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Exam guide
How to apply
Unofficial · Based on PMLP — Pilsonības likumā noteiktās pārbaudes; MK noteikumi Nr. 973 (2013); Latvijas Republikas Satversme
Last updated: 2026-10-01

About the exam

To become a Latvian citizen by naturalisation you must pass two tests run by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP): a Latvian language test, and a knowledge test on the basic principles of the Constitution (Satversme), the text of the national anthem, and the basics of Latvian history and culture. This app prepares you for the knowledge test. The rules are set by the Citizenship Law (Pilsonības likums, Sections 12 and 19–21) and Cabinet Regulation No. 973 of 24 September 2013, which is still in force in 2026. The language test is a separate exam and is described below only so you can plan.

Eligibility

(As of 2026; Citizenship Law, version in force since 1 April 2023)

  • You must be at least 15 years old. Children under 15 who live in Latvia can be naturalised together with a parent at no extra fee
  • Your permanent place of residence must have been in Latvia for at least the last 5 years. A total break of up to one year is allowed, but not in the last year before you apply
  • For citizens of other countries and stateless persons, the 5 years count from the day you received a permanent residence permit (or, for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens, a permanent residence certificate). Under the Immigration Law, non-EU nationals can usually get a permanent residence permit after 5 years of continuous temporary residence and a Latvian language test, so for most of them the whole route takes about 10 years
  • You must speak Latvian (PMLP language test) and pass the knowledge test
  • You must have a legal source of income
  • You must give a pledge of loyalty to the Republic of Latvia
  • You can be refused if, for example, you threaten state security or the democratic order, have a criminal conviction, are linked to terrorism or an anti-state organisation, served in a foreign army without permission, or have unpaid taxes or other debts to the state (Section 11 of the Citizenship Law)
  • Dual citizenship is allowed only with EU, EFTA and NATO member states, Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, and countries that have a dual-citizenship agreement with Latvia. Everyone else (except recognised refugees) must give up their current citizenship before being admitted

Exemptions from the knowledge test:

  • People who completed basic (primary) education in Latvian, studying more than half of the programme in Latvian, are exempt from both the language test and the knowledge test
  • Some people with disabilities are exempt (for example, group I disability, or group II–III visual disability for the knowledge test); others can get easier arrangements. Ask PMLP with your medical documents
  • Applicants aged 65 or over do not get an exemption from the knowledge test; their relief applies only to the written part of the language test

Format

Written knowledge test (the usual choice):

  • 18 multiple-choice questions, 3 options (a, b, c) each, exactly one correct: 10 on Latvian history and culture and 8 on the Constitution
  • You also write the full text of the national anthem. You can choose to recite it orally instead
  • 45 minutes in total. If you recite the anthem orally, you get 30 minutes for the test and up to 15 minutes for the anthem
  • 1 point per correct answer, 0 for a wrong one; marking two or three boxes counts as wrong
  • Each part is scored separately and you must pass all three:
    • history and culture: at least 7 of 10
    • Constitution: at least 5 of 8
    • anthem: at least 1 of 2 points
  • Test language: Latvian only. No phones, books or other aids, and no talking to other candidates

Oral knowledge test (alternative):

  • You draw an envelope with one question on the Constitution and one on history and culture, and you recite the anthem
  • 30 minutes to prepare and up to 15 minutes to answer; your answer is recorded
  • Pass marks: at least 2 of 4 points for history and culture, at least 2 of 4 for the Constitution, at least 1 of 2 for the anthem
  • You choose written or oral before the test starts

Where and when:

  • At PMLP divisions in Riga (Daugavpils iela 31), Liepāja (Vecā ostmala 24), Daugavpils (18. novembra iela 105) and Ventspils (Užavas iela 8)
  • PMLP gives you the date. You take the language test first, within 2 months of applying. The knowledge test follows within 2 months of passing the language test (or of applying, if you are exempt from the language test)

The anthem text you must write or recite (official text, "Dievs, svētī Latviju!" by Baumaņu Kārlis):

Dievs, svētī Latviju, Mūs' dārgo tēviju, Svētī jel Latviju, Ak, svētī jel to! Kur latvju meitas zied, Kur latvju dēli dzied, Laid mums tur laimē diet, Mūs' Latvijā!

Official question pool:

  • PMLP does not publish a full question bank. It publishes one sample test (18 questions with answers) and a free online self-check tool (pilsonibasparbaude.pmlp.gov.lv)
  • PMLP recommends the textbook by J. Taurēns, "Latvijas vēstures pamatjautājumi un valsts konstitucionālie principi" (Basic issues of Latvian history and the constitutional principles of the state); it is not available free online
  • This app uses its own practice questions written from official sources (the Satversme, state symbols, laws on holidays). Also do the PMLP sample test and the self-check tool

The language test (separate):

  • Four skills: listening, reading and writing (written part, 90 minutes) and speaking (interview, up to 15 minutes)
  • You need at least 16 of 25 points in each skill. PMLP publishes sample tasks
  • The law does not give a CEFR level; it requires that you understand everyday and official information, talk freely about everyday topics, read everyday texts fluently and write on an everyday topic

Test fee and naturalisation fee

(As of 2026; subject to change)

  • State fee for the naturalisation application: €28.46
  • Reduced fee €4.27 for, among others, pensioners, people with group II or III disability, school pupils and full-time students, registered unemployed people, low-income persons, and members of families with three or more minor children
  • No fee for victims of political repression, people with group I disability, orphans and children without parental care, and residents of state or municipal social care institutions
  • PMLP lists no separate fee for the language or knowledge test: the tests are part of the naturalisation procedure
  • The fee is not refunded if you are refused or withdraw your application

How to register

  1. Pay the state fee (bank transfer to the State Treasury, or by card at PMLP).
  2. Submit the naturalisation application to any PMLP regional division, by post, or with a secure e-signature (official e-address or e-mail). Include: your passport or ID card, proof of 5 years' residence in Latvia (for example from your employer, the State Social Insurance Agency or a school), proof of a legal source of income, one 3×4 cm photo, the fee receipt, and, if you are a foreign citizen, a criminal record certificate from your country of citizenship issued within the last 6 months (legalised if required, with a Latvian translation).
  3. PMLP invites you to the language test within 2 months, then to the knowledge test. You cannot sign up for a test date yourself.
  4. Bring your identity document and the test referral on the day.

Retake policy

  • If you fail the knowledge test, you can retake it no earlier than one month later; for the language test the wait is three months
  • You only repeat the part you failed (for example, only the Constitution part)
  • You can take each test at most three times within one application. If you fail a third time, the application is closed, but you can submit a new one at any time
  • If you miss a test without a justified reason documented within 2 months, the application is closed
  • You can challenge the test commission's decision within one month by writing to the head of PMLP

After passing

  1. PMLP checks your documents and asks other state institutions whether you meet the conditions of the Citizenship Law.
  2. If there are no obstacles, you are invited to give and sign the pledge of loyalty to the Republic of Latvia at a solemn ceremony.
  3. If dual citizenship is not allowed for your country, you must hand in proof that you have given up your current citizenship.
  4. The Cabinet of Ministers decides to admit you to Latvian citizenship, and PMLP informs you.
  5. Within one month, apply at PMLP for a Latvian passport or ID card.

The decision is due within one year of submitting all documents; PMLP says the process usually takes 6–12 months, about 6 months if you do not have to renounce another citizenship.

Official resources

  • PMLP, naturalisation: pmlp.gov.lv
  • PMLP, tests under the Citizenship Law (format, sample test): pmlp.gov.lv · in Latvian: pmlp.gov.lv
  • Sample knowledge test (PDF): pmlp.gov.lv
  • PMLP self-check e-tool: pilsonibasparbaude.pmlp.gov.lv
  • PMLP information days for applicants: pmlp.gov.lv
  • Citizenship Law: likumi.lv · English: likumi.lv
  • Cabinet Regulation No. 973 (test rules): likumi.lv · English: likumi.lv
  • Cabinet Regulation No. 849 (state fee): likumi.lv
  • Constitution (Satversme): likumi.lv · English: likumi.lv
  • State symbols and anthem: president.lv

Things to watch out for

  • The three parts are scored separately. A perfect history score does not make up for a weak Constitution score: you need at least 7 of 10 and at least 5 of 8, plus the anthem. This app's practice exam uses the same 10 + 8 split and requires 12 correct answers in total including at least 5 of the 8 Constitution questions; check your history score yourself too.
  • Practise writing the anthem by hand with correct Latvian letters and spelling. This app does not test the anthem.
  • The real test has 3 options per question, and so do our questions. The real questions are not published; our questions are original practice.
  • The language test comes first, and the knowledge test can only be taken after you pass it.
  • Dual citizenship is limited to certain countries. Check before you apply whether you will have to give up your current citizenship.
  • Unclear: PMLP does not publish a list of topics beyond "history and culture" and "basic principles of the Constitution", and the recommended textbook is not online. Base your study on the Satversme text and the PMLP sample test.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take the test in English or Russian? No. The knowledge test is taken in Latvian only. You can use this app's interface in your own language while you study.

What if I fail? You can retake the part you failed after one month, up to three attempts per application. PMLP lists no separate fee for retakes.

Do I have to give up my current citizenship? Only if your country is not an EU, EFTA or NATO member, Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, or a country with a dual-citizenship agreement with Latvia.

How do I prepare? Read the Satversme (especially the chapters on the Saeima, the President, the Cabinet, the courts and fundamental rights), learn the main events of Latvian history and the national holidays, learn the anthem by heart, and try the PMLP sample test and self-check tool.