The A2 state language proficiency check in Latvia — what it is and who needs it
7 min read
What this check actually is
The valsts valodas prasmes pārbaude — the state language proficiency check — is the adult Latvian-language examination whose content and procedure are set by Cabinet Regulation No. 157. It exists at six levels, A1 to C2, and you apply for one specific level and degree. That is worth understanding before anything else: the result does not "place" you on a level. You choose the level in advance, sit that paper, and either pass it or do not.
For residence purposes the level that matters is the basic level, second degree, which corresponds to A2. That is the level named in the regulation, and it is what most people mean when they search for "the A2 exam".
In everyday speech people call it an exam. In the legislation the term is pārbaude — a proficiency check.
Which statuses it gates
Paragraph 6 of Regulation No. 157 covers both cases in a single sentence: a person may apply for EU long-term resident status or for a permanent residence permit if they have acquired the state language at least at the basic level, second degree (A2).
The practical consequence is simple and often misunderstood: the requirement is the same A2 for both routes. There is no higher level for EU long-term resident status and no lower one for the permanent residence permit.
A third situation has nothing to do with immigration at all. The State Language Law imposes a language requirement on a list of occupations, and the level for each occupation — anywhere from A1 to C2 — comes from Annex 1 of Regulation No. 157. That duty follows the job, not the permit, and it applies regardless of citizenship, including to Latvian citizens and non-citizens.
Latvian non-citizens (nepilsoņi) deserve a separate paragraph, because the assumption in the other direction is common and wrong. Non-citizen status is itself permanent, so no language check is needed in order to keep living in Latvia. The obligation arises only if a person works in an occupation for which a level is prescribed, if they choose to apply for EU long-term resident status, or if they naturalise — and naturalisation involves a different examination under different rules (see below). Non-citizens are also exempt from the state fee for this check.
Who does not sit it at all
Paragraph 7 of Regulation No. 157 lists the exemptions. In short: basic, secondary or higher education obtained in Latvian; a licensed minority-education programme completed before 1 September 2025 together with a passed grade-9 centralised examination in Latvian; the Latvian baccalaureate examination at a European School; the health conditions listed in Annex 2 of the regulation; being under 15; and being 75 or older.
Candidates with the conditions listed in Annex 2 may also sit an adapted version of the check. The exemptions and the documents that substitute for a pass are covered in more detail in who is exempt from the A2 check.
Four parts, sixty points
The check has four parts. Each is worth 15 points, for a total of 60.
| Part | Time | Points | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | 25 min | 15 | on a computer, in the information system |
| Reading | 30 min | 15 | on a computer, in the information system |
| Writing | 35 min | 15 | on paper, blue or black pen |
| Speaking | 10–15 min | 15 | one-to-one, in person or by videoconference, recorded |
The written parts take roughly 100 minutes in total, with the speaking part on top.
One condition matters more than any other: all four parts must be sat. If a part is skipped or abandoned, nothing is graded — there is no partial result. It is not a penalty but a precondition of assessment, which is why a discouraging listening section is never a reason to walk out before the speaking part.
What the day looks like
The written parts run in sequence in a room holding at most ten candidates: listening first, then reading, both in the information system at the same workstation, after which the writing sheets are handed out. When the written parts are finished the candidate leaves the room, and the speaking part is taken separately, one candidate at a time, with the identity document shown again. No aids are allowed; phones and smartwatches stay in the bag.
In the listening part each recording is played twice. The task types are predictable: short announcements with answer options, a conversation with true/false statements, a word bank for completing sentences, classified ads matched to situations, a gapped text with answer choices, writing the correct inflected form of a word, a short guided description, an interview, and a description of two pictures.
The topic list is published in advance and is resolutely everyday: personal details, family, housing, education, work, weather, meals, housework and pets, free time, holidays, sport, travel and booking a hotel, shopping, cafés and restaurants, health and pharmacies, services, and transport.
The pass rule — 60 % in every skill
The check is passed when the result in each of the four skills is not lower than 60 % of the maximum, that is, at least 9 points out of 15 in each skill separately. Points are not pooled, so a strong skill cannot rescue a weak one: 45 points out of 60 may be a pass or a fail depending entirely on how those points are distributed. The rule, with worked examples, the marking procedure and the appeal route, is set out in how many points you need to pass the A2 check.
Naturalisation is a different examination
The language test taken in the naturalisation process is not this check. It is a different examination under different rules — Cabinet Regulation No. 973 — with a different format (a written part of 90 minutes and an interview of up to 15 minutes) and different arithmetic: at least 16 points out of 25 in each skill. Naturalisation also includes a separate test on the basics of the Constitution (Satversme), the text of the national anthem, and the basics of Latvian history and culture.
An important clarification: the law names no CEFR level for the naturalisation examination. Claims that it "equals B1", or any other level, do not come from the legislation. The Citizenship Law defines the requirement functionally instead — understanding everyday and official information, speaking and answering questions freely on everyday topics, reading everyday texts fluently, and writing a piece of work on an everyday topic set by the commission.
There is one practical bridge between the two. The transitional provisions of the Immigration Law recognise a language check passed in the naturalisation process as proof of state language acquisition. It does not work the other way round: an A2 pass does not replace the naturalisation examination.
Applying, the fee, and results
Applications are made through the state services portal latvija.gov.lv, with an electronically signed document, in person at a unified state and local government customer service centre, or by post. The application must be filed at least 7 working days before the sitting, and earlier if sent by post; it names the level and degree to be sat.
The state fee is 52 euros. It is not paid by Latvian citizens, Latvian non-citizens, or citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland; people holding low-income or needy-person status are also exempt on producing the relevant document. The fee is not refunded if the check is failed or if the candidate does not turn up without a valid reason.
Results appear in the e-service on latvija.gov.lv from the 7th working day. Registration and costs are covered in applying and paying for the A2 check.
Preparing for it
Preparation that follows the real format is worth more than general language study, because the task types, the point split and the time limits are all knowable in advance. This site has free exercises for all four parts — listening, reading, writing and speaking — in the format of the check: start practising. Common questions are collected in the FAQ.
This article is not legal advice. Requirements and procedures change over time — before applying, confirm the current rules at the primary source, namely the version of Cabinet Regulation No. 157 in force and the state services portal latvija.gov.lv.