The following persons are entitled to receive maternity benefit:

• an employee;
• a self-employed person, who has made social insurance contributions;
• spouse of the self-employed person, who has voluntarily joined social insurance scheme (in accordance with the law On the State Social Insurance).

The benefit is granted in accordance with the law On Maternity and Sickness Insurance.

When applying for the maternity benefit the person must submit:

• application for the benefit;
• medical certificate;
• confirmation of the employer, that during the incapacity for work period, that was connected with pregnancy and labour, the person was not working at her workplace (the self-employed herself confirms, that she is not gaining earnings during this incapacity for work period).

Documents can be submitted into any local office of the SSIA.

That can be done by the applicant herself or by an authorised person. It is possible to mail the document to the SSIA as well.

When applying for the benefit a personal ID document has to be produced.

Maternity benefit can be claimed within 12 months from the 1^st day of the maternity leave.

Maternity benefit is allocated and paid in the amount of 100% from the average contribution wage, that is calculated from the six month period income (for the self-employed – 12 months).

The average insurance contribution wage and the benefit amount is calculated in accordance with CM regulations No 270 from 28 July 1998 "Procedure of average insurance contribution wage calculation and the procedure of allocation, calculation and payment of the state social insurance benefit".

Maternity benefit canbe received at the post office of the Latvian Post or other payment organisation as well as to transfer the benefit to the beneficiary’s account at the bank or postal accounts system (PNS).