Interior Ministry proposes temporary suspension of visas for Uzbek citizens

The Interior Ministry is proposing a temporary suspension of visa issuance to citizens of Uzbekistan. It says the move responds to several cases in which Uzbek nationals committed criminal offences shortly after arriving in Latvia, including offences against minors.

The ministry sought to have the matter discussed at today's Cabinet meeting, citing the second part of Article 8 of the Immigration Law. Under current rules, the Cabinet can, after assessing the impact on internal security and public order, restrict for a limited time the acceptance of visa applications from nationals of a particular third country, as well as their entry into Latvia.

The minister's explanation

Interior Minister Jānis Dombrava said that, with several Uzbek citizens having committed crimes within a short time of arriving, including against minors, the ministry has a duty to act. In his words, the period of the restriction should be used to work with the Uzbek side to prevent people who could pose risks to public order and safety from coming to Latvia.

What the restriction period would involve

The plan is for the responsible Latvian institutions to cooperate with Uzbekistan during the restriction in order to improve screening of individuals and reduce the risk of entry by people who could threaten public order or security.

Coalition position

Coalition partners were not ready today to include the issue on the Cabinet's agenda. The ministry expects the proposal for a time-limited visa restriction to be considered at the next Cabinet meeting.