Foster family allowance

Citizens, non-citizens, foreigners and stateless persons with an identity number and who are living in Latvia are entitled to receive an allowance for the fulfilment of foster family duties.

The allowance is not granted to persons with temporary residence permits.

The allowance is granted to a family or person, which has acquired the status of a foster family and which according to a decision by an orphan’s court and an agreement between a municipality and a foster family has been fostered a child who has been assigned a personal identification number.

The allowance is granted according to Section 11 of the Law on State Social Allowances and Cabinet Regulation No. 1549 of 22 December 2009 Procedures for the Granting and Disbursement of the Remuneration for the Fulfilment of Foster Family Duties.

In order to request allowance for the fulfilment of foster family duties, an application for allowance shall be submitted. The application for granting of the allowance can be sent also by post or in electronic form in accordance with the regulatory enactments regarding drawing up of electronic documents. When applying for the allowance by post or e-mail application forms in the webpage of the VSAA www.vsaa.lv can be used or the application can be drafted in free format indicating the following information:

1. for the applicant:

• given name, surname;
• personal identity number;
• address of the declared place of residence;
• phone number or e-mail address;
• bank account or account of the Postal Accounting System (21 digits);

2. for the child:

• given name, surname;
• personal identity number;

3. the type of remuneration requested (allowance for fulfilment of foster family duties).

By signing the application, the applicant approves the provided information is correct.

Information on fostering a child to a foster family is provided to VSAA by the respective orphan’s court, which has made the decision on fostering a child, and the respective municipality, which has concluded an agreement with the foster family on the fostering of a child.

When submitting the application at the department of VSAA it is not necessary to present a personal identification document. However, in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Law, when providing to the person information related to the specific person VSAA has the rights and the person has the duty to present a document that allows to identify this person.

The allowance may also be requested by an authorized person subject to duly drafted representation rights according to Section 38, Paragraph one of the Administrative Procedure Law (i.e. of a proxy issued by a public notary or an authorization made in VSAA).

Documents shall be submitted at any VSAA branch.

Documents for the granting of the allowance shall be submitted within 12 months after a child was fostered according to a decision by an orphan’s court and an agreement between a municipality and a foster family.

Allowance for the fulfilment of foster family duties amounts to LVL 80 monthly irrespective of the number of foster children.

Allowance for the fulfilment of foster family duties is transferred to the beneficiary’s bank account or an account of the Postal Accounting System (PAS).