Last updated: 15 August 2026 · Reviewed by Małgorzata Zep, lawyer and travel industry specialist
Latvia has been in the Schengen Area since 2007 and uses the euro. This guide covers whether you need a visa, the requirements, the cost, and the insurance condition consulates check before deciding.
Do You Need a Visa for Latvia? Entry Requirements
Latvia is part of the Schengen Area, so there is no separate “Latvian visa” for short visits. You apply for a Schengen visa (type C), which allows up to 90 days in any 180-day period across all 29 Schengen countries — not 90 days in Latvia plus 90 elsewhere.
Whether you need one depends on your nationality. A residence permit or valid Schengen visa from another member state allows short visits to Latvia without applying separately.
| If you hold a passport from | For a short stay you |
|---|---|
| EU / EEA / Switzerland | Need no visa at all — you have free movement |
| The US (Americans), UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea and around 60 other visa-exempt countries | Do not need a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. From Q4 2026 you will need an ETIAS authorisation (€20, valid 3 years) — an online form, not a visa |
| India, China, Nigeria, Pakistan, Egypt, South Africa, the Philippines and most other countries | Must apply for a Schengen visa before travelling, with the documents below |
| Any nationality holding a Schengen residence permit or valid Schengen visa | Need no separate visa for Latvia |
⚠️ Visa-free entry is not unlimited entry. The 90/180 rule applies to the Schengen Area as a whole, and since the EES became fully operational on 10 April 2026 your entries and exits are recorded electronically — overstaying is now detected automatically at the border.
⚠️ Latvia borders Russia and Belarus, neither of which is in the Schengen Area. Any itinerary crossing those borders leaves the zone, and returning requires a valid entry on your visa.
Latvia Visa Types: Tourist, Business, Visit and Transit
All of these are the same document — a short-stay Schengen visa. What differs is the purpose you declare and the supporting evidence you attach.
- Tourist visa — holidays and sightseeing. Evidence: accommodation bookings and an itinerary.
- Visit visa — family or friends. Evidence: an invitation from your host in Latvia, with their address and status.
- Business visa — meetings, conferences, negotiations. Evidence: an invitation from the Latvian company and proof of your employment.
- Transit visa — changing flights airside. Most nationalities do not need one; a few do, so check before booking a connection.
⚠️ Declare the purpose that matches reality. A tourist visa used for paid work, or a visit visa where no host exists, is a misrepresentation — and consulates cross-check invitations.
Where to Apply: the Main Destination Rule
You do not choose freely. Under the EU Visa Code you apply to the country that is your main destination — where you will spend the most nights. If nights are split equally, you apply to the country you enter first.
So you apply to Latvia only if Latvia is where you will spend most of your trip. Applying to the wrong consulate is a common cause of rejection, and the €90 fee is not refunded.
In practice you will file at the Latvian embassy or consulate in your country of residence, or at the visa centre it has contracted to collect applications and biometrics.
Latvia Visa Requirements: Documents You Will Need
- Passport valid at least 3 months beyond your planned departure, issued within the last 10 years, with two blank pages
- Completed application form and a recent passport photo meeting the biometric standard
- Travel medical insurance — minimum €30,000, valid in all Schengen states, covering repatriation
- Proof of accommodation for the whole stay — bookings, or an invitation from a host
- Round-trip travel booking showing your itinerary
- Proof of sufficient funds — recent bank statements
- Proof of ties to your home country — employment letter, studies, family or property
Latvia’s consular network is modest, and in several countries applications are handled by another Schengen state or a contracted visa centre.
Latvia Visa Cost, Fees and Processing Time
| Adults | €90 |
| Children 6–11 | €45 |
| Children under 6 | Free |
| Decision | 15 calendar days, extendable to 45 in individual cases |
| Apply from | Up to 6 months before travel |
| Apply by | No later than 15 days before departure |
The fee is charged for processing, not for the visa, and is not refunded if you are refused. Visa centres charge their own service fee on top. Apply early in peak season — appointment slots, not processing, are usually the bottleneck.
Latvia Visa for Indians and Travellers from the USA
Indian passport holders need a Schengen visa for Latvia. Applications are lodged through the contracted visa centre, with an appointment for biometrics, and the requirements are the standard ones set out above — the €90 fee, €30,000 insurance and proof of funds and ties. See our guide to the Schengen visa for Indian citizens for the documents Indian applicants are asked for most often.
Travellers from the USA are in the opposite position: no visa is needed for a short stay, and from Q4 2026 only an ETIAS authorisation. If you are a US resident on a non-US passport, your nationality decides — not your residence.
Latvia and the Baltic Route
Latvia is most often visited as part of a Baltic itinerary with Estonia and Lithuania. All three are in Schengen, so travel between them involves no border formalities and no separate visas.
This matters for where you apply. Under the main destination rule you file with the country where you will spend the most nights — not necessarily the one you fly into. A Baltic trip with four nights in Riga, three in Tallinn and two in Vilnius is a Latvian application.
⚠️ If nights are genuinely equal across countries, you apply to the state you enter first. Getting this wrong is a common refusal ground, and the €90 fee is not refunded.
Note also that a trip extending into Russia or Belarus leaves the Schengen Area entirely, and both require their own visas.
Travel Insurance for a Latvia Visa
Travel medical insurance is a legal condition of the visa under Article 15 of the EU Visa Code, not a recommendation. It must cover at least €30,000 in medical expenses, including emergency treatment and repatriation, and be valid in every Schengen state — not only Latvia.
⚠️ The rule that catches people out: cover valid only for Latvia is refused. Your visa lets you travel across the whole zone, so your policy must too.
Our cover meets the requirement and starts at €20 for 30 days, with a certificate accepted at the consulate. See Schengen visa medical insurance or read what the policy covers.
Entry Rules Changing in 2026
Two systems affect everyone travelling to the Schengen Area, including Latvia:
- EES (Entry/Exit System) — rolled out from 12 October 2025 and fully operational since 10 April 2026. It registers your entries and exits electronically, replacing passport stamps, and records fingerprints and a facial image.
- ETIAS — expected in Q4 2026. A travel authorisation for visa-exempt nationalities only, costing €20 and valid three years. It is not a visa, and if you need a Schengen visa, ETIAS does not apply to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a visa for Latvia?
It depends on your nationality. EU citizens and around 60 visa-exempt nationalities do not; most others need a Schengen visa.
What are the Latvia Schengen visa requirements?
A valid passport, application form and photo, €30,000 travel medical insurance covering all Schengen states, accommodation and travel bookings, sufficient funds, and proof of ties to your home country.
Is Latvia a Schengen country?
Yes, since 2007. Latvia is also an EU member and uses the euro.
Where do I apply for a Baltic trip?
With the country where you will spend the most nights. If nights are equal, with the country you enter first.
How much does a Latvia visa cost?
€90 for adults, €45 for children 6–11, free under 6.
Can I visit Estonia and Lithuania on a Latvian visa?
Yes. A Schengen visa issued by Latvia is valid across all 29 Schengen countries.
What are the Latvian visa requirements?
A passport valid 3 months beyond departure and issued within 10 years, a completed form and biometric photo, travel medical insurance of at least €30,000 covering repatriation across all Schengen states, proof of accommodation and return travel, sufficient funds, and evidence of ties to your home country.
How do I get a tourist visa for Latvia?
Apply for a short-stay Schengen visa declaring tourism as your purpose, at the Latvian consulate or its visa centre in your country of residence, up to 6 months before travel and no later than 15 days before departure.
