According to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP), some 1,213 Russian citizens are facing the risk of leaving Latvia, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
They reportedly failed to submit the documents required to obtain a residence permit that would allow to continue living legally in the country.
According to the current Latvian legislation, foreign citizens, including Russians, must be able to speak Latvian at A2 level to be eligible for a residence permit.
Earlier this year, authorities decided to allow all Russians who failed the language test to retake it by the end of November and extended the deadline for filing the document until the end of the year. The administration required that the necessary documents, including the language test and the application for a residence permit, be submitted by December 2, 2023.
However, at least 1,213 Russians failed to provide the required documents for obtaining a residence permit in the country within the deadline, while the Latvian authorities have no information whether these people are still in the country or not.
Therefore, the government decided to apply stricter rules and issue departure notifications to all those who failed to fulfil the requirements.
According to LSM, of the approximately 3,500 Russians who did not formalise their residence status in Latvia in time, 1,344 had submitted the necessary documents and application for a residence permit by November 30.
Although the authorities have not given an exact number of Russians who may have to leave the country, the situation is expected to become clearer next January. This is due to the fact that from January 3, 2024, Russians with permanent residence permits who fail to meet the requirement will be banned from legally residing in the country.
At the same time, those who justified the reason for not passing the language test will be able to apply for a residence permit until March 31, 2024.
