Latvia:Visa Requirements

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Latvia Visa Requirements Map

Latvia: Visa Requirements

Visa requirements may change. Always verify the latest information through official government sources.

Visa-Free Entry Requirements

  • Passengers benefiting from free movement provisions may enter with a valid passport or an accepted national identity document. Other visa-exempt passengers must carry a valid passport or travel document recognized by Latvia and conforming to the official specimen. For passengers subject to the Schengen short-stay regime, the standard maximum duration of stay is 90 days in any 180-day period.
  • A travel document of a passenger subject to the Schengen short-stay regime must be valid for at least three months after the planned departure date from the Schengen area and must have been issued within the last ten years. The document must contain identity information and a photograph; it must not have mechanical damage, stains or unauthorized corrections that prevent identification of the holder, reading of the information or detection of forgery. Unless an international exception applies, there must be space in the visa pages for at least two border crossing records.
  • The passenger must have sufficient financial means to cover the costs of stay and return or onward travel to another country where they will be admitted. For stays not exceeding 30 days in Latvia, the minimum amount is 14 euros per day; for stays exceeding 30 days, at least 780 euros. If paid accommodation is used, additional resources to cover the accommodation costs must also be demonstrated. The competent authority may request a return or onward ticket, accommodation information, details of the inviting person, and proof of financial means. The number of months of bank statement required is not explicitly specified in the central official source.
  • Valid health insurance must cover medical expenses in Latvia and repatriation to the country in case of serious illness. In the event of death, transportation of the remains to the country must also be covered by the policy. Legal insurance exemptions may vary depending on the person's status. A single minimum coverage amount for visa-free entry is not explicitly specified in the central official source.
  • Passengers subject to the Electronic Travel Notification obligation must submit a notification via eta.gov.lv at least 48 hours before their arrival in Latvia. This obligation also covers transit through Latvia. The notification is filled out by the passenger themselves; a parent or legal guardian may act on behalf of a minor child. If the travel plan changes, a new notification must be submitted and the 48-hour period does not apply again for the resubmitted notification.
  • The notification requests information on the purpose of travel, planned time and place of stay, travel itinerary, contact details, selected positions held by the applicant and relatives, electoral candidacy, current or previous public office, and positions in the armed forces, special services, border guards, customs, interior, justice or diplomatic services. Incomplete, incorrect or failure to submit the notification may result in administrative liability. This notification is not an entry permit and does not guarantee the right to enter; moreover, no approval permit is to be expected.
  • For short-stay third-country passengers under the Entry/Exit System, travel document information, facial image and fingerprints may be captured electronically during the first registration at the external Schengen border. The biometric procedure applied varies according to the passenger's status and whether they are already registered in the system.

Visa on Arrival Requirements

  • Latvia does not operate a visa on arrival programme open to the general public. However, in exceptional cases justified by the interests of the Latvian state, force majeure or humanitarian reasons, a single-entry individual transit visa or short-stay visa application may be accepted at Latvian border control points.
  • This exceptional application does not create a regular tourist visa on arrival entitlement and the application must be accepted by the border authority based on the circumstances of the case. The universal list of documents to be submitted, the application fee, payment method and official processing time are not explicitly specified in the central official source.

Consular Visa Application Requirements

  • As a rule, the application is made to the Latvian embassy or consulate competent for the country where the applicant legally resides. Applications to be examined by Latvian diplomatic missions are submitted via VFS Global. Where Latvia has no representation, the representation of another Schengen state may only accept short-stay visa applications; another Schengen state cannot issue Latvian long-stay visas. Proof of legal residence in the country of application and local application authority may be requested according to the relevant mission's checklist.
  • Passport or other travel document must have been issued within the last ten years, must remain valid for at least three months after the planned departure date from the Schengen area and must contain at least two blank pages for the visa sticker. The document must not be damaged in a way that prevents recognition by Latvia and reading or identification of the holder. Which pages of the passport should be submitted as a photocopy is not explicitly specified in the central official source; this requirement is determined according to the mission applied to.
  • The online visa application form must be completed in full and signed by the applicant. The printed submission of the form, the signature format and delivery method may vary according to the instructions of the relevant mission or VFS center. Completing the online form does not mean the visa is issued electronically.
  • One color photograph, size 35 × 45 mm, taken within the last six months must be submitted. The photograph must not be folded, soiled or damaged; it must be printed on high-resolution, high-quality photo paper. The face must appear in close-up, with a small part of the shoulders, and cover 70–80% of the photograph. The image must not be blurry; the light and contrast must be neutral, skin tone natural.
  • The head must be straight and facing the camera, eyes open and visible, mouth closed and facial expression neutral. The background must be uniform and the photograph must not contain other persons or toys. Colored or light-reflecting spectacle lenses are not accepted; the frame must not cover the eyes. Head coverings must not be used except for religious reasons, and a religious head covering must not cover the face or create shadows. The exact colour of the background and digital file format are not explicitly specified in the central official source.
  • With the application, documents indicating the purpose of travel, proof of accommodation or resources to cover accommodation costs, sufficient financial means for the duration of stay, resources to cover return or onward travel, and information supporting the intention to leave the Schengen area before the visa expires must be submitted. The scope of flight reservation, round-trip ticket, hotel reservation, daily travel itinerary, employment certificate, salary certificate, student certificate or company documents varies according to the purpose of travel and the personalized checklist of the responsible mission.
  • Financial sufficiency is calculated as at least 14 euros per day for stays not exceeding 30 days; at least 780 euros for stays exceeding 30 days. If accommodation is to be paid separately, additional financial resources for that must be shown. The financial sufficiency threshold applicable to applications made for employment purposes varies according to the professional sector, the previous year's average salary and the sectoral collective agreement. The number of months of bank statement required and a single accepted bank document format are not explicitly specified in the central official source.
  • Costs may be covered by the inviting party or another natural or legal person. If the sponsor assumes financial responsibility, they may submit documents to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs during the invitation approval showing that they have the resources to cover the costs. In some cases where the information is recorded in the official electronic system, additional proof of financial sufficiency may not be required from the applicant.
  • For the invitation approval, the first name and surname of the invited person as in their travel document, date and place of birth, residential address, occupation, place of stay in Latvia, purpose of travel, duration of stay and place where the visa application will be made are declared. From the inviting natural person, identity document, contact details, evidence of family or other relationship if necessary, and financial sufficiency documents if they are covering costs may be requested. If the procedure is carried out on behalf of a legal person, an authorization document, company documents indicating the purpose of the invitation and the relationship between the parties, and if necessary, a fee payment document are submitted. As a rule, the invitation is valid for six months from the date of approval; a shorter visit period may be specified in the invitation.
  • For a short-stay visa, health insurance valid in all Schengen countries and covering the planned travel period must be submitted. The minimum coverage is 30,000 euros. The policy must cover emergency medical assistance, emergency hospital treatment and repatriation costs in the event of death. For single or double entry applications, the entire travel period must be insured; for multiple entry applications, at least the first planned travel period must be insured.
  • For a long-stay visa, the policy must be valid in Latvia and other Schengen countries; the minimum coverage must be 42,600 euros.
  • For a Schengen visa application, fingerprints are taken. If fingerprints have been provided at a diplomatic or consular mission of a Schengen state within the last five years, they may not be taken again. Legal biometric exemptions apply separately. The competent authority may request additional documents, explanations, detailed examination or an interview depending on the characteristics of the application.
  • The standard short-stay visa fee is 90 euros for applicants aged 12 and over, 45 euros for children aged 6–12. The long-stay visa fee is 90 euros. A short-stay visa fee exemption may exist for children under six years of age and for certain categories of education, research or non-profit activities. For long-stay visas, children under 12 years of age are exempt from the fee. Reduced fees arising from international agreements may be applied additionally depending on the applicant's status. The VFS service charge is not included in the state visa fee.
  • The payment method accepted at consulates or VFS centers varies by mission. A single payment method valid for all application points is not explicitly specified in the central official source. For procedures at the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs within Latvia, certain bank cards and bank transfer are accepted.
  • A short-stay visa application can be submitted no earlier than six months before travel; for seafarers on duty, this period is nine months. As a rule, the application must be submitted no later than 15 calendar days before travel. The standard decision time is 15 calendar days and may be extended up to 45 calendar days in individual cases.
  • A long-stay visa application can be submitted no earlier than three months before travel. After all documents are submitted, the standard decision time is 15 calendar days; if additional information or examination is required, the period may be extended up to 60 days.
  • The short-stay C visa may be issued for single, double or multiple entries, and the permitted stay is limited to the period indicated on the visa sticker, up to a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period. The C visa may be issued as a uniform visa valid for all Schengen countries or as a limited territorial visa valid only for the specified countries.
  • The long-stay D visa may be single, double or multiple entry and may permit stays longer than 90 days in Latvia. The maximum validity period of a D visa is one year. Certain D visas issued for the purpose of collecting a residence permit may be single entry and valid for 30 days.
  • For minors, a birth certificate, parental consent, custody document and copies of parents' identity documents or passports may be requested according to the checklist of the mission where the application is made. These documents are not specified in a single central list valid for all applications. The requirements for translation, notarization, apostille or legalization of documents also vary according to the type of document, the country of issue, the purpose of travel and the mission applied to.
  • The possession of a valid visa alone does not guarantee the right to enter the country. The border officer may request again, together with the valid travel document, proof of the purpose of travel, accommodation, return or onward ticket, insurance and sufficient financial resources.

Transit Visa Requirements

  • The airport transit visa is category A. This visa only permits staying in the international transit area of the airport; it does not grant the right to enter the Schengen area or leave the transit area. It may be issued for single, double or multiple transits and its maximum validity period is six months. The airport transit visa is issued only at Latvia's diplomatic or consular missions abroad.
  • The application must include: a recognized travel document issued within the last ten years, valid for at least three months after the planned departure and containing at least two blank visa pages; a completed and signed online application form; one color photograph, size 35 × 45 mm; valid travel health insurance; and the visa fee.
  • Documents showing the transit route and onward travel to the final country are required. If a visa is required for entry to the final country of destination, that visa must also be submitted. Flight reservation, connecting ticket and information showing that the applicant will leave the transit area without entering the Schengen area may be requested.
  • The standard fee for a category A transit visa is 90 euros, for children aged 6–12 it is 45 euros. Exemptions and reductions based on international agreements may apply depending on the person's status. The application can be submitted no earlier than six months before travel, for seafarers on duty nine months, and as a rule must be submitted no later than 15 calendar days before travel. The standard processing time is 15 calendar days, up to a maximum of 45 calendar days in cases requiring additional examination.
  • A passenger subject to the Electronic Travel Notification obligation must submit a notification via eta.gov.lv at least 48 hours in advance, even if only transiting through Latvia. This notification does not replace a transit visa and is not an electronic travel authorization.
Population
1,835,935(2026 est.)
Official language
Latvian
Government type
Parliamentary republic
Continent
Europe
Capital
Riga
Currency
Euro
Area
64,594 km²
Phone code
+371

Latvia: Key Destinations

The capital city of Riga serves as the primary international gateway to Latvia, with its historic Old Town drawing visitors. Other major cities include Daugavpils and Liepaja, each offering distinct regional character.

Latvia offers a mix of coastal resorts along the Baltic Sea, notably Jurmala, and cultural landmarks like the medieval castles in Sigulda. The country's rich folk traditions and vibrant contemporary arts scene in Riga appeal to both cultural and business travelers.

Travelers often begin their journey in Riga, then explore the picturesque coastline or venture inland to the Gauja National Park. Connections to neighboring Estonia and Lithuania allow for multi-country Baltic itineraries.