Marrying and Sponsoring a Latvian Citizen
Listen to this article- Located in Eastern Europe bordering the Baltic Sea between Estonia and Lithuania
- The climate is maritime wet with moderate winters
Marriage to a Latvian Citizen
Every country has its own laws that apply to its citizens marrying a person from a different country. Getting married to a Latvian citizen with the goal of eventually bringing them to Canada to live is a process with many steps.
If you want to bring your Latvian spouse or partner to live in Canada, you must then file a sponsorship application for them to become a permanent resident. If they would like to visit you in Canada while their application is in process, they must also apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization. For more information, please see our family sponsorship page and our eTA article.
Latvian Marriage Basic Requirements
In order to marry a citizen of Latvia, you must demonstrate to the Latvian government that you are eligible to do so. This includes:
- Proof of country of birth
- Proof of single status
- Proof of age requirement
Latvian Marriage Ceremony
The marriage ceremony to a Latvian citizen can legally take place in Latvia, Canada, or any other country as long as both parties have the necessary visas to enter this country legally. This marriage can then be recognized when applying for a permanent residence or an eTA for your Latvian spouse. To learn more about ceremony customs, see below.
Family Members
If your Latvian spouse has dependent children, this does not affect the Latvian Marriage document application.
If you have dependent children, they have no effect on the application to marry a Latvian citizen.
How long is the Latvian Marriage document valid?
The document is valid for 6 months from the date of issue. If you do not marry your Latvian fiancé within 6 months of the issuance of the Latvian Marriage document, you must apply again with new supporting documents.
List of Latvian Consulates in Canada
Embassy of the Republic of Latvia in Canada
Calling Latvia from Canada
The country code is 371 so to call you dial 011 – 371- local number. There are no area codes in Latvia.
Calling Latvia from Canada
Dial 00 – 1 – area code – local number
Area Codes of Canada
| Province | Code | Province | Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | 403 / 587 (southern Alberta)
587 / 780 (central and northern Alberta) |
Nunavut | 867 |
| BC | 236 / 250 / 778 (majority of BC)
236 / 604 / 778 (Metro Vancouver) |
Ontario | 226 / 519 (southwestern Ontario)
249 / 705 (northeastern Ontario) 289 / 365 / 905 (Greater Toronto Area) 343 / 613 (eastern Ontario) 416 / 647 (Toronto) 807 (northwestern Ontario) |
| Manitoba | 204 / 431 | PEI | 782 / 902 |
| New Brunswick | 506 | Quebec | 418 / 581 (eastern Quebec)
438 / 514 (Montreal) 450 / 579 (Greater Montreal) 819 / 873 (remainder of Quebec) |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 709 | Saskatchewan | 306 / 639 |
| Northwest Territories | 867 | Yukon | 867 |
| Nova Scotia | 782 / 902 |
Time Difference
Latvia is on Eastern European Time (GMT+2). Latvia participates in Daylight Saving Time, however Europe changes their clocks at slightly different times than Canada, meaning that there are two periods each year – in March and October – when the time differences below are 1hour less. Saskatchewan does not participate in DST and so in the summertime the time difference is 1 hour greater.
| Canadian Time Zone | # of Hours Latvia is Ahead |
| Pacific (BC, Yukon) | 10 hours |
| Mountain (Alberta, western Nunvaut, Lloydminster, Saskatchewan) | 9 hours |
| Central (Manitoba, Northwest Territories, central Nunavut, northwestern Ontario, Saskatchewan*) | 8 hours |
| Eastern (most of Ontario, most of Quebec) | 7 hours |
| Atlantic (Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, eastern Quebec) | 6 hours |
| Newfoundland | 5.5 hours |
Emergency Information for Canadians in Latvia
The Canadian Embassy in Riga does not have a full consular department. In order to get certain services – such as renewing or replacing a passport – you may have to contact the Embassy in Stockholm
Embassy of Canada in Riga20/22 Baznicas Street Telephone: 371 6781-3945 |
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Embassy of Canada in Stockholm23 Klarabergsgatan Postal Address: Telephone: 46 (0) 8 453-3000 |
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Emergency Numbers in Latvia
- 112 – main
- 01 – fire department
- 02 or 110 – police
- 03 or 113 – emergency medical service
- 04 – emergency gas service
In Latvia, cell phones cannot dial numbers beginning with 0. In order to call any of the above numbers beginning with 0 – 01, 02, 03, 04 – dial the country code first, i.e. 371-01.
The Government of Canada’s Travel Alerts for Latvia
Sponsoring Your Latvian Spouse to Come to Canada
The sponsorship process can be lengthy and frustrating. To learn more about it, click the button below:
