As per Cabinet of the Republic of Latvia regulations No. 360 adopted on 9th of June 2020, currently following categories of travellers are allowed to enter to Latvia:
- the nationals of the Republic of Latvia and their family members whose permanent place of residence is abroad, and also foreigners who, by crossing the territory of the Republic of Latvia in transit, are returning to the country of their permanent place of residence;
- the nationals of the European Union, European Economic Area, and Switzerland and their family members, and also persons who are permanently residing in these countries in order to return to their country of residence, including in the Republic of Latvia, by crossing the territory of the Republic of Latvia in transit;
- the employees of the transport and carriage of passengers service providers, the crews of freight or technical voyages who arrive in the Republic of Latvia or exit it upon fulfilling work duties;
- the carriage of passengers referred to in Sub-paragraphs 35.1, 35.1.1, 35.2, 35.3, and 35.4 of the Regulation;
- seafarers who must reach their work place aboard a ship or must return from it;
- foreigners the need for bringing in of whom for the fulfilment of the commitments of merchants in Latvia has been certified by the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia on the basis of the criteria referred to in Paragraph 59 of the Regulation;
- foreign diplomats and their family members who are crossing the territory of the Republic of Latvia in transit for the performance of the official functions, and also holders of the diplomatic passport of the Republic of Latvia, the civil servants and employees of the diplomatic and consular service and their family members who return from their service country or who need to get to their service country;
- the nationals of Latvia who are the members of official delegations or who need to get to their work place within the framework of an intergovernmental project;
- full-time and exchange programme students if a higher education institution or college has issued a written certification on the matriculation of the student and organisation of studies on site;
- athletes and sports employees, and also representatives of international sports organisations whose arrival in the territory of the Republic of Latvia is connected with participation as an accredited person in an international sporting event organised by a sports federation recognised in accordance with the procedures laid down by the Sports Law or a member thereof if the aforementioned person can present a document that they have undergone laboratory testing for the diagnostics of COVID-19 not earlier than three days before arrival in the territory of the Republic of Latvia and that COVID-19 infection was not found therein.
Full-time and exchange programme students in India can submit national (D visa) applications ONLY through five VFS VACs in Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Kochi starting with 17th of August 2020.
All applicants from India applying for a Long Stay visa with a purpose ''studies in Latvia'' are subjected to a visa support document verification with service provider Hello Verify India Private Limited.
Applicants should apply for document verification with Hello Verify BEFORE applying for application submission with VFS. Appointment for visa application submission at VFS without Hello Verify transaction number WILL NOT be granted.
In compliance with the safety protocols by the Indian Government, amount of applications is limited and application submission procedures might take longer time (up to 60 days) due to safety regulations. Please refer to the VFS webpage for more detailed information regarding security measures while submitting visa application at the VFS VACs that have to be strictly followed.
It is responsibility of each applicant to confirm with the airlines and authorities of a country in transit rules and regulations that are in force for transiting respective country (COVID19 test, onward ticket, allowed period for transit etc.). Embassy of Latvia WILL NOT be responsible for securing applicants’ travels and transit opportunities on the way to Latvia. Please consider travel options BEFORE applying for a visa.
Until regular flights between India and Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh resume, applicants from these countries CAN NOT apply for a Long Stay visa with a purpose ''studies in Latvia''.
Applicants who already possess residence permit in Latvia and whose residence permit card expired during the State of Emergency in Latvia (12th of March until 9th of June 2020) due to COVID19 pandemics, can apply for a national (D visa) to entry to Latvia through VFS VACs (taking a prior appointment) submitting following documents:
- PASSPORT with a period of validity extending at least three months after the intended date of departure from Latvia or other Member State, and containing at least two blank pages. Copies of the identification pages and the pages that contain information about previously issued visas.
- Long stay visa E-APPLICATION FORM printed and signed by the applicant. The form is available online (epak.pmlp.gov.lv) – visa type: NATIONAL VISA (TYPE D).
- One colour photo (Size 35mm x 45 mm) must be taken in last 6 months and it should be with white background.
- An AIR TICKET RESERVATION stating the intended entry to Schengen area must be submitted. Please note that the Embassy is not responsible for purchased tickets in case of the visa refusal.
- TRAVEL MEDICAL INSURANCE to be valid for the whole Schengen area and covering the entire period of the intended visit (90days). The minimum coverage of 42,600 EUR including the costs of urgent medical attention and/or emergency hospital treatment in case of an illness as well as medical transportation and repatriation in the event of death. Medical insurance policy can be obtained in applicant’s country of residence, or in any other country, or taken out by the inviting person. It is important that the insurance meets all the above requirements.
- WRITTEN CERTIFICATION ISSUED BY THE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION OR COLLEGE on the matriculation of the student and organisation of studies on site.
- DECISION BY THE OFFICE OF CITIZENSHIP AND MIGRATION AFFAIRS OF LATVIA on granting residence permit rights. Decisions that expired or were issued during the State of Emergency in Latvia due to COVID19 pandemics will be valid until 31st of December 2020.
- INVITATION NUMBER approved by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs of Latvia.
- VISA FEE of 60 EUR (Masters and PhD students exempted).
Information on Epidemiological Safety Measures for the Containment of the Spread of COVID-19 Infection and self-isolation requirements upon arrival to Latvia are available on the Official COVID19 pandemics in Latvia informative webpage https://covid19.gov.lv/index.php/en and at hotline 8345.
ALL travelers currently arriving to Latvia from India are required to undergo 14 DAYS SELF-ISOLATION!