Russians need a visa to travel to Latvia in 2021. Latvia is part of the Schengen zone, therefore a Schengen visa is issued for entry. Find out how to get a Latvian Schengen visa yourself, taking into account the latest changes.
This is what a Latvian Schengen visa looks like
In addition to Latvia, you can travel to 25 other European countries with a Schengen visa. You can apply for a Latvian visa if this will be your main country for the duration of your stay among other countries in the Schengen area.
Map of Schengen countries
List of documents for a tourist visa
- Foreign passport
Valid for at least 3 months longer than the period of the requested visa, with at least two blank pages. Submit your passport without any additional cover. - Internal passport
For everyone over 14 years old, an original passport + a copy of the pages with personal data and registration are provided.
- Visa application form
Filled out online through a special website, printed and signed in person. Parents or legal representatives sign for children. Corrections in the application form by hand are prohibited.
- Photo 35×45
A color photograph on a white or light gray background, taken no more than 6 months ago. It is not necessary to cut and paste the photo on the application form; this will be done at the visa center.
Visa photo requirements, examples of bad and good photos - Medical insurance policy
Travel insurance with coverage of at least 30,000 euros, valid in all Schengen countries. To apply for a multiple-entry visa, insurance must cover only the dates of the first trip. You agree to have valid travel insurance for future trips.
- Confirmation of purpose of travel
For tourists: All you need is to book accommodation and tickets. The requirements for them are written below.
For a trip to relatives and friends: Invitation. The receiving party must confirm the invitation electronically via the website latvija.lv. For confirmation of invitation they charge 5-10 euros per person. An invitation can only be issued by residents of Latvia who reside in the country on a long-term basis and legally. The visa applicant will need to provide an invitation number. Invitations certified by a notary or signed in the presence of a Latvian consular officer are also accepted.
If the invitation specifies guarantees of accommodation and payment of expenses, there is no need to provide additional documents regarding this.
Documents confirming family ties (if necessary).
- Proof of residence
Paid accommodation reservation for the entire duration of the trip. An unpaid reservation is sufficient to confirm your stay in other countries. The names of all guests must be written on the reservation. A printout of the reservation from the hotel website or a letter from the hotel, a reservation from the website booking.com or airbnb.ru (with partial or full payment and indicating the contact details of the apartment owner) is suitable. Bookings from other sites may not be accepted. If you rent an apartment from a private person, you must provide a notarized lease agreement with the names of all guests and an extract from the land register received no more than 2 years ago. The apartment owner can get a printout from the book on the website zemesgramata.lv.
- Financial guarantees
One of the following documents will do:
- Bank statement showing the balance sufficient to pay for the trip and return. The Visa Center recommends making a certificate showing the movement of funds for the last 3 months.
- Sponsorship letter. If your trip will be paid for by another person, he must provide written guarantees of payment of expenses, provide his financial guarantees and a copy of his passport.
Certificate from work indicating salary, position, company contacts.
The minimum amount for confirmation is 14 euros (1,226.5 rubles) per person per day. If housing and transportation are not paid for, add their cost to this amount of guarantees. For multiple-entry visas, only the amount for the first trip is confirmed.
Paid return air tickets, or train or bus tickets.
To travel by car:
- Copy of driver's license,
international car insurance Green Card,
Passengers must attach a copy of the driver's visa if he obtained one separately.
When submitting documents at the visa center, you must fill out and sign a consent to the processing of personal data.
Requirements for document preparation
If you have an invalid passport, you must bring it. If you have previous Schengen visas, your chances of obtaining entry for a longer period increase.
The photo for a visa to Latvia is taken on a plain gray or blue background:
- must be in color, size strictly 35x45 mm;
- straight gaze, head height 32-36 mm;
- good quality and uniform lighting;
- Hats, loose hair and bangs are not allowed;
- Glasses should only be worn constantly and should not hide the eyes.
Conditions for children under 6 years of age are not as strict.
Documents for a visa to Latvia - personal details
In 2021, applying for a visa to Latvia and filling out the application form is done using online resources. There are no paper forms. When submitting directly to the Consulate/Embassy of Latvia, you must fill out the form yourself. And the Visa Center employees will do everything themselves.
The Latin font is used (for a national visa it is written in Russian or Latvian, for Schengen you can use English). The form with the “*” sign is required. The rest is subject to availability. However, it is recommended that you provide all possible information.
Only the fully completed Latvia visa application form is saved. The citizen receives an individual code and can edit the information at any time (without time limits). The necessary data is selected from the drop-down list: visa type, country and consulate serving the region where the applicant lives, filling language.
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The date is set and the place of application for a visa to Latvia . Then you need to enter the check digit and save the form. When errors are detected, they are corrected directly in the system. The questionnaire is saved in electronic format and printed on paper.
Then you can make an appointment at the Consulate on the same website.
It is better to sign and paste a photo after the staff has checked your profile. Correction by hand is prohibited.
For national type
The same is filled in, only there are a few differences:
- The first page is the visa type “national D”;
- The purpose of entry must include a long period of stay;
- Durations are allowed for at least 4 months, but no more than 1 year (pay attention to the dates of entry and exit - they must fall within this period).
Certificates, tickets and certificates
A certificate of employment is issued on company letterhead, indicating the name of the company and contact information. The date of hire and salary must be recorded.
Tickets must confirm the travel itinerary. It is important to mark the return to the homeland. Auto-tourists apply for a green card (international insurance) and provide:
- copies of the vehicle registration document (translated into English);
- copy of driver's license;
- route.
Additional documents for children
For each child, a separate application form is filled out and a separate package of documents is provided. In addition to the main list of documents, additional ones will be required:
- Birth certificate
For all children under 18 years of age, an original + a copy is provided. - Permission for a child to leave the country
If the child is traveling with two parents, this document is not needed. If a child is traveling with one of the parents, you must obtain notarized permission from the other parent or legal representative. If a child is traveling without both parents, permission is required from both parents indicating the person responsible for the child on the trip.
The permit must apply to travel to all Schengen countries for the entire duration of the requested visa. If such permission cannot be obtained, documentary evidence of the absence of the other parent must be provided.
- A copy of the foreign passport and visa of the accompanying person
If the accompanying person's visa was previously obtained.
Visa to Latvia for a child
Children are the same citizens as adults, so they also need a visa to visit Latvia. Children under 14 years of age, i.e. For those who do not have their own passport, a visa is issued on the basis of the passport of the parent in whose passport the child is entered. If the child has his own passport, then the visa permit is pasted directly into his personal passport.
For children, it is necessary to collect a standard list of documents, the same as for adults. The only difference is that only a sponsorship letter from parents is suitable as documents on financial solvency. A separate application form for the child must be filled out, but it must be signed by one of the parents.
Additional documents you will need are a birth certificate (for children without their own passport), a certificate from the place of study and permission to travel abroad from the parent(s) if you are not traveling with the whole family or the child is traveling accompanied by third parties.
The visa cost for applicants over 6 years of age is 35EUR. The processing time for a visa application is up to 10 calendar days.
Filling out a visa application
Recommendations for filling out the Latvian Schengen visa application form:
The form must be filled out in English.
The form contains complete and accurate information. Each item must have either an information answer, a “yes” or a “no” answer.
Dates are indicated in the format dd.mm.yyyy.
Family members of EU, EEA or Swiss citizens (spouses, children or dependent parents) exercising the right of free movement in accordance with Directive 34/2004/EC and providing documents proving their relationship need not complete points (19., 20., 31., 32. and 33.), but fill out paragraphs 34. and 35. Paragraph 1 – last name on the passport in Latin letters.
Point 2 – surname at the time of birth or previous surname. If the surname has changed many times, then all previous surnames should be indicated.
Point 3 – name of the international passport in Latin letters.
Item 4 – full date of birth (dd.mm.yyyy).
Point 5 – place of birth (according to passport).
Point 6 – state of birth (according to passport).
Point 7 – citizenship at present and at birth, if different.
Clause 8 – floor
Point 9 – marital status.
Item 10 – must be completed if a visa is requested for a minor child. The surname, first name, address (if different from the address of the minor for whom the visa is requested), nationality of the person with the authority of the parents/legal representative or authorized representative, accompanied by whom the minor is traveling, shall be indicated.
Point 11 – state-assigned identification code, if any (Russian citizens do not have such a code).
Point 12 – the type of travel document (passport) used to travel and for which a visa is requested.
Clause 13 – series and number of the international passport in which the visa is requested.
Point 14 – date of issue of the international passport.
Clause 15 – validity period of the international passport.
Point 16 – place of issue of the passport.
Item 17 – full home address, email and telephone number of the visa applicant.
Item 18 – to be completed if you live in a country of which you are not a citizen (for example, a citizen of Kazakhstan who has a residence permit of the Russian Federation). The number and expiration date of the document that allows you to stay in the country of residence legally are indicated.
Item 19* – occupation or position held.
Clause 20* – full name of the employer, address and telephone number of the employer. Students indicate the name and address of the educational institution.
Point 21 – all purposes of the trip are indicated. It is necessary to document the main purpose of the trip. If the purpose of the trip is related to employment, it is necessary to indicate the appropriate type of activity, for example, “employment”, “volunteering”, “seasonal work”.
Point 22 – country of final destination in the Schengen area. In case of transit, the country of final destination is indicated.
Point 23 is the first of the Schengen countries through which entry is expected.
Point 24 – number of entries of the requested visa.
Point 25 – planned number of days of stay.
Clause 26 – the full validity period of visas, if any, in the Schengen countries, including Latvia, issued over the last 3 years.
Point 27 – have fingerprints ever been submitted to request a Schengen visa. If you gave up, when (specify date).
Paragraph 28 – in cases of transit, indicate whether there is permission to enter the country of final destination (for example, visa, residence permit), indicating the validity period of this document.
Point 29 – planned date of arrival in the Schengen area.
Point 30 – planned date of departure from the Schengen area. If a double or multiple entry visa is requested, the date of entry and exit of the first planned visit to the Schengen area is indicated.
Clause 31* – for a tourist trip, indicate the name, address, email and telephone number of the hotel or place of residence. To visit relatives or friends, please indicate the name, surname, address, email and phone number of the inviting person.
Clause 32* – name, address, email, phone number and contact person of the inviting organization or enterprise.
Clause 33* – source and method(s) of covering expenses during your stay in Latvia and the Schengen area, if you intend to travel to other Schengen countries while the visa is valid. For minors, the person covering the expenses (for example, parents) is indicated. When submitting a visa request, financial status is documented.
Item 34 – must only be completed by family members of EEA or Swiss citizens. Personal details of a family member of EU citizens, EEA citizens of Switzerland are indicated.
Item 35 – can only be completed by family members of EEA or Swiss citizens. Indicates relationship with a family member of EU, EEA or Swiss citizens. The relationship is documented.
Clause 36 – place and date of submission of documents.
Point 37 – after printing the application form, the visa applicant’s personal signature is placed. The application form for a minor (under 18 years of age) must be filled out and signed by parents or legal representatives.
After printing the application form, the fourth page indicates the place, date of submission of documents and the signature of the visa applicant indicating that he has familiarized himself with the conditions for processing a visa request and issuing a visa, the rules of entry and stay in the countries participating in the Schengen Agreement.
Additional documents for different types of visas
Sample of filling out a sponsorship letter
If a person plans to visit Latvia for the purpose of reuniting with family or at the invitation of friends and acquaintances, he must present an official invitation from these people or a special sponsorship letter for a Schengen visa.
In some cases, permission to enter Latvia is issued to those people who have graves and burials of relatives on the territory of the country, if kinship with the deceased is proven.
Property owners, in addition to other mandatory documents, must also provide a special extract from the land register.
Students and schoolchildren entering the country for further studies must present an official invitation sent by the educational institution, along with a certificate of enrollment.
A special invitation is presented by participants in sports competitions.
Often, permission to enter the Baltic country is issued by business owners who want to strengthen partnerships with foreign colleagues. In this case, a special request is submitted, based on the results of which a business visa to Latvia is issued.
If the applicant goes on a road trip, he must additionally take out a Green Card policy. It makes sense to apply for a Latvian visa when organizing a tour of Europe if the stay in this country will be the longest in comparison with the time that the applicant will spend in other EU states, or the traveler plans to visit only Latvia.
If a Schengen visa is issued for tourist purposes and for the first time, then it is issued for a short-term period not exceeding 90 days. An extended visa, which grants the right to stay in the country for more than 3 months, is issued to those who intend to study and work in Latvia.
Visa fees
The standard consular fee for a Schengen visa for Russians is 35 euros (3,066.3 rubles).
When applying for an urgent visa, a double fee is charged - 70 euros (6,132.7 rubles).
Children under 6 years of age and disabled people are exempt from the consular fee.
4600 ₽
It will cost you to obtain a visa through the Latvian visa center in Moscow (consular + service fee)
When processing documents at the visa center, an additional service fee for document processing is charged:
Pskov 15 euros (1,314.1 ₽), Moscow and Kaliningrad 18 euros (1,577 ₽), St. Petersburg 20 euros (1,752.2 ₽), other regions 28 euros (2,453.1 ₽).
Visa centers accept payment in cash in rubles at the exchange rate or by bank cards.
Fees are non-refundable, even in case of refusal.
Cost and terms of obtaining a visa to Latvia
The cost of a visa to Latvia must include a consular fee, which for Russian citizens is 35EUR for each passport. Please note that the cost of a visa to Latvia consists of a consular fee only if you submit documents directly through the official diplomatic mission of the Republic.
If a visa application is submitted through a Latvian visa center, in addition to the consular fee, you will also have to pay a service fee. Pony Express services depend on the city in which you submit documents. So, those who submit documents through the Latvian CC in Moscow for services need to pay 20EUR per passport. 25EUR as a service fee . All other cities and regions of Russia pay a VC service fee of 30EUR per passport.
Payment for services at the Latvian visa center is made in Russian rubles at the Central Bank exchange rate on the day of payment.
The standard procedure for processing a visa application is 10 calendar days. There is the possibility of expedited processing of documents - 3 calendar days, but in this case you will have to pay extra for urgency - 35EUR per passport.
Visa processing times and validity
A Latvian Schengen visa is issued within 10 days. If you submit documents to a visa center, it may take an additional 1-2 days to deliver documents between the visa center and the consulate. In rare cases where additional verification is required, the review period may be extended to 30 days.
If there are justifiable reasons, you can obtain an urgent visa within 3 days. Tourist trips do not fall under the urgency criteria.
Documents for a visa can be submitted no earlier than 6 months before the trip.
Single and double entry visas are issued for travel days + a reserve of 15 days for flexible entry. However, the duration of stay on the visa remains the same.
With multiple-entry visas, you can stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in each 180-day period. You can calculate your stay limits using a special calculator.
Violation of visa deadlines may result in a fine, deportation, and prohibition of re-entry into the Schengen area. In exceptional cases, you can request a visa extension from the Citizenship and Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Latvia.
Where to apply for a visa
Latvian missions accept applicants by appointment and only in their consular district:
- Residents of Moscow and other regions not listed below fill out documents at the Latvian Embassy in Moscow.
- Residents of the Kaliningrad region can apply for a visa at the Office of the Consular Section of the Latvian Embassy in Kaliningrad.
- Residents of St. Petersburg, Leningrad, Arkhangelsk, Novgorod, Murmansk regions and the Republic of Karelia can apply for a visa at the Consulate General of Latvia in St. Petersburg.
- Residents of the Pskov region should contact the Latvian Consulate in Pskov.
Official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia
You can apply for a visa and submit biometrics through the official Latvian visa centers in Russia - the Pony Express company (Freight Link). There are offices in 56 cities of Russia.
The status of submitted documents can be tracked through the CC website. The visa center can deliver a completed passport with a visa for an additional fee.
Visa to Latvia on your own
Russians can apply for a visa to Latvia on their own, without the help of travel agencies. There are two ways to independently apply for a Latvian visa:
- directly through the diplomatic mission of Latvia in Russia;
- through the Latvian visa center Pony Express.
So, the sequence of actions in both the first and second cases is the same:
- Collect a package of documents in accordance with the purpose of your trip.
- Fill out the online form and print it out.
- Make an appointment at a visa center or consulate.
- Come to your appointment at the appointed time.
- Submit documents and fingerprints.
- Pay the consular fee and visa fee (only for the visa center).
- You wait for the decision and pick up your passport with visa.
Please note that only Schengen visas can be applied for through the Visa Application Centre. To obtain a national visa to Latvia, you must contact the Latvian diplomatic mission directly.
Biometrics
During your visit to the visa center, your fingerprints will be taken and your photograph will be taken. These biometric data are stored for 5 years in the common database of the Schengen countries. While the biometrics are in the database, documents for the family can be submitted by one of the family members, with documents about family ties. Or any person with a notarized power of attorney. Children under 12 years old are not fingerprinted and their presence is not required.
Refusal of a visa
Within 30 days after receiving the refusal, you can apply to review the decision. The application will be reviewed within 30 days.
If the reason for the refusal is clear, it will be faster to correct it, pay the visa fee again and reapply for the visa.
When crossing the border, carry with you documentary evidence of the purpose of the trip, financial guarantees, insurance, and proof of residence. A visa does not guarantee the right to enter Latvia; the final decision on entry is made by the immigration officer at the border.
