Latvia

The main migration policy instruments in Latvia:

Non-exhaustive list of key policy documents in the area of migration:

• National policies and legislation:
• Consult Latvia’s national law database.
• Consult recent publications of the European Migration Network.
• EU legislation:
• Consult the adopted EU legislation on Migration and Home Affairs
• Ratified international treaties:
• 1997: ratification of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol.
• 2003: ratification of the 2000 Protocol on Smuggling of Migrants.
• 2004: ratification of the 2000 Protocol on Trafficking in Persons.

The main ministries in charge of migration affairs:

• Ministry of Interior: Together with its subordinate authorities it is the main body dealing with migration affairs, namely immigration (entry, residence); the reception of asylum seekers and the asylum procedure; border management and irregular migration; return and readmission.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs: in charge of visa and consular affairs; relations with third countries; development cooperation with countries of origin and transit of migration.
• Ministry of Culture: in charge of socio-economic integration.
• Ministry of Welfare: in charge of access to the labour market, social security, children's and family rights.
• Ministry of Education and Science: in charge of access to education.
• Ministry of Health: in charge of public health policy, access to health care. 

Sources:

• Latvian National Contact Point of the European Migration Network (2012): The Organisation of Migration and Asylum Policies in Latvia. https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/what-we-do/networks/european_migration_network/reports/docs/emn-studies/asylum-migration/15.latvia_factsheet_institutional_chart_october2012_en.pdf
• Ministry of Culture (2018): Official website (last accessed: 10/12/2018) https://www.km.gov.lv/en
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2018): Official website (last accessed: 15/01/2019) https://www.mfa.gov.lv/en/
• Ministry of Interior (2018): Official website (last accessed: 10/12/2018) http://www.iem.gov.lv/eng/
• Ministry of Welfare (2018): Official website (last accessed: 15/01/2019) http://lm.gov.lv/eng
• Ministry of Education and Science (2018): Official website (last accessed: 15/01/2019) http://izm.gov.lv/en/
• Ministry of Health (2018): Official website (last accessed: 15/01/2019) http://www.vm.gov.lv/en/
• United Nations DESA-Population Division and UNICEF (2014): Migration Profiles - Common Set of Indicators. https://esa.un.org/MigGMGProfiles/Indicators/indicators.HTM

Last update: December 2018