September 10: Informational Webinar re the Draft of Diaspora Youth

2025. On 10 September 2011, the first online seminar on the National Defence Service for Latvian citizens living abroad will take place, inviting high school and university-age young people in the diaspora and their parents to participate.

At the seminar, representatives of the Ministry of Defence’s National Defence Service Department will present the recruitment procedure, the process and benefits of national defence service, and answer questions.

From 2027, young people permanently residing abroad will be subject to the national protection service, regardless of their declared address of residence. Starting in 2026, randomly selected Latvian nationals will start receiving summons from the Ministry of Defence to appear for a health check-up.

The National Defence Service is part of a comprehensive national defence strategy and has been introduced to strengthen Latvia’s defence capabilities and societal resilience.

Latvian citizens who may be drafted for national defence service: males within one year of reaching the age of 18 or, if they continue their education at a primary or secondary level, within one year of graduating from an educational institution or leaving the educational process.

Latvian citizens – men and women – from 18 to 27 years of age can apply for the National Defence Service on a voluntary basis.

The seminar is organised by the Diaspora Group of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with the National Defence Service Department of the Ministry of Defence.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs invites you to register for the seminar by 26 August by filling in the online application form here.

The webinar time or times will be announced later.

For more information on the National Defence Service, see: