Riga is governed by federal Latvia law. Learn more
- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Civil unions (limited rights)
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Legal, but requires surgery
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✔ Legal
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Discrimination
- ✖ Illegal in some contexts
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ Sexual orientation only
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- ✖ Single only
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✖ Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
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Same-sex marriage in Riga is civil unions (limited rights).
Current status
Since Jul 1, 2024
Civil unions (limited rights)
On November 9th, 2023, the Saeima passed legislation establishing same-sex civil unions, and the unions were approved by President Edgars Rinkevics on January 9th, 2024. The law took effect on July 1st, 2024. Same-sex couples are not able to inherit from their partners even if they are in a registered partnership.
Civil unions (limited rights)
Civil unions recognized by courts in Latvia with limited rights.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Riga is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
In Latvia, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Right to change legal gender in Riga is legal, but requires surgery.
Current status
Since Dec 14, 2012
Legal, but requires surgery
Transgender people are allowed to change their gender, however surgery is required.
Legal, but requires surgery
Under Soviet law, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the regulations were not changed.
Until Apr 5, 1972
Illegal
Legal gender change is impossible
Gender-affirming care in Riga is legal.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 1996
Legal
In 1996, Latvia adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
Legal, but restricted for minors
In 1983, transsexualism began to be professionally diagnosed in the Soviet Union, which allowed the prescription of hormone therapy
Restricted
In 1926, the Soviet Union's Ministry of Internal Affairs legalized sex reassignment surgery
Until 1926
Banned
Medical transition is not possible
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Riga is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
No non-binary recognition.
LGBT discrimination in Riga is illegal in some contexts.
Current status
Since Nov 9, 2006
Illegal in some contexts
The labour law was amended to protect LGBTQ+ population in some aspects of the labour market.
LGBT employment discrimination in Riga is sexual orientation only.
Current status
Since Nov 9, 2006
Sexual orientation only
only banned on sexual orientation
LGBT housing discrimination in Riga is no protections.
Current status
Since Nov 9, 2006
No protections
no protections based on ILGA Europe
Same-sex adoption in Riga is single only.
Current status
Single only
Latvian law allows any person over 25 to adopt. However persons who are not married to each other may not adopt the same child. This means that only one person of an unmarried couple can adopt a child. However, lesbian couples can get access to IVF and assisted insemination treatment.
Intersex infant surgery in Riga is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
There is no official ban on unnecessary sex reassignment operations in infants in Latvia.
Serving openly in military in Riga is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned.
Current status
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
Sexual orientation is a protected category for employment discrimination, however gender identity is not.
Blood donations by MSMs in Riga is legal.
Current status
Legal
No restrictions about gay sex.
Conversion therapy in Riga is not banned.
Current status
Since Dec 23, 2017
Not banned
No laws in place.
Legal Rights
63 / 100
This region's Equality Index is based on legal rights alone. Please submit survey results that show the public opinion of LGBTQ+ issues in Riga to help improve its accuracy.
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