Visa Requirements

US Citizens

For stays up to 90 days, within a half-year, US citizens do not need a visa for tourist or business travel to this country, but a valid US Passport is required.

Any US citizen who wishes to travel to Latvia for any purpose other than tourism or business negotiations (e.g. work, study, adoption, immigration, or stays longer than the stipulated 90 days in the entry requirements) should contact our office.

Visa Free Entry Procedure

Latvia has unilaterally established a visa free entry procedure for the following:

  • Citizens of the USA and Vatican City
  • Persons, who use their United Nations passport as a travel document
  • Persons, who use their European Commission passport as a travel document
  • Persons who use their EU member state diplomatic or service passport as a travel document

Mutual Abolition of Visa Requirements

Countries with which Latvia has concluded the agreement on mutual abolition of visa requirements:

Andorra, Japan, Austria, Liechtenstein, Belgium, Lithuania, Croatia, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Malta, Czech Republic, Monaco, Denmark, Netherlands, Estonia, Norway, Finland, Poland, France, Portugal, Germany, Slovakia, Greece, Slovenia, Hungary, Spain, Iceland, Sweden, Ireland, Switzerland, Israel, United Kingdom, Italy

Non-US Citizens Residing in the US

  1. A valid, signed US passport. The passport must have at least 2 months remaining after the completion of your stay in Latvia, and contain at least one blank visa page.
  2. Fully completed and signed Latvia Visa Application
  3. Passport photograph
  4. Evidence of legal status in the USA. (Valid visa and I-94, Green Card, International Student Form I-20 etc.)
  5. Invitation from host, endorsed by the Department of Citizenship and Migratory Affairs of The Latvian Ministry of Interior.

Citizens of the following countries are eligible to receive Latvian visas without an invitation:

Argentina, Mexico, Australia, Monaco, Brazil, New Zealand, Brunei, Panama, Bulgaria, Paraguay, Canada, San Marino, Chile, Singapore, Costa Rica, South Africa, Guatemala, South Korea, Uruguay, Malaysia, Venezuela

Fees

In addition to the standard Iratex fees, the following consular fees apply:

10 Business Days Processing$35.00 per visa
Regular Processing for Children Under Age 16Gratis
48-72 Hour Processing$50.00 per visa
24 Hour Processing$80.00 per visa

Visa Information

Latvian entry visas (valid up to 10 days) can be received upon crossing Latvian border at control point at Riga International Airport.

Holders of US Re-entry Permits or Refugee Documents are required to submit an invitation certified by the Latvian Department of Citizenship and Immigration.

Regarding The Schengen Area

Please click here for more information regarding the Schengen area.

Travelers to Europe on business or tourism purposes may receive a visa for a short stay of one to ninety days, valid for all of the Schengen area countries. A Schengen visa issued by an embassy or consulate allows the holder to travel freely to all of these countries.

If you wish to visit only one Schengen country, you must apply through the embassy or consulate of that particular country.

If you wish to visit several Schengen countries, you must apply for a visa through the embassy or consulate of the country which is your main destination.

If you wish to visit several countries but do not have a main destination, you should apply for a visa at the embassy or consulate of the country which is your first point of entry.

If you do not need a visa for the Schengen country which is your main destination or first point of entry, please note that you may require a visa for other Schengen countries you wish to visit. You should then apply through the embassy or consulate of the first country which does require a visa.