To obtain a visa for Latvia, you must apply with the relevant documents to the embassy, consulate or visa centers of this country, whose addresses are listed at the end of the article.
Despite their apparent bureaucracy, anyone can go through the entire registration process from start to finish.
If you are unsure of your abilities, then it is better, of course, to seek help from relevant accredited companies, but keep in mind that you will have to pay a certain amount for their services.
Schengen visa for Latvia
Latvia is a member of the European Union and supports all the requirements of the Schengen Agreement. This means that a visa for Latvia is issued in accordance with all Schengen rules. Only in this case, the country of the first visit is mandatory Latvia, and only then you can visit other eurozone countries without the need for additional visas. Know more about Herceg Novi.
Types of visas
A visa for Latvia can have one of three categories: A, C and D.
- Category A (airport) – a transit visa , according to which it is allowed to stay in the international transit zone of the airport (without the right to leave) for a certain period of time. Such a visa is required if you need to transfer from one aircraft to another, following from one country outside Schengen to another.
- Category C (tourist) is a short-stay visa , which can be calculated for a single, double or multiple trip to Latvia. It is intended for a 90-day stay in the euro area, and the periods of stay can be broken down as you wish within the period of validity of the visa. As a rule, a visa is issued for 180 days, but in some cases the validity period can reach 5 years.
- C1 – entry up to 30 days;
- C2 – 31-90 days
- C3 ( multiple entry, multivisa ) – multiple entries up to 90 days. It can be obtained provided that the applicant has already obtained a short-term visa for Latvia twice before and that no violations have been identified during the border crossing and stay in the country. Valid for up to 1 year.
- C4 is the same as C3. Valid for up to 5 years.
- Category D (national) – long-term visa (residence permit) is issued if you need to stay in Latvia for more than 90 days and the right to travel through the territory of other EU countries. The conditions for issuing such a visa are agreed individually.
In some cases, a visa with limited territorial validity may be issued.
Applying for a visa for Latvia
Visa processing is up to 10 days after the submission of all documents. Emergency visa – 3 days. When obtaining a visa yourself, you must obtain an invitation and a hotel reservation.
Visa by invitation
The inviting party applies to the Latvian Citizenship and Migration Office. The application shall state: full name, date of birth, nationality, address, reason for the invitation, place and duration of the invited person’s stay in Latvia. After that, the number (code) of the invitation is issued, which is subsequently stated in the visa application form.
Ethnic Latvians and persons whose parents are Latvian citizens do not have to issue an invitation. It is enough to present the accompanying documents.
Issuance of the invitation takes 1-2 days.
The call can come from:
- Relatives.
- Citizens of Latvia or persons with a permanent residence permit in Latvia.
- Foreign nationals temporarily staying in Latvia (only children, parents or spouses can be invited).
- Residents of Latvia who are on the territory of the Russian Federation.
- Friends.
- Legal persons.
- Business partners.
- Educational institution.
- Organizers of conferences (seminars and other events).
- Travel company.
Visa by invitation is considered very carefully at the consulate, so any mistake can be a refusal to obtain a visa.
Tourist visa for Latvia
When applying for a tourist visa on your own, you must ask for a confirmation of the hotel reservation. This document must be submitted to the embassy.
Possible reasons for refusing a visa
Most rejections are related to incorrect paperwork, so check everything in advance, for example, your passport may have expired or you simply do not have enough funds on your bank statement.
Visa documents for Latvia
You will need to collect the following required documents for a Latvian visa
- Visa electronic application form. All items of the questionnaire are completed and the applicant’s signature is placed on each page (see below). If the applicant is a minor, the signature is put by his parents or guardians. To facilitate the process, you can fill in the electronic version of the questionnaire on the embassy website. Immediately thereafter, the applicant will be provided with an individual number by which the status of the visa application can be monitored.
- International passport. Passports with 2 or more blank pages valid for more than 3 months after the travel period are accepted for consideration. Present the original and copies of all pages.
- Passport of the Russian Federation for Adults. In the absence of a civilian passport, a certificate in Form 33 is completed and a holiday card (for military personnel) is presented. Minors present birth certificates. Present the original and copies of all pages.
- Photocopy of all pages of the general passport of the Russian Federation (original to have with you).
- 2 photos 35×45 mm. Photos are taken on a gray or white background. One of the photos must be pasted on the questionnaire in the appropriate place. Photos are needed for all persons who will leave the Russian Federation. Old photos will not work, maximum 6 months.
- Confirmation of the purpose of the trip . Information on reserved hotel rooms, as well as purchased or reserved return tickets are suitable for this. If you plan to travel by car, then a technical passport, driver’s license is presented and a travel route is drawn up and signed by the car driver.
- Medical insurance policy. It is valid in the Schengen area and is designed to cover a minimum of 30 thousand euros. Send the original and a copy.
- Certificate of financial security (certificate of income) in the amount of 30 lats (45 euros) per day. Bank statements, salary reports, traveler’s checks, etc. will be provided. If all costs are borne by a third party or the person calling, then the relevant documents will also be provided. Private entrepreneurs present copies of registration documents and proof of tax payment.
- Copies of railway and airline tickets.
- Confirmation of payment of the consular fee. It is paid immediately before the submission of documents. No money is refunded if the visa is denied.
- Call or hotel reservation.
- For travel by car – car insurance contract (Green Card).
- For children under the age of 18 You need a copy of your birth certificate. A special package of documents is also collected for each child participating in the trip to Latvia. If the child will travel with one parent or with a third party, then a power of attorney is issued on behalf of the remaining parent, who approves this trip. If one of the parents is absent, the reason is stated with the accompanying documentation. It can be a death certificate, a police certificate, a certificate of deprivation of parental rights. If the child travels to Latvia alone unaccompanied, then both parents or guardians issue an appropriate permit with a notary public.
In addition, you must prove your intention to return to your country. Evidence can be a marriage certificate, children’s birth certificate, documents on real estate and movable property, etc.
Unemployed, retired and students should submit a sponsorship letter confirming the relationship with the sponsor. You will also need a bank statement confirming the availability of funds.
Visa application for Latvia
You can fill in the questionnaire (in Latin letters) on the official website of the Embassy of Latvia. Print and sign the document.
- download
- Download.
Features
- Please note that the information must be reliable and complete, otherwise the embassy may refuse the visa (or cancel the existing Schengen visa).
- If the child is registered, the parents fill it in and sign it.
Submission of documents
To submit documents, you need to contact the embassy, consulate or visa center of Latvia, arrange an appointment in advance. That is, you must call in advance and agree on a date and time.
Third parties (relatives, representatives of travel agencies, etc.) can submit documents for you. The relevant power of attorney is drawn up by a notary public and presents documents confirming either the relationship with the applicant or an indication of the visa processing services.
| Embassies and visa centers | Address, telephone, e-mail |
| Embassy of Latvia in Moscow | Address: 105062, Moscow, 3 Chaplygina Street, Embassy telephones (495) 232-97-60, 232-97-43 (visa issue), e-mail: [email protected] , official website : http://www.mfa.gov.lv/ru/moscow/ |
| Latvian Visa Application Center in Moscow | Visa Center address: 2. Volkonsky lane, 10, phones: (495) 981-19-56 and 8-800-555-92-02 |
| Consulate General of Latvia in St. | Address: 199178, St. Petersburg, Vasiljevski Island, 10th row, 11, phone: (812) 336-34-54. Pre-orders for the delivery of documents are made by phone: (812) 449-77-56 Official site: [email protected] |
| Latvian Visa Application Center in St. | Visa center address: Zastavskaya street, 22 k. 2, phone: 8-800-555-92-02 |
| Consular Section of the Republic of Latvia in Kaliningrad | Address: 236010, Kaliningrad, 52 A F. Engelsa Street, phone: (401) 256-55-01, e-mail: [email protected] |
| Consulate of the Republic of Latvia in Pskov | Address: 180016, Pskov, 25 Narodnaya Street, phone: (8112) 72-53-90, 72-53-92, e-mail: [email protected] |
| Consulate General of the Republic of Latvia in Yekaterinburg | Address: 620075, Yekaterinburg, 15 Gogol Street, phone: (343) 355-92-54, 310-10-06, e-mail: [email protected] |
Documents may be submitted without pre-registration in the following cases:
- if the request must be considered urgently;
- if a residence permit has been issued;
- family members have citizenship in EU countries;
- by medical invitation;
- journalists and media workers;
- representatives of tourism companies;
- diplomats;
- business trips.
Visa prices for Latvia
- A consular fee must be paid when submitting documents . If you go through the standard registration procedure with consideration of the documents within 7-10 days, then the consular fee will be 35 euros. You only have to pay in euros, so change the currency in advance. You can also pay by credit card.
- If you want to speed up the process of obtaining a visa for Latvia (emergency visa), then pay 70 euros at the box office . In that case, you will receive an answer within 3 days.
- A category D visa is more expensive. One entrance costs 65 euros, and multiple 90 euros.
- If you are applying through the Visa Application Center or Pony Express (Pony Express) , then in addition to the consular fee, you must pay for a service that is 25 or 30 euros. This service includes sending your documents to the embassy and returning the finished visa to the address indicated by the applicant.
- Visa for children up to 6 years – free, after 6 years – 35 euros.