Latvian nationality law
history and regulations of Latvian citizenship
The Latvian nationality law (Latvian: Pilsonības likums) is based on the Citizenship Law of 1994. It is primarily based on the principles of jus sanguinis.
History
The first nationality law of Latvia was adopted in August, 1919. In September, 1940, the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union adopted a decree on the order of receiving USSR citizenship by the citizens of the Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian SSRs, after the Baltic states had been occupied by the Soviet Union. In October, 1991, the Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia adopted a resolution "On the renewal of Republic of Latvia citizens' rights and fundamental principles of naturalization" declaring the 1940 decree null and void with regard to Republic of Latvia citizens.
On 2 September 2012, the Central Election Commission received a draft for amendments to the Citizenship Law, providing that, from 1 January 2014, all non-citizens (a status held by former USSR citizens who do not possess citizenship of Latvia or any other state and who do not apply for citizenship while residing in Latvia), who by 30 November 2013 had not applied, under the rules of the Cabinet of Ministers, to retain the status of non-citizen shall be considered to be citizens of Latvia; these amendments would have automatically granted citizenship to any person who might have the status of non-citizen, without regard for place of residence, interest in acquiring citizenship of Latvia, and awareness of the amendments. The Central Election Commission sought opinions from legal experts before making any decision on the admissibility and sufficiency of the popular initiative. The majority of the experts requested were inclined to consider there to have been sound arguments for ceasing organisation of the popular initiative, the Central Election Commission went along with their opinion.
Since January 1, 2020, Latvian citizenship has been granted to all children born in Latvia if the child's parents have the status of a Latvian non-citizen (Alien). Children born in Latvia receive either Latvian citizenship or citizenship of another country if both parents agree on that other citizenship.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Latvian nationality law” is history and regulations of Latvian citizenship. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Latvian, nationality and history, not as a finished interpretation.
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