A citizen of Turkmenistan, Murad, faced difficulties in obtaining a residence permit in Latvia.
About five years ago, life circumstances led him to meet a woman living in Latvia, reports the show Bez Tabu (TV3). For a long time, the couple lived in Georgia, where Murad got married. Now the family has two children, one of whom is an infant. However, despite this, their plans to move to Latvia were under threat.
In Georgia, the foreigner had his own business and job, but his wife insisted on moving to Latvia so that their son could attend kindergarten and learn the Latvian language.
"Our son has a Latvian passport after all. I said — let him go! We moved on December 15. The cold weather started, and I immediately went to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA)," Murad said.
To obtain a temporary residence permit, Murad was required to provide a certificate of no criminal record. After going through international bureaucratic procedures, he received the necessary document.
"I returned and immediately went to the OCMA. They said I would receive a letter in the evening with further instructions. In the evening, a letter arrived — pay an additional 400 euros for expedited processing, otherwise your registration will not be carried out. We replied that we cannot do it right now — my wife and children depend on me..." he recalls.
Murad believes he has paid all necessary fees — 160 euros. However, according to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, he needs to pay for expedited processing — 560 euros.
"If you don’t pay by tomorrow, I was essentially threatened that I must leave the country or pay more. On March 24, they wrote that I have 10 days to leave, otherwise I will be considered illegal here. We objected and sent a response letter... I believe their letter is a threat, even extortion. Pay more or get out. That is exactly what it implies — leave," the man is convinced.
However, after reviewing the correspondence, the show Bez Tabu did not find the mentioned word.
The office noted that they cannot comment on a specific case due to data protection requirements. OCMA representative Madara Puke denied that employees issued any ultimatum, emphasizing that all correspondence is archived and can be verified.
It is known that Murad submitted his residency application a few days before his current permit expired, which is why he was offered to pay a higher fee for expedited processing. According to the rules, a foreigner should have contacted the office at least a month before the expiration date to process documents at a lower price.
Murad himself claims that his current visa expires only in the summer, so he still had time to arrange for a residence permit. The office denies this interpretation.
Murad has already filed complaints with the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Prosecutor General's Office, believing that his rights have been violated.
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