Information about the Electronic Travel Declaration, including details on individuals who are exempt from the obligation to submit it, is available here. Since 12 October, the new Entry/Exit System (EES) has been operational in Latvia, as in other European countries. For more detailed information, please visit here and here.
For inquiries regarding border crossing procedures, Electronic Travel Declaration, as well as Entry/Exit System, please contact the State Border Guard of Latvia.
A list of countries and territories whose citizens do not require a visa to enter and stay in Latvia is available here. For general information on visas please visit here: Entry into Latvia.
Citizens of third countries who are residents of the United Kingdom and wish to travel to Latvia may submit their visa applications exclusively at VFS Global in London, Manchester, or Edinburgh by prior appointment only. To schedule an appointment, please click here.
Visa applications must be submitted in person at VFS Global centre (except minor children under 12 years of age, whose parents/legal guardians can submit documents on their behalf).
Holders of the following types of UK travel documents are required to apply for a Schengen visa to enter Latvia:
- Stateless persons travel document (being red coloured, issued under the Convention of 28 September 1954)
- Certificate of travel (also called a certificate of identity, brown or black, LTD visa)
- Convention travel document (blue, issued under the Convention of 28 July 1951).
For detailed information on entry into Latvia by citizens of Russia and Belarus, please click here.
Please note that the possession of a visa does not guarantee the right of entry into the respective country. If a person has been issued a visa for entry into the Schengen Area, they may be required at the external border of the Schengen Area to provide additional information regarding their compliance with the entry conditions (a return ticket, a hotel reservation, information about the host, a travel insurance policy, sufficient financial means, etc), as stipulated in Article 6 of the Schengen Borders Code.
C (Schengen) visas
When issuing short-stay visas (for stays not exceeding 90 days within any 180-day period), Schengen Area countries, including Latvia, follow the unified procedures and rules established in the Visa Code. More information on the Schengen Area is available by visiting the following website: Schengen, Visa, Borders.
Visa applications shall be lodged no earlier than 6 months before the start of the intended visit and no later than 15 calendar days before an intended trip.
All fees paid for processing a visa application are non-refundable. Any documents submitted (except for the passport) are not a matter of return after the application is made.
- If you want to visit Latvia, please apply for a visa at the Embassy of Latvia through VFS Global in London, Manchester, or Edinburgh. If you want to visit other Schengen country, apply for a visa at the Embassy or Consulate of that country.
- If you want to visit several Schengen countries, or if several separate visits are to be carried out within a period of two months, apply at the Embassy or Consulate of the country of your main destination or the country where you intend to stay for the longest
- If you intend to visit several Schengen countries, but do not have the main destination, you should apply at the Embassy or Consulate of the Schengen country of your first entry.
Important: Applicants are kindly requested to print all documents for the visa application on a single sheet of paper (!!!)
All visa applicants must submit the following documents:
- A visa application form(online visa application form) completed and signed by the applicant. One parent/legal guardian must sign application form for minors.
- One colour photograph (35mm x 45mm). Requirements for the quality of face photograph required for visa.
- Passport or other travel document.
- the date of issuance should be within the past ten years
- be valid at least three months beyond the date on which you intend to leave the Schengen territory,
- containing at least two empty pages on which visas can be affixed.
- Travel medical insurance policyvalid for the whole Schengen area, covering the entire period of the intended visit to the Schengen area including also "the period of grace" of 15 days.
The insurance must cover emergency medical expenses, hospitalization and repatriation (also in case of death) - minimum 30,000 EUR. Evidence of this cover is required, i.e. the relevant paragraphs from the full insurance policy document (not Key Facts or Summary).
- A visa feefor processing the visa application.
- Residence permit or long-term visa issued in the United Kingdom valid for at least one month beyond the intended departure from the Schengen area.
- Round-trip travel tickets confirmed return travel reservation showing the booking reference, the applicant’s full name, and the travel dates to and from the Schengen Area.
8. Evidence of occupation/student status/document that proves ties to the state of residence.
- Employed: Original signed letter from the employer and pay slips for the last three months.
- Self-employed: Original signed letter from a solicitor, accountant, or Companies House confirming self-employment status.
- Unemployed: Social benefit entitlement letter.
- Students: Original signed letter from the school, college, or university confirming course details.
9. Proof of purpose of visit
- Family/Friends/Private Visit – Invitation approved by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA), see link.
- Tourism - Confirmed hotel reservation for all planned stays in the Schengen area or confirmation of organized tour. If you plan multiple visits or intend to visit other Schengen countries, hotel bookings must be provided for the entire itinerary. Please note that Latvia must be the main destination of your trip (the country where you will spend the most days).
- Business/Conference - Invitation approved by OCMA, see link. Original signed invitation letter from business partner in Latvia (including all the necessary information, see link)
10. Evidence of sufficient funds for the visit (not less than 13 GBP per day), unless the invitation clearly states that the inviting party will cover all expenses.
Accepted proof of funds:
- Original recent bank statements covering the last 3 calendar months
(Online printouts are accepted if stamped/verified by the bank and showing the applicant’s name and account number.) - Recent credit card statement indicating the credit limit
- Traveller’s cheques
NOTE! Applicants from countries listed in Cabinet Regulation No. 554, as well as refugees and stateless persons, are subject to additional assessment and must submit a completed and signed QUESTIONNAIRE.
The processing of visa applications submitted by these categories of applicants may take up to 60 days.
Please note that each visa application is processed on an individual basis. The Embassy may request additional documents or information, which could extend the processing time.
In accordance with Article 22 of the Visa Code, applications submitted by nationals of certain countries, as well as by individuals granted stateless or refugee status in a foreign country, are subject to in-depth examination.
Additional information about processing of visa applications and prior consultation is available here.
D Long stay (national) visas
A foreigner who needs to stay in Latvia for more than 90 days within a 180-day period must, depending on the purpose of stay, apply for either a long-stay visa or a residence permit. For more information about residence permits, please click here.
The D Long-stay visa is a national visa that may be issued to a foreigner travelling to Latvia for purposes such as work, study, obtaining a residence permit, or remote work. The processing of D visa applications is governed by the Immigration Law of Latvia.
The lists of documents to submit is available here:
NOTE! Applicants from countries listed in Cabinet Regulation No. 554, as well as refugees and stateless persons, are subject to additional assessment and must submit a completed and signed QUESTIONNAIRE.
More detailed information is available on the official website of VFS Global here.
A decision on a long-stay visa application is normally made within 15 calendar days from the date of submission of all required documents. If additional information or additional assessment is needed, the processing time may be extended, up to a maximum of 60 calendar days.
Additional assessment is performed with respect to the nationals of specific third countries listed in Cabinet Regulation No. 554, as well as to foreigners whom the status of a stateless person or refugee status has been granted in a foreign country.
Emergencies
In case of an emergency, such as the death or serious illness of a relative, applicants should contact the Embassy via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. When travelling to Latvia, a valid Schengen visa must be presented in the passport. If a new passport has been issued due to insufficient pages, a valid visa in the old passport may still be used.
Information on the Privacy Policy for the Processing of Personal Data during the Acceptance and Examination of Visa Applications and the Appeal of Decisions is available here.