Latvia - Benefits for guardians, foster families and adopters
This chapter presents information on benefits for persons who become guardians or adopt children as well as for foster families.
In what situation can I claim?
If you have become a child's guardian, you can apply for monthly support payments and child support benefits.
If your family is performing foster family duties, you can apply for monthly support payments.
If your family is caring for an adopted child, you can apply for monthly support payments.
If you have adopted a child, you can receive a one-off child adoption support payment.
This chapter will look at:
- support payments for performing guardian duties;
- child support benefits for guardians;
- support payments for performing foster family duties;
- support payments for caring for an adopted child;
- support payment for adopting a child;
- child adoption benefit.
What conditions do I need to meet?
Support payments for performing guardian duties (Atlīdzības par aizbildņa pienākumu pildīšanu) are a monthly payment granted for children under guardianship.
Child support benefit for guardians (Pabalsts aizbildnim par bērna uzturēšanu) is a monthly payment granted for children under guardianship.
Support payments for performing foster family duties (Atlīdzības par audžuģimenes pienākumu pildīšanu) is a monthly payment granted to families or persons who have obtained foster family status and who in accordance with an Orphans Court ruling and a contract concluded between the municipality and the foster family are caring for a child. They are insured for old-age, disability and unemployment.
Support payments for caring for an adopted child (Atlīdzība par adoptējamā bērna aprūpi) is a monthly payment granted to adopters caring for children in accordance with an Orphans Court ruling before adoption is approved by a court ruling.
Support payment for adopting a child (Atlīdzība par bērna adopciju) is a one-off payment granted to the adopter after a court ruling approving the adoption comes into force. The support payment is paid for each child who has been cared for outside his or her biological family but is not paid if the child of a spouse is adopted.
Child adoption benefit (Bērna adopcijas pabalsts) is granted to one of the adoptive parents after the court judgment approving the adoption has entered into force. The allowance is paid for each child who, before adoption, was in care outside the family (institution, guardianship, foster family) and who has not reached the age of 18.
What am I entitled to and how can I claim?
The amount of support payments for performing guardian duties is EUR 54.07 per month irrespective of the number of children under guardianship.
The amount of child support benefit for guardians is equal to the minimum amount of the maintenance allowance set for each child:
- from the birth of the child till he/she reaches the age of 7 years – EUR 107.5 per month;
- from the child’s age of 7 years till the age of 18 years – EUR 129 per month.
If a survivor's pension (apgādnieka zaudējuma pensija) or state social security benefit (valsts sociālā nodrošinājuma pabalsts) in case of the loss of provider (valsts sociālā nodrošinājuma pabalsts apgādnieka zaudējuma gadījumā), child maintenance payments (bērna uzturlīdzekļi) from the Maintenance Guarantee Fund or state family benefit (ģimenes valsts pabalsts) have been granted for the child, the amount of the child support benefit is reduced by the amount of the aforementioned benefits received.
The amount of support payments for performing foster family duties depends on the number of foster children in the foster family:
- one child – EUR 171 per month;
- two children – EUR 222.30 per month;
- three and more children – EUR 273.60 per month.
The amount of support payments for caring for an adopted child depends on the age of the child to be adopted and the employment status of the adopter. For those who are on child care leave or work less than 20 hours per week and take care of a child aged less than 8, the amount corresponds to 70% of the average state social insurance contribution wage. In the other cases, this is EUR 171 per month. The adopter, who is taking care of a child under the age of 1.5 years and who is on leave can choose either to receive the compensation for taking care of an adopted child (Atlīdzība par adoptējamā bērna aprūpi), or to receive the parental benefit. Those who take care of 2 or more children (to be adopted) receive the compensation for taking care of adopted child and an additional payment amounting to EUR 171 per month for every next child.
The amount of a one-off payment for adopting a child is EUR 1,422.87.
The amount of child adoption benefit is:
- for a child up to the age of 7 – EUR 107.50 per month;
- from the age of 7 until reaching the age of 18 – EUR 129 per month.
Support payments and benefits can be claimed by:
- filling out a form in person at any State Social Insurance Agency (SSIA) branch;
- posting a completed form to the SSIA;
- emailing a completed form signed with an e-signature to the SSIA.
The court which has approved the adoption shall inform the SSIA of this decision within 3 workdays of the ruling coming into force.
The SSIA shall submit information regarding a child's placement with a foster family, adoption or establishment of guardianship to the Family Tribunal.
The portal Latvija.lv has information in e-service format regarding your social insurance payments and the amount of benefits, pensions and support payments you can claim using internet banking or your e-signature.
Jargon busters
A child's guardian is a person appointed to protect the rights and interests of a child left without parental care. The guardian substitutes for the child's parents and represents the child's personal and property interests.
A foster family is a family or person caring for a child who has temporarily or permanently been removed from his or her family environment or whose interests are not served by remaining in his or her family, until such time when the child can return to his or her family, or if this is not possible, then be adopted, placed under guardianship or enrolled in an institution for children.
Adoption ensures a stable and harmonious family environment for children left without parental care. An adopted child has the same personal and property rights under the law as natural born children in relation to his or her adopters and their relatives. Adoption is approved or denied by a court of law.
Forms you may need to fill in
- Application form for support payments for adopting a child to be submitted in person to the SSIA, by post or e-mail (with e-signature)
- Application form for support payments for performing foster family duties to be submitted in person to the SSIA, by post or e-mail (with e-signature)
- Application form for child support for an adopted child to be submitted in person to the SSIA, by post or e-mail (with e-signature)
- Application form for support payments for performing guardian duties to be submitted in person to the SSIA, by post or e-mail (with e-signature)
- Granting of child support benefits to guardians to be submitted in person to the SSIA, by post or e-mail (with e-signature)
- Application form for child adoption benefit to be submitted in person to SSIA, by post or by e-mail (with an e-signature)
Know your rights
See the links below for information on the rights of guardians, foster families and adopters. These are not European Commission websites and do not reflect the views of the European Commission:
- Ministry of Welfare: Care outside the family. Adoption step by step
Latvian laws and regulations on support payments and benefits for adopters, foster families and guardians:
- Law on State Social Allowances
- Law on the Protection of Children's Rights
- Cabinet regulations on support payments for foster families, support payments for performing guardian's duties, benefits to the guardian for child maintenance, support payments for caring for an adopted child, support payments for adoption and child adoption benefit.
European Commission publication and website:
Who do you need to contact?
Lacplesa iela 70a, Riga, LV-1011
Tel.: +371 64507020
Email: pasts@vsaa.gov.lv
Email for consultations: konsultacijas@vsaa.govlv twitter.com/VSAA_LV
Branches in Riga and elsewhere
Ministry of Welfare
Skolas iela 28, Riga, LV-1331
Tel.: +371 80205100
Email: lm@lm.gov.lv
twitter.com/Lab_min
If you have any problems regarding your rights in the European Union, please contact the EU assistance service.