Considering the recognition of foreign qualifications one should bear in mind the fact that there are generally two purposes for recognizing foreign diplomas:
1. For the purpose of study/work in a non-regulated profession one needs to pursuit the procedures of the academic recognition of foreign qualification more
2. If a profession is regulated in Latvia and a person wants to practice it further in Latvia, one needs to follow the procedures of the professional recognition of foreign qualifications in Latvia. For that purpose one has to submit the following documents:
- An application form (see page 8-9 of the document).
English translation (only for support).
Download: Application_eng_co-systems - A copy of a passport
- Documents approving education and professional rights in the practiced profession
- A certificate verifying the right to exercise the profession issued by a competent home institution
- A certificate verifying the work experience in the home-country
- A certificate verifying good conduct (needed for doctors, nurses, dentists, midwives, pharmacists, architects, veterinary surgeons) issued shortly before applying for the qualification recognition (max. 3 months ago).
After the documents are submitted in most cases to the Academic Information Centre (except for the field of transport) they are checked and sent to the competent body, which in its turn takes the decision about recognition /or denial of the recognition and sends it back to the Academic Information Centre. Afterwards the decision is forwarded to the applicant. The procedure usually takes about 4 months after submitting the documents.
Note! There is no difference in the procedure of submitting the documents concerning EU and non-EU citizens, but the decision of the corresponding body may differ for that of possessing EU and non-EU qualifications.
The procedure costs 40 LVL + VAT (where 1 LVL is about 1,43 EUR)
Note! If a EU citizen is going to provide temporary services in the territory of Latvia the procedure described above is not necessary, just a declaration submitted to the competent body is needed. If a non-EU citizen is going to provide temporary services in the territory of Latvia, the recognition procedure is necessary.
Learn more about EU directives in the field of regulated professions here
Learn about EUROPASS (a tool for easier learning and working in Europe) here
