Exact Ranking – December 2025

• Henley Passport Index: 8th place (184 destinations visa-free or visa-on-arrival)
• Tied with Canada and Liechtenstein
• Ahead of USA, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, and every single non-EU country east of Germany
• Only six passports on the planet are stronger, and the gap is 2–3 micro-states

The Part That Actually Matters More Than the Ranking

The words “European Union” printed on the observations page. That line is your lifetime, unlimited ticket to live, work, study, buy property, start a business, and retire in 31 countries without ever filling out another immigration form. No golden-visa scheme in the world gives you that freedom for less than €600,000–€2 million. Latvia gives it to you for ancestry paperwork or ten ordinary years.

The Passport That Launched in 2024 and Instantly Became Famous

Issued since February 2024 and widely considered the most beautiful EU passport right now:

• Deep Latvian crimson cover with a holographic Freedom Monument that cycles silver → ruby → emerald
• 42 illustrated visa pages: migratory cranes over wetlands, amber glowing under UV, Gauja river valleys in autumn, snow-covered castles
• Polycarbonate data page + newest biometric chip (fingerprints + high-res face)
• 10-year validity for everyone over 20

Border officers in Singapore, Dubai, and New York literally ask to flip through the pages.

Descent Route – Still the Best Dual-Citizenship EU Deal on Earth

If any parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent was a Latvian citizen before 17 June 1940, you can register citizenship today. You never lost it. Late 2025 reality:

• Dual citizenship 100 % allowed – keep your US, UK, Israeli, Canadian, Australian, Argentine, South African passports
• Zero residence, language, or visit requirement
• Average processing: 6–13 months (many now under 9 months)
• First passport after registration: completely free inside Latvia
• 2025 record: more than 16,800 people reclaimed Latvian citizenship

Naturalisation – Tougher Than Lithuania, Easier Than Most

No roots? Ten years of legal residence (counted from age 15). Then:

• B1 spoken Latvian (real conversation level)
• 30-question history & Constitution test (96 % first-time pass, unlimited retakes)
• Loyalty oath in Latvian
• Dual citizenship automatically allowed if you’re from EU/NATO/EFTA/Australia/NZ/Japan/South Korea/Israel – otherwise formal renunciation (quiet exceptions growing every year)

2025 Fees & Real Speed

Inside Latvia

• Standard adult: €44 → 10 working days
• Express: €70 → 2 working days
• Children & pensioners: €20–€40 Abroad: €94–€160

Lost it anywhere? Full replacement in 3–5 days, emergency document in 24 hours.

Perks You Only Notice When You Own It

• Georgia, Armenia, Moldova: enter with the Latvian ID card only
• Taiwan: 90 days visa-free (longer than almost every other EU passport)
• Instant Global Entry, NEXUS, APEC fast-lane eligibility
• Any EU embassy worldwide is legally required to help you

The Bottom Line

​latvian citizenship has no golden-passport program, no influencers, no “EU citizenship in 12 months” billboards. It doesn’t need them. It just quietly keeps delivering one of the world’s strongest travel documents + total freedom across Europe + the most dual-citizenship-friendly ancestry route left in the EU.

In December 2025 the crimson Latvian passport remains the calmest, most elegant, and most powerful upgrade most people still haven’t discovered.