Latvia

Latvia
schengen
Europe
Latvia is located on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea and its Gulf of Riga. It borders Lithuania to the south, Belarus to the southeast, Russia to the east and Estonia to the north. The capital is Riga. Latvia is a beautiful country and has a lot to offer. The coast of the calm Gulf of Riga and the stormy Baltic is lined with sandy beaches, and the undulating lowlands inland are characterized by alternating wooded areas with meadows, lakes and rivers. The bustling port metropolis of Riga, whose center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the third largest city in the Baltic region after St. Petersburg and Stockholm, and therefore plays an important role in the region. The largest national park in the whole of the Baltics is Gaujas.

get-quotes.png

About Latvia
LATVIAN CUISINE Latvian cuisine is influenced by the cuisines of the surrounding countries, but especially German, Swedish and Russian. The harsh climate and poor soil quality have forced Latvians to work hard to make a living. In Latvian cuisine you will find mainly agricultural products, meat, but due to its location by the Baltic Sea, of course also fish. Latvians rely on local ingredients: wheat, barley, potatoes, onions, cabbage and eggs. Spices are used minimally. The first place on the Latvian table belongs to the bread.

Latvia-(1).jpg
Travel Documents and Entry Requirements for non-EU Nationals
All EEA citizens and Swiss citizens can travel to Latvia under the visa-free regime.
Third-country nationals are required to apply for a visa to travel or live in Latvia. The visa depends on nationality and purpose.
The documents you need to present to the Latvian border officer are as follows:

Passport validity
You must have at least 6 months left on an adult or child passport to travel to most countries in Europe. The document has to be issued within the previous 10 years and valid for at least 3 months after the date you intend to leave the EU. Beware that EU members such as Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland and Romania are not part of the Schengen Area.

Schengen Visa
If you do not know if you need a visa to enter Schengen, click here. Download the Schengen Visa Application Form or visit the Latvian Ministry of European and International Affairs to check the current status regarding the visa and the conditions for issuing it here.

Schengen Insurance

Confirmation that you have travel and health insurance for Latvia and the whole territory of Schengen, which meets Visa Code (Regulation EC No. 810/2009) conditions for a Schengen visa. Travel health insurance policies for foreigners travelling to Latvia that fulfil Latvian Visa requirements can be purchased online from schengen.insure and it‘s accepted by Latvian Embassies and Consulates worldwide.

get-quotes-(1).png

Travel Documents and Entry Requirements for Latvia

Latvia is a member of the European Union, therefore travelling to Latvia and crossing borders is as simple as travel to any other European Union country. Latvia is part of the Schengen Area, which is why those travelling to Latvia from the Schengen Area do not have to go through border controls. There are border controls on Latvia’s borders with Russia and Belarus.

VISA-FREE TRAVEL
Citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia, Israel, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Brazil and other countries do not need a visa to visit Latvia. Visa-free travellers may stay in Latvia for up to 90 days within a period of 180 days.

NO BORDER CONTROLS FOR TRAVELLING IN SCHENGEN AREA
Citizens of the European Union member states, as well as Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland do not require a visa to travel to Latvia.

Latvia is part of the Schengen Area. There are no border controls on the internal borders between Schengen countries, therefore citizens of the European Union and third-country nationals are free to travel within the Schengen Area. If you arrive in Latvia by car or bus from Lithuania or Estonia, or if you travel by ferry or plane from the Schengen countries, you will not have to go through border controls.

We highly recommend you to have your passport or other ID on you while travelling in the Schengen Area. If necessary, the document will be the proof of your identity. A driving licence or bankcard is not considered a valid travel or ID document.

LATVIAN VISAS
Citizens of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, China and other countries require a visa to travel to Latvia. In Moldova, only holders of biometric passports are free to travel to Latvia visa-free, other citizens need to have a valid visa.

Tourists travel to Latvia on a Schengen visa, which is valid for staying in Latvia as well as in the other Schengen Area member states. Passport control on the border is only done once the person crosses into the Schengen Area. If the person has been issued a visa for a short-stay visit to a Schengen country, the maximum duration of the intended stay is 90 days within a 180-day period. If the person needs to stay in Latvia for longer than 90 days, he or she has to apply for a long-stay visa or a residence permit.