Latvia's naturalisation tests: 16 of 25 in every skill, and a language test now failed more often than passed
To naturalise in Latvia you pass two tests run by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP): a Latvian language test and a test of the national anthem, Latvian history and culture, and the basic principles of the Constitution (Satversme). The language test has an unusual rule: you need at least 16 of 25 points in each of the four skills. A strong score in one skill does not make up for a weak one.
Everything below was read on 17 October 2026: Cabinet regulation No. 973 of 2013, which sets out the tests, on likumi.lv; PMLP's naturalisation pages and fee page; and PMLP's own statistics to 31 July 2026. The legal definition of knowing Latvian, in article 20 of the Citizenship Law, is in our citizenship requirements table.
The language test: four skills, each on its own
The test has a written part of 90 minutes (listening, reading and a written task) and an oral part of up to 15 minutes, an interview on everyday topics that the commission records. Listening and reading are answered in writing.
You pass only with at least 16 of 25 points in each skill: listening, reading, writing and speaking. Our reading: that is 64% in every skill, with no averaging across them, so the weakest skill decides the result.
You take the language test within two months of submitting your application, at a time and place PMLP sets. PMLP's 2021 leaflet names Rīga, Daugavpils, Liepāja and Ventspils.
From 65, the Citizenship Law drops the written essay, and the regulation lets you do the listening and reading parts orally. People who proved Latvian at school in the five years before applying, or who took a degree in Latvian, do not sit the language test at all.
The anthem, history and constitution test
You take it within two months of passing the language test. Written, it takes 45 minutes and you pass with at least 7 of 10 points on history and culture, 5 of 8 on the Constitution, and 1 of 2 on the anthem. Each part has its own floor.
The anthem can be written or recited. If you choose to recite it, you get 30 minutes for the written test and up to 15 for the anthem.
There is an oral version of 45 minutes (30 to prepare, 15 to answer), with floors of 2 of 4 on history and culture, 2 of 4 on the Constitution, and 1 of 2 on the anthem.
PMLP offers a free online self-test tool for both the language and the knowledge parts.
How many pass, on PMLP's own figures
PMLP's table counts each test taken, passed or not. From 2013 to July 2026, the language test was passed 9,127 times and failed 7,209 times, 55.9% passed. The history test was passed 78.2% of the time.
The language test has turned. In 2023, 988 passed and 910 failed. In 2024, 555 passed and 671 failed, and in 2025, 449 passed and 574 failed: under 44%. From January to July 2026, 46.1% passed.
The history test held up better: 504 passed and 151 failed in 2025, and 75.6% passed in the first seven months of 2026.
Who applies: 787 naturalisation applications in 2025, and 724 people admitted to citizenship. Of all applicants since 2013, 65% are Russian by ethnicity. Since the process began in 1995, 151,086 people have been naturalised.
Retakes, appeals and the fee
Within one application you get three attempts at each test. The second and third language attempts must be at least three months apart, the knowledge test at least one month. PMLP's leaflet says you retake only the part you failed.
You can contest the commission's decision within a month, by application to the head of PMLP.
The state fee is €28.46, or €4.27 for pensioners, students, the registered unemployed, low-income households, families with three or more children, and people in disability groups II and III. Children under 15 naturalise with a parent at no extra fee. PMLP's fee page was last updated on 17 March 2026.
Mistakes worth avoiding
Counting on a strong reading score to carry weak speaking.
Bringing every skill to 16 of 25.
Regulation No. 973 requires at least 16 points in each of the four skills; there is no total that compensates.
Booking the retake for the next available date.
Planning three months of study before a second language attempt.
The second and third attempts cannot come sooner than three months after the previous one, and there are three in one application.
Treating the anthem as a formality.
Learning it word for word, written or recited.
It has its own floor: at least 1 of 2 points, separate from history and the Constitution.
Questions
What is the pass mark of the Latvian naturalisation language test?
At least 16 of 25 points in each of listening, reading, writing and speaking, under Cabinet regulation No. 973 of 2013.
How many people pass the Latvian language test for citizenship?
On PMLP's statistics, 449 passes against 574 fails in 2025, and 46.1% from January to July 2026. Since 2013, 55.9% of tests taken were passed.
How much does Latvian naturalisation cost?
A state fee of €28.46, or €4.27 at the reduced rate for pensioners, students, the unemployed and some other groups, as PMLP's fee page stated on 17 October 2026.
Do people over 65 take the full Latvian test?
No. The essay is dropped from 65, and listening and reading can be done orally.
How many times can I retake the tests?
Three attempts at each test within one application: language attempts at least three months apart, the knowledge test at least one month apart.
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