Latvia
Tourist visa for Latvia: documents, fees and steps
Tourism (short stay) · 102 nationalities · residence in 220 countries · ordinary passport
Stay of up to 90 days · Verified on 15 October 2026
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Documents requested
Visa application form, completed online and signed by the applicantConditions and details
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ārlietu ministrija) requires a visa application form completed online and signed by the applicant. The page link leads to the "Electronic Visa Application" service of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP), which offers the Schengen visa form and the national (D) visa form.Passport or other travel document issued less than ten years ago, valid for at least three months after the planned date of departure from the Schengen area, with at least two blank pagesConditions and details
The travel document must have been issued within the last ten years, remain valid for at least three months after the date on which the applicant intends to leave the Schengen area and contain at least two blank pages for affixing visas.One colour photograph of 35 mm × 45 mmConditions and details
Provide a colour photo of 35 × 45 mm no more than six months old, clear, intact and printed on quality photo paper. The face is centred, facing forward, on a uniform background, and occupies 70 to 80 % of the photo; the eyes are visible, the expression neutral and the mouth closed. Avoid reflections, strong shadows and tinted glasses. A religious head covering is permitted if it does not hide the face and does not cast a shadow.Medical travel insurance valid in all Schengen States, with minimum coverage of 30 000 euros, covering the entire intended duration of stay (the first period of stay for a multiple-entry visa)Conditions and details
The insurance covers urgent medical care or emergency hospitalisation in the event of illness, as well as repatriation in the event of death. For a short-stay visa, it is valid in all Schengen States, with minimum coverage of 30 000 euros. For one or two entries, it covers the entire intended duration of stay; for a multiple-entry visa, the first period of stay.Documents indicating the purpose of the tripConditions and details
The page requests documents substantiating the purpose of the trip, without giving an example specific to tourism. The mission or the submission service provider may specify the documents expected.Documents attesting to accommodation in Latvia, or proof of sufficient means to cover accommodation costsConditions and details
The page requests either documents showing the intended accommodation in Latvia, or proof of sufficient means to cover its cost. It does not describe a document specific to accommodation with a private individual.Evidence of sufficient means of subsistence for the stay in Latvia and the return: at least 14 euros per day if the stay does not exceed 30 days, at least 780 euros beyond thatConditions and details
The applicant substantiates sufficient means of subsistence for the duration of the intended stay in Latvia and for the return to their country of origin or residence (or transit to a third country where they are sure of being admitted), or their ability to acquire them lawfully. The Ministry sets the level at at least 14 euros per day of stay if the stay in Latvia does not exceed 30 days, and at at least 780 euros (minimum monthly salary in Latvia) if it exceeds 30 days. These amounts apply to entry with or without a visa. If the inviting person covers the costs and their financial guarantee is registered by the PMLP after verification, no additional proof of these means is requested from the traveller.Return ticket, or sufficient means to buy fuel for the journey in the case of travel in a personal vehicleConditions and details
Present the return ticket or, if you are travelling with your vehicle, sufficient means to buy fuel for the journey. The PMLP provides for this presentation when applying for a visa and, on request, at the border.Elements allowing assessment of the intention to leave the Schengen area before the visa expiresConditions and details
The page requests information allowing assessment of the applicant's intention to leave the territory of the Schengen States before their visa expires. It does not give an example of a document.
Depending on your situation
If you pay for accommodation: funds covering its cost in addition to subsistence resources, and proof of paymentConditions and details
If you must pay for your accommodation, substantiate the means necessary for this payment in addition to subsistence resources, as well as the payment made. This document does not apply to free accommodation.Fingerprints taken on application, unless they have been collected by a mission of a Schengen State within the last five yearsConditions and details
For a Schengen visa, fingerprints are collected on application. The Ministry states that they do not have to be provided again if a mission of a Schengen State has already collected them within the last five years; check your situation when submitting.
Official fees
- Short-stay visa, applicant aged 12 and over 90 €
Steps
- Determine where to submit: mission of Latvia of the country of legal residence; failing that, mission of a Schengen State that represents Latvia; failing that, Latvian mission competent for that country.
- Complete online the Schengen visa application form on the Office's (PMLP) "Electronic Visa Application" service, then sign it.
- If applicable, book in advance an appointment for submission: some Latvian missions offer this for the Schengen visa.
- Submit the application through the external provider VFS Global when it is addressed to a mission of Latvia.
- Submit the application no earlier than six months and no later than 15 calendar days before the start of the planned trip.
- Provide fingerprints when applying, unless a Schengen mission has collected them within the last five years.
- Pay the visa application processing fee.
- Wait for the decision: 15 calendar days from submission, up to 45 days at most in certain cases.
Where to apply
- Embassy or consulate of Latvia of the country of legal residence, application submitted through the external provider VFS Global
- Diplomatic or consular mission of another Schengen State that represents Latvia (short-stay visas only), according to the list published by the ministry
- Mission of Latvia whose territorial competence covers the country of residence, when that country has neither a Latvian mission nor a mission of a State representing Latvia
Good to know
Visa facilitation agreementsConditions and details
The page sets the standard processing of an application at 35 euros for nationals of Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Moldova. For nationals of Ukraine, standard processing (within 10 calendar days) costs 35 euros and urgent processing (within 3 days) 70 euros.Enhanced scrutiny for certain nationalitiesConditions and details
Pursuant to Article 22 of the Visa Code, applications from nationals of certain States, as well as stateless persons and refugees recognised in a foreign country, are subject to enhanced scrutiny. The Ministry publishes the list of these States on a linked page.The visa does not guarantee entryConditions and details
A visa does not automatically guarantee entry. At the external border of the Schengen area, proof that the entry conditions are met may be requested: return ticket, hotel reservation, information about the host, travel insurance, sufficient financial means, among others.Restrictions for Russian nationalsConditions and details
Under Cabinet Regulation No. 123, Latvia's missions only accept visa applications from nationals of the Russian Federation in limited cases: family members of Latvian nationals, family members of EU, EEA or Swiss nationals, humanitarian grounds, persons with a right of residence in Latvia. A tourist trip is not among them. Each application is examined on a case-by-case basis.Restrictions for Belarusian nationalsConditions and details
Under Cabinet Regulation No. 123, Latvia's missions only accept short-stay Schengen visa applications from nationals of Belarus for certain categories: family members of Latvian nationals, of EU, EEA or Swiss nationals, or of Belarusians with a right of residence in Latvia, humanitarian grounds, transport personnel and seafarers. A tourist trip is not among them.Appeal against a refusal, annulment or revocationConditions and details
The appeal belongs to the applicant and must be lodged within 30 days of notification, in writing signed in Latvian or English, with the mission that decided or the consular department. It may be submitted in person, by post or electronically with a secure digital signature. An authorised representative must attach a notarised power of attorney; a power of attorney issued outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland must be legalised or apostilled. A lawyer practising in Latvia may present a written power of attorney without notarial certification. The negative decision remains applicable during the appeal. The director decides within 30 days; their decision may be contested before a Latvian court.Written invitation approved by the Office (optional)Conditions and details
A host meeting the PMLP conditions may request approval of an invitation electronically. If they prove their financial support and it is registered, no additional proof of means is requested from the traveller. The decision is normally made within two working days, or within ten working days if additional examination is necessary. The invitation is valid for six months from its approval, unless a specific visiting period is indicated. Fees: 17 euros per application, or 10 euros via the dedicated online form, plus 10 euros per invited person.Specific features of missions representing LatviaConditions and details
Certain missions of other Schengen States only accept residents of their consular district (Grodno, Guangzhou, Lubumbashi, Islamabad, Karachi). The Swiss embassy in Dakar also receives residents of Cape Verde, Gambia and Guinea-Bissau. Applicants from Syria submit at the Latvian embassy in Turkey, pending resumption at the Netherlands embassy in Damascus. The Belgian embassy (Kigali) has temporarily suspended the receipt of applications.Electronic declaration before entry into LatviaConditions and details
Depending on your nationality and the documents held, a declaration on eta.gov.lv may be required at least 48 hours before arrival, including in transit. Holders of a visa or residence permit issued by Latvia and nationalities exempted by the Ministry are notably not subject to it. Consult the official list if you are travelling with a document issued by another State. This declaration does not constitute an entry permission and does not replace the visa. If your plans change, complete a new declaration; the 48-hour deadline does not apply to this new submission.
Nationalities covered
This procedure applies to 102 nationalities.
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Angola
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- Comoros
- Congo
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Cuba
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jamaica
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mongolia
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nepal
- Niger
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palestine
- Papua New Guinea
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Rwanda
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Türkiye
- Turkmenistan
- Uganda
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Official links
- Documents required to apply for a visa | Ārlietu ministrija (new tab) www.mfa.gov.lv
- Travel medical insurance policy | Ārlietu ministrija (new tab) www.mfa.gov.lv
- Approval of written invitation | Pilsonības un migrācijas lietu pārvalde (new tab) www.pmlp.gov.lv
- Visa application fees | Ārlietu ministrija (new tab) www.mfa.gov.lv
- Processing of visa applications and prior consultation | Ārlietu ministrija (new tab) www.mfa.gov.lv
- Acceptance of visa applications from the citizens of the Russian Federation | Ārlietu ministrija (new tab) www.mfa.gov.lv
- Acceptance of visa applications from the citizens of Belarus | Ārlietu ministrija (new tab) www.mfa.gov.lv
- Appeal against refusal, annulment and revocation of a visa and a local border traffic permit | Ārlietu ministrija (new tab) www.mfa.gov.lv
- Diplomatic and Consular Missions of other Schengen Member States issuing visas to enter Latvia | Ārlietu ministrija (new tab) www.mfa.gov.lv
- Ministère letton des Affaires étrangères (new tab) www.mfa.gov.lv
- Union européenne — EUR-Lex (new tab) eur-lex.europa.eu
- Applying for a visa | Ārlietu ministrija (new tab) www.mfa.gov.lv
- Electronic visa application form (new tab) epak.pmlp.gov.lv
- Countries and territories whose citizens may enter Latvia without a visa | Ārlietu ministrija (new tab) www.mfa.gov.lv
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