# Latvian Citizenship



## Woohah (1 mo ago)

Hi everyone 

New to this, but have explored a load of ways and came across this site while searching.

Am a U.K. citizen and found out a few years ago that I have Latvian ancestry (my mums father was full Latvian). This makes my mum half Latvian, and then I am a quarter Latvian, which through Latvian citizenship rules means I am eligible for a Latvian passport and citizenship (the rule in Latvia applies for 2 generations which means I qualify as it is my grandfather. Since finding this out (was a dna) test, have visited Latvia, and my mum has met a load of her family now, up until taking this test she has no idea about any of this, and her father is no longer alive (came to the U.K. after the war). My mum has no interest in gaining citizenship, but it is something that I would value and want to go through the process of gaining, but there are a few issues in the way of doing this, though if there is any way (has to be somehow) this is something I want to do.

One issue is that despite taking a test and meeting her family to join all the connections in her tree (aunties/cousins etc), it is all based on dna, although it is clear to see there is no actual paperwork as such, and my mums birth certificate says nothing of her father (her brothers and sisters turned out to be half sisters). So although the tree all comes together and it is all joined up (even her auntie in Latvia knew there was “someone”,right now it’s all on words and looks, nothing written down. Obviously know that it will take more than that, and have called the Latvian embassy who said they don’t just go off of DNA (though they were really helpful and welcoming towards it)

Another issue is that my mum has little interest inputting much together, have told her this is something I am interested in doing for myself, both as a Latvian thing but also the obvious regaining of EU rights, but my mum is on a completely different end of the Remain/Leave spectrum and isn’t that open to it, though she does mention the family connections and have notes on what has been found, as well has her close links now to cousins and her auntie.

Know that there isn’t a load to go off, but if there is a way (and there must be) this is something I want to go ahead with, in terms of qualifying I do, it is just putting it together. Have spoken with ancestry experts, and emailed some citizenship experts, but the fact Latvia isn’t a big country and gaining citizenship isn’t that regular means it can get quiet.

Appreciate anyone’s thoughts and assistance, since knowing this the idea of making this happen hasn’t gone away (been a few years now) so would be great to find a step to take

Thanks again


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## ARPC (Aug 30, 2021)

I was in a much stronger position than you are for a similar citizenship by heritage regime in Lithuania, and I went for it. I worked with a professional researcher who helps Lithuanians by descent regain their rights (rules there are tied to the era someone left the country and are related to forgiveness for families impacted by ww2). It took about 2.5 years to gather what documentation the researcher and in country legal team thought would suffice, and many many many hours of work with different agencies in countries my grandmother lived in. Had I had a full time job in that period it would not have been possible in less than 4 years. The researcher charged a frankly nominal fee for her efforts, but I spent thousands on certifying documents, translation, Apostille, ordering and fedexing documents around the world, notaries, etc. The researcher promised full refund if my petition for citizenship were declined, she was that certain of her legal teams record. Five years on, my application has been sent back twice for sudden rule changes and the outlook is grim.

In short, you yourself describe being a very bad position for this project and I strongly advise against it.

With no documents (no one cares about dna) directly related to your relative, limited cooperation and no foreknowledge of her relatives life in Latvia from your mother, and what strikes me as only the vaguest ideas about the Latvian heritage citizenship program, you appear in no position to take this on. To even begin, you need original, translated, Apostilled documents proving your relative’s name at birth, birthdate, death certificate, (his parents names, birthdates,etc as well) exact birthplace/village, proof of his life including education/profession/marriage/all children in Latvia, and his eventual emigration and resettlement. And then you need all those exact same things for every descendant until you, including your mother.

No. I had all that stuff and, still, I strongly advise moving on.


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## Woohah (1 mo ago)

The Latvian citizenship situation is different to what you mention (although that is actually also a qualification under people who fled during a certain time). The criteria is “citizenship by decent” which lasts for two generations from the original person (so I do qualify). The grandfather moved to the U.K. after the wars (lots did) and obviously had a “situation” with my grandmother, but didn’t stay around after that, although he did stay in the U.K. (do know address). Also know more or less the whole family tree now around the situation, and my mum speaks with remaining living relatives regularly. Place of birth is known, as well as children. Would obviously have to convince my mum to do more to get documentation 

Totally understand that this is a difficult situation, but people do these things somehow someway and if there is a way or someone that knows how to do these things, want to make it happen.

Appreciate your reply, so know full well how stacked the situation is, clearly it’s not straightforward.


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## Woohah (1 mo ago)

Also, having read and re-read your own situation, would be great if it happened for you given all you have done…..


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## ARPC (Aug 30, 2021)

It’s not critical for me, and I don’t really care if it pans out or not. It was a fun project that doesn’t bear on my life at all. You ask for experiences doing similar things, and that’s one. If you don’t like it and want your situation to be different, I get it, but I know a few people who’ve gone through them and these are never straightforward procedures. If you want easy success stories, talk to people with Austrian grandparents.


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## Woohah (1 mo ago)

Yeh don’t have any Austrian links (my dad took a dna test too and there wasn’t anything like my mums situation!). Treated it more or less the same as you (though genuinely would like the citizenship) but haven’t found much of a start,spoke with the embassy and a few ancestry experts, but sounds like a “researcher” like you mentioned would be the way to go. Any idea where they are?

Again, appreciate your thoughts and although you say it’s not critical, after the effort you have put into things would be good if it was sorted for you.


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