Since the beginning of Russia`s full-scale invasion, more than 35,000 people from Ukraine have left Ukraine and chosen Latvia as their home country. People are still forced to leave their homes in Ukraine and seek refuge in safer countries, including Latvia. The task of the One Stop Shop is to provide the necessary informational support to all citizens of third countries and recipients of international protection that legally reside in the territory of Latvia, including Ukrainian civilians.

In March 2022, after the development of the legal framework for the reception and support of Ukrainian civilians in Latvia, the 24-hour information hotline “Palīdzība ukraiņiem Latvijā”/”Help for Ukrainians in Latvia” (+371 27 380 380) was launched, providing Ukrainian civilians with centralized information about available help and support in Latvia (shelter, employment, psychological assistance, legal support, health care, social support and other services). Additionally, the citizens of Latvia were provided with information on the possibilities of making donations and providing other type of support to Ukrainian civilians, for example by engaging in volunteer work.

Initially, the hotline was available 24/7 and the service was provided in Latvian, Russian, Ukrainian and English, but from July 1st this year, during the summer period, the information hotline continues to provide Ukrainian civilians with the necessary information during the working hours of the One Stop Shop on weekdays from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. (languages of consultation: Latvian, Russian and English).

During July, the range of clients served at Riga branch of the One Stop Shop is becoming more and more diverse. Citizens of large countries such as the United States of America, Mexico and China, who have chosen Latvia as their country of residence, contacted One Stop Shop with questions related to migration and life in Latvia. Ukrainian civilians and Ukrainian citizens who had already settled in Latvia before the Russian attack on Ukraine, continue to use the opportunity to receive individual counseling.

Customer Service Consultants of the One Stop Shop are at the service in Riga (+371 26959706) and in Liepaja (+371 29570364, +371 22811020), always ready to provide the necessary information and support to all third country nationals who have received the right to stay in the territory of Latvia and to people in need of international protection (refugees, persons who have been granted alternative status and asylum seekers) in the territory of Latvia. Consultations can also be received remotely by contacting the above phone numbers in the Whatsapp messaging application, as well as contacting by e-mail: [email protected].

The One Stop Shop’s services are provided by the Society Integration Foundation within the framework of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund’s project (Agreement No. PMIF/13.1./2022/1/01). The funding has been allocated by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (75%) and Latvian State budget (25%).