Andrei, a resident of Olaine who has lived in Latvia his entire life, finds himself in a difficult situation after making the fateful decision to obtain a Russian passport in 2014, reports the program 'Bez Tabu.'
A 69-year-old man recounts that he has lived in Latvia his entire life; his parents lived here, and his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren grew up here. However, in 2014, he made a decision he now bitterly regrets: he exchanged his non-citizen passport of Latvia for a Russian citizen passport. Now, as the expiration date of his Russian passport approaches, the Russian embassy has effectively left him without assistance.
In 2024, as the expiration of his passport drew near, the pensioner tried to make an appointment at the Russian embassy to obtain new documents, but he was unable to do so. Only in the summer of 2025 was he able to submit his documents to the embassy through the mediation of a travel agency. When submitting the documents, Andrei was informed that the new passport would be issued within two months; however, a significant amount of time has passed since then, and he still does not have the new document.
Moreover, the expiration of his passport is not the only concern; his two-year temporary residence permit is also nearing its end. This means that he could be expelled from Latvia. Additionally, his Latvian pension and disability benefits may be terminated.
He has no relatives or friends in Russia, and if he were to move to that country, he would lose any means of livelihood. In 2023, Andrei attempted to pass the Latvian language exam but was unable to achieve a positive result due to weak writing skills. Listening, speaking, and reading were easier for him. He has now re-registered for the Latvian language exam and hopes to pass it in February.
“What prevented you from mastering the Latvian language during this entire period? After all, level A2 is not the most difficult,” commented Madara Puke, a representative of the Citizenship and Migration Affairs Office (PMLP).
She explained that if a person does not pass the Latvian language exam and does not apply for permanent resident status within the two years of the temporary residence permit, such documents cannot be issued. “If a person does not meet the requirements set by law, PMLP issues an order for departure,” noted Puke.
Finding himself in such a situation and realizing that he could be expelled from Latvia to Russia, where he has no one, Andrei feels broken. The program notes that Andrei still has the right to appeal to PMLP, and the institution will consider his case on an individual basis.
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