence abroad.

When planning to stay abroad, it should be noted that the Latvian legislation determines – it is the duty of each person to inform the State of the address of the new place of residence so that the person can be reached in legal relations with the State and local governments.

If you move abroad, the new place of residence for you the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) to be notified within 3 months. If you change the address of your residence abroad, you should the OCMA to be notified within 30 days. When you have registered residence abroad, your previous address of residence in the register of natural persons will automatically be replaced by data on the new residence address. A person has the right to specify one additional address in Latvia or abroad in addition to the address of his or her place of residence abroad.

In order to notify the address of the place of residence of his or her child, the child of his or her child, under guardianship or under guardianship, abroad:

• open e-service Declaration or designation of residence, fill it in and submit it;

• on-site the OCMA (only foreigners);
• electronically or in person in the declaring authority of residence of the local government in the administrative territory of which the address of the place of residence to be declared is situated.

When you return to Latvia for a permanent life, you must declare your place of residence in Latvia.

If you need data on your real estate and the persons declared in it, please refer to the description of your life situation My national records.

In the event of an emergency, you can call 112 free from any fixed or mobile phone in every country of the European Union to call emergency services. It's the EU's single emergency call phone, which works without national codes.

You can get information about the spread of diseases in different geographical areas Disease Prevention and Control Centre and World Health Organisations websites. Information on the prevention of travellers and tropical diseases before travelling abroad as well as on the possibilities of vaccination is available at website of Riga East Clinical University Hospital.

Temporarily staying abroad

Always take with you when travelling abroad European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which confirms your right to receive the necessary or emergency healthcare to the same extent as it is provided to the people of the country concerned. The EHIC is desirable if you stay temporarily (for up to 3 months) in one of the Member States of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or the Swiss Confederation.

For more information on the EHIC, refer to the description of the life situation Travel.

Staying abroad on a long-term basis

If you are planning to stay abroad on a long-term basis, please refer to the country-specific health system. Remember, healthcare and social security systems vary from country to country. You can find out about the healthcare system in the country you are going to here.

Temporarily staying abroad

Make sure that the compulsory civil insurance (OCTA) has not expired before going abroad. This compulsory insurance works in all countries of the European Union (EU). It protects you if you have caused an accident in which a person (other than the driver) has suffered injuries or damage to the property. However, it does not cover the other costs (for example, the repair of your car). However, you can also enter into a voluntary insurance contract called KASKO, which also covers you against other risks. KASKO insurance is not covered by EU-wide rules. Insurers can apply different rules in each country.

Staying abroad on a long-term basis

If you stay abroad for a long time, you should register the car in the country where you live. You do not need to register a car abroad if you can prove that you are only staying there for a certain period of time – for example, you are studying there.

When you register a car, you will need to produce a document showing that it is insured.

Registration authorities shall be required to recognise policies issued by such insurance undertaking:

1. which is situated in or has an office in that State,
2. who does not have an office in the country concerned but who is entitled to provide services in it.
   
   

If your current insurance policy is not valid in the country you are moving to, or it is losing effect by re-registering the car elsewhere, contact the National Green Card Office or the Information Centre and ask which insurance companies offer to insure the car in the country.

If you enter a traffic accident abroad, you will be subject to the law of the country in which the incident occurred. This means that claiming damages may be different from the normal arrangements in your country.

Particular care must be taken to be taken in countries which are not part of the European Economic Area (EEA), since these rules may vary significantly. If the documents are submitted after the national deadline, no remuneration will be paid. In the event of confusion, it is recommended that you contact the national Green Card Office.

If you are involved in an accident abroad, do not leave the scene. Talk to the other driver and call the police and other emergency services if necessary.

Write down the necessary information about the other person involved in the incident and record the circumstances of the incident.

Complete an accident application at the scene, more information on the declaration of an incident is available here.

In the event of an accident (CSNg) occurring in one of the Member States of the “Green Card” system which is not a member of the EEA, the persons involved in CSNg must notify the Road Police and the Green Card Office of the State concerned of the incident. The addresses and telephone numbers of the Green Card Member States' Green Card offices are indicated on the second half of the Green Card policy form.

Green Card is an international insurance contract awarded to any vehicle participating in road traffic Green card systems in Member States: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other CIS countries. This car insurance can be closed for a period of 15 days to one year.

If you have caused a road accident abroad, immediately inform your compulsory motor vehicle insurance (OCTA) insurer to which you have purchased the policy. Such arrangements shall also be governed by the OCTA Act.

In this case, the insurer is entitled to request additional information and explanations regarding what happened, as well as to request the presentation of the damaged car. If you do not pass this data in time, it may occur that you will have to cover the loss of the injured party from your own pocket, despite the fact that the policy is active.

Remember that in an emergency every EU country you can call 112 free of charge from any fixed or mobile phone to call emergency services.

If you need any repeated civil status documents (birth, marriage and death certificates or certificates), you may request these documents by appealing in the Department of Justice Dzimtsaraksts.

In order to receive a re-birth certificate, choose the most convenient way:

• using e-service Request for a duplicated birth certificate or a certificate from the Birth Register;

• inscriptions application, secure signatures  electronic signature and send to the Ministry of Justice  e-address or to pasts@tm.gov.lv;
• on-site in any local government family list department;
• in the nearest diplomatic and consular mission of the Republic of Latvia in a foreign state.

For a re-marriage certificate, choose the most convenient way:

• using e-service A marriage certificate or certificates from the marriage register request;

• inscriptions application, secure signatures  electronic signature and send to the Ministry of Justice  e-address or to pasts@tm.gov.lv;
• on-site in any local government family list department;
• in the nearest diplomatic and consular mission of the Republic of Latvia in a foreign state.

For a re-death certificate, choose the most convenient way:

• using e-service Request for a re-death certificate or statement from the death register;

• inscriptions application, secure signatures  electronic signature and send to the Ministry of Justice  e-address or to pasts@tm.gov.lv;
• on-site in any local government family list department;
• in the nearest diplomatic and consular mission of the Republic of Latvia in a foreign state.

You must understand the educational and archival documents personally in the relevant educational institution or in the Latvian State Archives.

If you want to receive a statement from the Latvian Mission abroad regarding the data in the Register of Natural Persons or the Road Traffic Safety Directorate (RTSD) register:

• use a charge e-service Issuing of certificates.

Working abroad for up to 6 months

If you work in another European Union (EU) country for less than 6 months a year, you are deemed to be a tax resident in your home country. However, depending on your employer, you may also have to pay taxes in the country where you work.

Whether you are staying in your home country during employment, you may be taxed on income earned abroad (such as property).

In such cases, see the conditions for avoiding double taxation.

Working abroad for more than 6 months

If you work for more than 6 months a year in one of the European Union (EU) Member States outside Latvia, you shall be considered to be a tax resident of that country. Regardless, you may be ordered to pay the tax also in your home country (Latvia) if, as an independent residence is maintained in Latvia and your private and economic relationship with the Latvian State is stronger.

The country where you are a tax resident can tax all your income (including property and other sources) that you have earned in any country in the world. In particular, it may be necessary to pay income tax on wages, pensions, benefits, income from property or other sources, on capital gains from the sale of property.

There are no uniform European Union (EU) rules on the application of income tax to EU citizens living, working or spending time outside their home country. Contact for tax authorities in the country where you work and find out what the rules apply to you.

You can find out about property taxes, local taxes, gift and inheritance taxes local Tax Inspectorate.

Portal europa.eu it is possible to find out the contact details of tax rates and tax inspections, as well as how residence for tax purposes is defined in different EU countries.

The conditions for tangible funds received from relatives or other persons abroad shall be determined primarily by the degree of relationship with the person from whom the funds are received, the amount of the money transferred and the nature of the transaction.

Information regarding the declaration of money, which is received from relatives abroad, is available on the website of the State Revenue Service (SRS) Receiving money from people living abroad.

Information on the declaration of money and cases where the tax is or is not due is available on the SRS website.

In case of questions or uncertainties, you may ask questions:

• Electronically on the SRS website;
• to use  e-address;
• call the VID Consultation Phone 67120000;
• and to send your question in writing by post;
• to submit an application in any SRS in Customer Service Center on-site.

Addresses of foreign embassies and agencies in Latvia.

Diplomatic or consular missions of Latvia.

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs mobile app “Travel Secure” (for iOS users and for Android users).

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)

The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA)

The State Revenue Service (SRS)

The Ministry of Justice (MJ)

The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development (MEPRD)

Travel

My data in state registers

E-services, benefits and usage