Passport and visa regulations
Nationalities
| Passport required | visa required | Return ticket required | |
| Turkey | Yes | 2 | Yes |
| Other EU countries | Yes, 1 | no | no |
| Switzerland | Yes, 1 | no | no |
| Austria | Yes, 1 | no | no |
| Germany | Yes, 1 | no | no |
ID cards/identity cards
[1] et al. Citizens of the following countries listed in the table above can enter the country with a valid ID/ID card: EU countries and Switzerland.
Passport information
Generally required, must be valid for at least 3 months beyond the visa/residence. Passports of EU citizens must be valid during the stay.
Note on the passport
Latvia is a signatory and user of EU legal acts (Schengen Agreement). Within the Schengen area, there are no longer any identity checks for travelers at the border. However, you are obliged to carry valid identification papers with you.
Note on the endorsement in the passport
Important: Persons requiring a visa must carry a passport or another recognized travel document and the Schengen visa with them during their stay in the Schengen area.
Visa information
A visa is generally required except for citizens of the following countries listed in the table above for stays of up to 90 days within any six year period: (a) EU countries and Switzerland. (b) [2] Turkish nationals holding a residence permit for a Schengen country or Monaco.
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Costs
Inquiries to the Consular Section of the Embassy. Schengen visa: Airport transit visa: €80.00 Short stay visa, less than 90 days: €80.00 Children over six and under twelve years of age: €40.00 Citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia: €35.00
Visa types and costs
Short Term/Long Term and Transit Visa/Airport Transit Visa.
Validity
Entry visa: 90 days. Transit visa: 5 days.
Transit
Travelers who otherwise require a visa, who fly on from a non-Schengen country with the next connection to another non-Schengen country, do not leave the transit area and have valid documents for the onward journey, do not need a transit visa. This rule does not apply to citizens of some countries. Further information can be obtained from the relevant diplomatic missions. When entering by land via Russia or Belarus, a transit visa for Russia or Belarus is required.
Application required
Varies depending on nationality, reason and length of stay. The responsible consular representations provide further information. Schengen visa: (a) Travel document (e.g. passport) valid for at least 3 months beyond the visa validity date and issued within the last 10 years and copies of the first four pages of the passport. (b) Where applicable, all original documents justifying the purpose (e.g. invitation of private persons or companies, medical certificate and appointment with the attending physician or in a hospital) and the conditions of the planned stay (e.g. hotel reservation).. (c) documents proving that the (invited) foreigner has sufficient funds to cover the costs of the stay and return journey as well as any costs for his medical care, if necessary in the form of an obligation to assume the costs. (d) Document proving that the alien is the holder, on an individual or collective basis, of valid international travel health insurance covering the cost of repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical treatment and/or hospital care. In principle, the applicant must take out insurance in the country of residence. If the host takes out insurance for the applicant, they must do so in their own country of residence. The insurance taken out must be valid for the entire territory of the Schengen countries and for the entire duration of the stay. The insurance must have a minimum coverage of €30,000. (e) Visa Fee. (f) 2 recent biometric passport photos. (g) 1 completed application form.
Schengen visas
Before entering the Schengen area, nationals of visa-required countries must apply for a Schengen visa for the country they enter first when transiting through the Schengen area. This is only issued by the competent consular representation of the country in which the person has their permanent residence.
Temporary Residence
EU citizens who intend to stay in Latvia continuously for more than 3 months must register with the Citizenship and Migration Service. A passport may be required for this. Information can be obtained from the consular representations.
Processing time
Short-term stay: Between 2 and 10 working days. Long-term stay: Several months.
Documents required upon entry
Copy of a travel health insurance policy with return travel insurance (EU citizens: European health insurance card. Travel return insurance strongly recommended.)
Entry with children
German: Machine-readable children’s passport or own passport or ID card. Austrians: identity card or own passport. Swiss: Identity card or own passport. Turks: Own passport. Note: The same visa requirements apply to children as to their parents. Attention: Unaccompanied minors should carry a certified travel permit from the parents/parents or legal guardians who are not present. If an unaccompanied minor plans to stay permanently in Latvia, he must present a certified travel permit from the absent parents / parents or legal guardians upon entry. Since the 27th Since June 2012, children need their own travel document (passport / children’s passport) for trips abroad (including within the EU). Entries of children in the parental passport are no longer possible.
Entry with pets
Dogs, cats and ferrets from EU countries and non-rabies-free third countries require an EU pet passport (pet pass) or a national pet passport, which can only be issued by authorized veterinarians, and must have an implanted microchip on their neck as an identifier. The pet passport must show that the animal has had a valid rabies vaccination and, if necessary, a valid booster vaccination against rabies. The import is limited to 5 animals. Pets under 4 months of age are exempt from the compulsory vaccination against rabies. The following additional regulation applies to dogs, cats and ferrets as well as to birds and small animals from non-rabies-free third countries: A health certificate is required for each animal. For entry into the EU area, a test for the presence of vaccinal antibodies must be carried out on pets 3 months before entry. Exception: The 3-month period does not apply to pets whose EU pet passport shows that the blood was taken before this animal left the territory of the Community and that the blood analysis showed sufficient antibodies to rabies. For dogs, cats and ferrets from rabies-free third countries (e.g. Switzerland, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino and Vatican City) the pet passport, which confirms a valid rabies vaccination, can also be used for import. For more information, contact the Latvian Ministry of Agriculture.
