Latvia intends to suspend the law on repatriation

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Latvia initiates the suspension of the law on repatriation in order to limit the ability of Russian citizens to move to permanent residence in the republic, Delfi reports.

“The report says that the interest of Russian citizens in moving to Latvia is growing. Citizens, together with their family members, apply for the status of a repatriate and a permanent residence permit in accordance with the repatriation law, which entered into force in Latvia on October 24, 1995, ”the agency notes.

In 2022, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 430 applications were received from Russian citizens, the status of a repatriate or a family member of a repatriate was assigned to 220 Russian citizens. The ministry believes that the number of applications has increased at a time when “Russia’s economic and international stability has been threatened” as a result of a special operation in Ukraine.

On September 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the start of a partial mobilization. After that, demand for air tickets increased among citizens, and queues formed at some border ground checkpoints.

According to the FSB, in the third quarter of 2022, the number of trips of Russian citizens abroad reached 9.7 million, almost twice as high as in the second quarter. The number of trips to Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Mongolia and Abkhazia was a record for this period over the past five years.