Beginning on 12 May, Latvia’s diplomatic missions and consulates are providing consular assistance and consular services in accordance with the law on the operation of government agencies and institutions during the state of emergency connected with stemming the spread of COVID-19 ( Par valsts institūciju darbību ārkārtējās situācijas laikā saistībā ar Covid-19 izplatību ) as well as in compliance with measures for preventing the spread of COVID-19 abroad in other countries, including the countries in which Latvia’s consulates and missions are located.
As of 12 May 2020, in Latvia, the full range of consular assistance and consular services is once again available and shall be provided, both in person and remotely, in accordance with the circumstances. If it is necessary to receive service in person, please register in advance and when coming to the meeting be sure to observe the social distancing guidelines and to wear personal protective gear and use the disinfectant dispenser located in the reception area. In this regard, please take into account that more time than normal may be required to complete procedures and get the services required.
Visa applications will be processed in limited quantities as specified by applicable EU guidelines and the rules in force during the state of emergency. Visa applications will be received at outsourced service companies. Applications for border zone traffic permits are not being accepted or processed at the current time.
If the national restrictions imposed due to COVID-19 in the country of residence of the person requesting consular services also restrict the possibilities for getting consular assistance or if there are grounds to believe that the actual situation in the country of residence in relation to the epidemic has an impact on those services, then the head of mission decides on the rendering of consular services including through the utilisation of remote services and personal identification via www.latvija.lv including for:
- registration of births and deaths
- submission of documents for the registry of civil acts
- submission of applications in other languages
- applications concerning registration of the legal status of persons or changes in this regard
- submission of information for certifications concerning consular information, citizenship, and criminal records, etc.
If one of these services is urgent and cannot be delayed, please contact a Latvian embassy or consulate for advice on how best to receive it. If your travel document or personal identification document is expiring during the current state of emergency, the Embassy can, based on your application (which can be made free-of-charge), process the request for an extension of the expiration date.