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🇱🇻 Latvia · National ID card

eID card and eParaksts

Latvian personal identification card (eID karte) with eParaksts e-signature

Latvia's eID card is the mandatory identity document for citizens and non-citizens aged 15 and over since 2023. Its chip carries authentication and qualified electronic signature certificates, and the eParaksts mobile app offers the same legally binding signatures from a phone. It is valid for travel within the EU and EEA.

What it does
Online authenticationQualified digital signaturesIdentity verification / KYCTravel / border control
Country:🇱🇻 Latvia
Type:National ID card
Status:Live
Launched:2012
Issuer:Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP); certificates by the Latvian State Radio and Television Centre (LVRTC)
Who can get it:Latvian citizens and non-citizens (mandatory from age 15)

Personas kods (personal code) format

DDMMYY-XNNNC or 32XXXX-XXXXX

  • •Codes issued before July 2017: date of birth (DDMMYY), century digit, sequence and check digit
  • •Codes issued from July 2017: start with 32 and do not encode the date of birth

11 digits; older codes carry a checksum digit.

Format
Smart cardMobile app
Identity attributes
NamePersonal codePhotoDate of birthNationality
Authentication methods
Smart card chipPINCard readerMobile app
Common use cases
Government and private e-servicesLegally binding e-signaturesCompany registration and notary servicesEU and EEA travel
Standards
ICAO 9303eIDAS qualified electronic signature
Coverage

1.3 million residents with an ID card with active e-signature; eParaksts mobile has 555,000 users (LSM, May 2026)

Interoperability

EU and EEA travel document; qualified signatures are recognized across the EU under eIDAS

Privacy and trust

In 2026 Latvia warned that e-signing could stop from 9 December 2026 on more than 346,000 cards with a chip model issued between September 2019 and January 2026 because of a certification issue; eParaksts mobile is not affected.

Identity verification providers

Independent identity verification vendors that support documents like this for KYC and onboarding. Exact document coverage varies by provider and region, so confirm support before relying on it.

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Official source
https://www.pmlp.gov.lv/en/article/10-things-you-should-know-about-eid-card

eID card and eParaksts: frequently asked questions

Is the eID card mandatory in Latvia?
Yes. Since 2023 the eID card is the mandatory identity document for citizens and non-citizens aged 15 and over.
Do e-signatures with the eID card cost money?
No. Legally binding e-signatures with the eID card are free.
Educational reference, not official guidance. Confirm current details with the issuing authority. all Latvia schemes · identity verification vendors
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