Latvia: Whether birth certificates today indicate information as to the ethnic identity of the holder's parents
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 November 1998 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | LVA30668.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Latvia: Whether birth certificates today indicate information as to the ethnic identity of the holder's parents, 1 November 1998, LVA30668.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ab2a44.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to the Second Secretary at the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia in Ottawa, birth certificates may or may not include information as to the ethnic identity of the holder's parents. There is a section on the birth certificate called "RECVECAKI" which allows information to be included on the nationality and citizenship of the father and mother. However, depending on the circumstances, not everyone has this section of their birth certificate completely filled. For example, single mothers may not include the information as to the ethnic identity of the father, some parents refuse to fill out this section of the birth certificate altogether and, in the case of a street child, parental information may simply not be available. In case the birth certificate is lost, a person may decide not to include information on the ethnicity of his/her parents when reapplying for a new birth certificate. The issuing authorities respect this decision and they do not generally push for this information to be included.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
Reference
Embassy of the Republic of Latvia, Ottawa. 26 November 1998. Telephone interview with the Second Secretary.