The Latvian government has approved assistance to large families through the 3+Family Card until the youngest child in the family meets the specified age and education criteria.
Currently, a large family in Latvia loses the 3+ Family Card support when the third child no longer meets the specified criteria – the child reaches 18 years of age and the young person does not continue to study at a general, vocational or higher education institution until the age of 24. It is not fair that families lose their 3+ Family Card status just because the oldest child reached the required age, even though the other children are still growing up in the family and need parental and state support.
For ten years, the Union of Latvian Large Families (https://www.kustiba3plus.lv/) has been urging the Latvian government and parliament to adopt the Spanish model, which continues support for large families until the youngest child reaches a specific age or educational milestone.
Only now have changes been achieved in Latvia and the changes eliminate this inequality and introduce a solution that is fairer and more in line with the real situation of families.
From January 1, 2027 a Latvian large family will no longer lose the status of a 3+ Family Card in such a situation and will be able to continue using it for a longer period – until the youngest child in the family reaches the age of 18 or this young person is studying (in general, vocational or higher education) until the age of 24 or performs 11 months of national defense military service, serves in the regular forces of the National Armed Forces or the National Guard, or performs national defense civilian service.
From January 1, 2027 in the event of the death of a child, a family will not lose its large family status and the right to a 3+ Family Card if the family has had at least three children in total and at least one of the other children still meets the specified criteria. The changes also provide that, starting January 1, 2027 families that previously lost or failed to obtain “3+ Family Card” status due to current regulations—but meet the new criteria—will be able to renew or obtain that status.
The Latvian 3+ Family Card cooperates with the Estonian and Lithuanian large family support cards “Perekaart” and “Šeimos kertė”, receiving their separate discounts and benefits.