Permit takes time for Latvian (4)
I believe the answer is:
lett
'latvian' is the definition.
'permit takes time for' is the wordplay.
'permit' becomes 'let' ('let' can be a synonym of 'permit').
'takes' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'time for' becomes 't' (I've seen this in other clues).
'let'+'t'='LETT'
(Other definitions for lett that I've seen before include "Balt" , "Baltic citizen" , "Native of Latvia" , "northerner" , "East European" .)