Latvia

Identity Verification & KYC For Latvia

Q: What is the primary KYC document for identity verification in Latvia?

The Latvian eID card (Personas Apliecība), mandatory from age 15, is the primary document for identity verification latvia. It contains biometric data and serves both in-person and digital authentication. Passports and residence permits are accepted alternatives for non-residents.

Q: What documents are needed for KYC compliance latvia when verifying a Latvian company?

An Enterprise Register statement confirms legal existence and UBO records. Add articles of association, a VAT register record from the State Revenue Service, and a sector licence where the entity operates in a regulated field. All UBO changes must be reported within 14 days.

Q: How does aml screening latvia work under the FIU's 2024 centralised approach?

From April 2024, the Financial Intelligence Unit became the centralised authority for sanctions implementation. Screen against EU, UN, and FIU national lists. Document screening decisions and retain evidence of name analysis to manage false positives and support escalations.

Q: Does Latvia use goAML for suspicious transaction reporting?

Yes. Latvia's FIU operates goAML under Cabinet Regulation No. 550. Obliged entities register institutional accounts and submit reports via XML or online form. Reports must be filed immediately upon suspicion; Shufti's audit trails support compliant goAML reporting timelines.

Q: How does id verification latvia work for non-residents and foreign customers?

Foreigners can be verified via a Latvian residence permit card, a foreigner's eID card, or their home-country passport depending on legal status. Each document type has distinct data structures; Shufti handles all three formats with the same decision record output.

Q: How do Latvian diacritical marks affect KYC and sanctions name matching?

Latvian uses 11 diacritical marks and regulated transliteration rules. A person may appear as JĀNIS BĒRZIŅŠ in one system and JANIS BERZINS in another. Diacritic-aware matching prevents false rejections and reduces manual review when screening against sanctions lists.

Q: How long must kyc latvia records be retained under the AML law?

Five years is the minimum. Latvia's NILLTPFN requires retention of CDD information for five years after the customer relationship ends or an occasional transaction is completed. Defined extension cases apply. GDPR erasure rights do not override this AML retention obligation.

Q: How does Latvijas Banka supervise crypto-asset service providers under MiCA?

Latvijas Banka supervises CASPs under EU MiCA Regulation and issued the first CASP licence to BlockBen in December 2024. Licences follow EU passport rules for cross-border service. KYC compliance latvia for CASPs includes CDD, beneficial owner identification, and reporting.

Q: Can Shufti host customer data within Latvia or the EU for GDPR compliance?

GDPR oversight sits with Latvia's Data State Inspectorate. Deployments can use nearby EU public-cloud regions or Latvian providers such as Tet Cloud and LVRTC. GDPR does not require Latvia-only hosting, but regulated entities may set governance requirements for data location.

Shufti delivers KYC, KYB, and AML screening for Latvia, aligned to NILLTPFN obligations, Latvijas Banka supervision, and FIU goAML reporting and sanctions controls.

Operational performance for Latvia KYC

Our Numbers Speak Volumes

99.60%

Pass rates

< 5 sec

Verification
Time

300 Million

Companies

Evidence-Ready Checks Across People & Businesses

Individual Documents We Verify

Shufti supports 11 Latvian document types.

View All Supported Documents

Latvian eID Card

Primary resident identity document from age 15; mandatory personal identity document for Latvian citizens and non-citizens from age 15, subject to transitional exceptions for certain categories.

Latvian Passport

Core KYC document for cross-border and travel-linked journeys, and a common onboarding alternative alongside the eID card.

Residence Permit Card

Common for long-stay foreign residents; used as identity proof in Latvia, but it is not a travel document, so onboarding flows must treat it as an ID document, not a passport substitute.

Foreigner’s eID Card

Issued on request for foreigners to support digital identity use cases; used as identity proof for service access, alongside a home-country identity document where needed.

Latvian Driver’s Licence

Often used as supporting ID and, where policy permits, as address evidence; the EU model includes “Permanent place of residence”, which can support address checks in Latvia onboarding.

Business Entity Identity

Enterprise Register Statement Or Company Register Extract

Proves legal existence and current registry facts; used to evidence company identity, incorporation status, directors, and registered address in KYB files.

Articles Of Association And Registry File Documents

Proves governance and signing authority; used to reconcile who can bind the entity and to support director, shareholder, and signatory file completeness for audit and refresh cycles.

Sector Licence Where Applicable

Proves permission to operate in regulated sectors; commonly required for consumer lending, gambling, investment services, and periodic review packs.

Business Tax Identity

VAT Number PVN (LV + 11 Digits)

Proves VAT registration identity; used to validate invoice-facing identity and cross-check registry and tax records for KYB hygiene.

State Revenue Service VAT Register Record

Proves current VAT registration status as held by the tax authority; used for KYB checks and refresh cycles.

Ownership & Control (UBO)

Beneficial Ownership Record (Patiesais Labuma Guvējs) Via Enterprise Register

Proves declared UBOs and nature of control; beneficial ownership information is accessible to the public without fees via the Enterprise Register information site.

UBO Updates And Timeliness Evidence

Changes to beneficial ownership information are expected “without delay”, and no later than 14 days after the information or change becomes known, so KYB needs date-stamped evidence and escalation notes on mismatches.

Languages We Cover

Document Text Handling

Latvian identity documents are issued in Latin script with diacritical marks; Shufti extracts structured data fields while preserving diacritics for audit.

Name Matching Controls

Latvia regulates personal-name writing in Latvian; Shufti supports diacritic-tolerant matching so JĀNIS BĒRZIŅŠ and JANIS BERZINS both resolve correctly.

Evidence Consistency

Identity data is linked across document checks, face verification, and screening outputs in one case record, supporting FIU follow-ups and inspections.

GOVERNANCE & CONTROLS

Audit-Ready Decisions, Lower Operational Drag

Fewer Avoidable Re-submissions

Latvia's multiple in-circulation ID designs are handled without escalation, reducing re-upload rates.

Cleaner Audit Trails

Time-stamped proofs and decision logs meet FIU and Latvijas Banka inspection expectations.

Better Name Matching Outcomes

Diacritic-aware matching reduces false positives caused by Latvian name transcription variants.

One Workflow, One Back Office

KYC, KYB, and AML screening managed in one view for Latvia-specific compliance operations.

My Number-First Flow Design

Supports eID from age 15, with fallbacks for passports, residence permits, and foreign eID cards.

Enterprise-grade compliance infrastructure

Latvia IDV/KYC Challenges

Sanctions Noise

Latvia centralised sanctions under FIU from April 2024; EU, UN, and national lists concentrate here, raising hit rates and demand for documented decisions.

UBO Reconciliation

UBO data is public via Enterprise Register but KYB fails when declarations misalign with registry control types or miss the 14-day update window.

Diacritics Risk

Latvian diacritics mean one person appears with multiple spellings; false-positive rates spike without diacritic-aware systems in sanctions name matching.

Mixed eID Flow

Residents use eID from age 15; foreigners use passports and permits; one onboarding flow must support both formats without dropping user completions.

Shufti’s IDV/KYC Solutions for Latvia

KYC Solutions

Face Verification

Liveness detection and face-to-document matching for resident and non-resident onboarding; reduces impersonation risk with a clear, auditable decision record.

Age Verification

Selfie-based age estimation for low-friction gating, with document verification fallback where higher assurance is required for regulated services in Latvia.

Address Verification

Shufti can verify any address-bearing document; covers Latvian providers such as Elektrum and local banks including Swedbank Latvia and Citadele banka.

Document Verification

Supports Latvia's core IDs: eID cards, passports, residence permit cards, and driver's licences; built for in-circulation designs and Latvian diacritics.

KYB Solutions

Business Verification

Verifies Latvian entities via Enterprise Register statements, beneficial ownership records, and VAT register evidence to build an audit-ready KYB file.

Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD)

Supports Latvia-specific risk triggers: sanctions exposure, UBO mismatches, and complex control chains; centralises evidence and time-stamped proof artefacts.

AML Screening

Business AML Screening

Screens entities and controllers against EU, UN, and FIU national sanctions lists; supports Latvia's FIU-led enforcement model with documented decision trails.

Transaction Screening

Runs real-time screening at transaction level; supports ongoing monitoring and faster detection of sanctions-linked signals for Latvia AML escalation workflows.

REGULATORY ALIGNMENT

Built to Fit Latvia's Compliance Landscape

Latvijas Banka

Supervises credit institutions and CASPs under MiCA in Latvia. Shufti supports CDD evidence, decision logs, and full audit exports for supervisory review.

Financial Intelligence Unit of Latvia (FID)

Receives STRs via goAML and implements sanctions from April 2024. Shufti packages evidence bundles, hit rationale, and time-stamped proofs for reporting.

Data State Inspectorate (DVI)

Enforces GDPR across personal data processing in Latvia. Shufti supports configurable access controls and retention settings for all KYC data compliance.

Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP)

Issues Latvia's passports, eID cards, and residence permits for citizens and residents. Shufti verifies all in-circulation Latvian document types and designs.

Enterprise Register of the Republic of Latvia (UR)

Registers companies and maintains the public UBO register in Latvia. Shufti supports KYB by capturing registry statements and reconciling UBO declarations.

State Revenue Service (VID)

Administers VAT and tax registers for KYB entity checks in Latvia. Shufti attaches VAT register evidence to company files and retains a decision history.

Consumer Rights Protection Centre (PTAC)

Licenses and supervises non-bank consumer lenders in Latvia. Shufti supports risk-based onboarding evidence and refresh controls for licensed lending entities.

Public Utilities Commission (SPRK)

Regulates electronic communications providers in Latvia. Shufti supports onboarding evidence, step-up verification, and reviewable decisions for the sector.

Deployment Choice

Major hyperscalers have no Latvia-specific cloud regions; deployments use nearby EU regions or local providers including Tet Cloud, LVRTC, and Delska.

Regulatory Alignment

Aligned to Latvia's NILLTPFN recordkeeping requirements and GDPR data obligations enforced by the Financial Intelligence Unit and Data State Inspectorate.

Retention controls

Configurable retention and purge settings aligned to Latvia's NILLTPFN five-year minimum CDD retention requirement after customer relationship termination.

Encryption posture

Administrative, technical, and organisational safeguards applied to personal and financial data in transit and at rest, meeting GDPR Article 32 obligations.

Data Controls & Privacy for Latvia

BUILT FOR COMPLIANCE TEAMS

Latvia AML Sources That Strengthen Decision

Parliament of Latvia (Saeima)

Financial Intelligence Unit of Latvia

Latvijas Banka

Financial Intelligence Service Latvia

Latvijas Banka Sanctions

Latvia Financial And Capital Market Commission (FCMC)

Enterprise Register Information Portal

Delfi Latvia

Parliament of Latvia (Saeima)

Financial Intelligence Unit of Latvia

Latvijas Banka

Financial Intelligence Service Latvia

Latvijas Banka Sanctions

Latvia Financial And Capital Market Commission (FCMC)

Enterprise Register Information Portal

Delfi Latvia

Parliament of Latvia (Saeima)

Financial Intelligence Unit of Latvia

Latvijas Banka

Financial Intelligence Service Latvia

Latvijas Banka Sanctions

Latvia Financial And Capital Market Commission (FCMC)

Enterprise Register Information Portal

Delfi Latvia

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary KYC document for identity verification in Latvia?

The Latvian eID card (Personas Apliecība), mandatory from age 15, is the primary document for identity verification latvia. It contains biometric data and serves both in-person and digital authentication. Passports and residence permits are accepted alternatives for non-residents.

What documents are needed for KYC compliance latvia when verifying a Latvian company?

An Enterprise Register statement confirms legal existence and UBO records. Add articles of association, a VAT register record from the State Revenue Service, and a sector licence where the entity operates in a regulated field. All UBO changes must be reported within 14 days.

How does aml screening latvia work under the FIU's 2024 centralised approach?

From April 2024, the Financial Intelligence Unit became the centralised authority for sanctions implementation. Screen against EU, UN, and FIU national lists. Document screening decisions and retain evidence of name analysis to manage false positives and support escalations.

Does Latvia use goAML for suspicious transaction reporting?

Yes. Latvia's FIU operates goAML under Cabinet Regulation No. 550. Obliged entities register institutional accounts and submit reports via XML or online form. Reports must be filed immediately upon suspicion; Shufti's audit trails support compliant goAML reporting timelines.

How does id verification latvia work for non-residents and foreign customers?

Foreigners can be verified via a Latvian residence permit card, a foreigner's eID card, or their home-country passport depending on legal status. Each document type has distinct data structures; Shufti handles all three formats with the same decision record output.

How do Latvian diacritical marks affect KYC and sanctions name matching?

Latvian uses 11 diacritical marks and regulated transliteration rules. A person may appear as JĀNIS BĒRZIŅŠ in one system and JANIS BERZINS in another. Diacritic-aware matching prevents false rejections and reduces manual review when screening against sanctions lists.

How long must kyc latvia records be retained under the AML law?

Five years is the minimum. Latvia's NILLTPFN requires retention of CDD information for five years after the customer relationship ends or an occasional transaction is completed. Defined extension cases apply. GDPR erasure rights do not override this AML retention obligation.

How does Latvijas Banka supervise crypto-asset service providers under MiCA?

Latvijas Banka supervises CASPs under EU MiCA Regulation and issued the first CASP licence to BlockBen in December 2024. Licences follow EU passport rules for cross-border service. KYC compliance latvia for CASPs includes CDD, beneficial owner identification, and reporting.

Can Shufti host customer data within Latvia or the EU for GDPR compliance?

GDPR oversight sits with Latvia's Data State Inspectorate. Deployments can use nearby EU public-cloud regions or Latvian providers such as Tet Cloud and LVRTC. GDPR does not require Latvia-only hosting, but regulated entities may set governance requirements for data location.

Build a Latvia-ready KYC, KYB & AML programme with Shufti

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PROVEN WORKFLOWS

Use Cases for Regulated Growth in Latvia

Fintech

Forex

Banking

Gaming

Gig Economy

Crypto

Marketplace

Fintech

Forex

Banking

Gaming

Gig Economy

Crypto

Marketplace

Fintech

Forex

Banking

Gaming

Gig Economy

Crypto

Marketplace

Accelerate Growth, Eliminate Friction

Onboard users in seconds, not days. Deploy tiered address verification flows that maximise completion rates for genuine users while filtering out synthetic fraud.

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Onboard Global Traders in Real-Time

Verify investors across 250+ countries & territories. Ensure compliance with international financial regulations while preventing identity theft and high-risk chargebacks.

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Secure Trust at Every Transaction

Automate KYC and AML workflows to reduce manual onboarding costs. Strengthen residency checks while delivering the frictionless digital experience modern customers expect.

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Power a Fair & Secure Player Experience

Reduce bonus abuse and multi-accounting rings at the door. Enforce location rules and trigger step-up checks without disrupting the player journey.

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Build a Trusted, Verified Workforce

Screen freelancers and drivers at scale. Verify residency and reduce onboarding friction while maintaining trust between users.

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Scale Your Exchange with Confidence

Balance anonymity with compliance. Instantly verify user jurisdiction to meet Travel Rule obligations and help stop abuse without slowing down legitimate trading volume.

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Reduce fraud without blocking growth

Shufti supports marketplace integrity by verifying seller and buyer identities, enabling age-gated journeys where needed, and preserving evidence to support investigations, disputes and risk-led enforcement actions.

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