The Baltic country of Latvia is one of Europe’s most interesting destinations. Being ruled by the Swedish, Polish, Russians, and even the Germans, this nation was only declared complete independence in 1991. The rich culture and heritage left behind has been one of the main reasons why people use a Latvia visa and enter the country.
To enter Latvia, people from most nations will need a permit. However, nationals of other Schengen countries and the visa-exempt nations will not require a permit to enter. Whatever the reason for your visit, there are visas based on these. Latvia, being a part of the Schengen region issues the Schengen category. As a result, you can visit any of the Schengen countries with a Latvia visa. However, if you are issued with an LTV (Limited Territory Visa), you can only visit the countries that are mentioned on your sticker.
The Latvia visa application is done mainly online. The Embassy of the Republic of Latvia has outsourced the visa application to VACs (Visa Application Center). However, before starting the process, you must ensure that you are eligible for the category you are applying for. If you are not eligible for a particular category, you must apply for the type you are eligible for. The process can be done as follows -
Note that if you have submitted your biometrics for a Schengen visa in the past 5 years, you may not need to submit it again. In this particular case, you do not have to make the submission in person.
Ensure that you submit only genuine documents and correct information in the application form. Providing fake documents and false information are automatic grounds for visa rejection.
Based on the purpose of the visit and the duration of stay, the Latvian permits can be classified as follows -
The following are the list of documents you would need to apply for the Latvia visa from India. However, these are only general documents. Depending on the specific type, you will need particular documentation.
Ensure that you carry all the original documents to the appointment centre. However, you will only have to submit photocopies of some of these. Also, ensure that all the documents are translated into English.
The fees for the permit depends on several factors such as the category of the visa, the duration of visit, the entry types, biometric charges, as well as other service charges. It can also vary upon the foreign currency rates. As a result, it is necessary to check the exact fees before applying.
The time for processing depends on a large number of parameters such as the number of entries, the type of the visa, the volume of applications at the embassy, and so on. In normal cases, you can expect it to be processed in about 10 days. However, these can increase depending on the factors mentioned. As a result, it is advised that you apply for the permit well in advance.
While you are waiting for your permit to arrive, you can perform the Latvia visa status check online by visiting https://www.vfsvisaonline.com/Global-PassportTracking, and enter your reference number and date of birth. You can also check the Latvia visa application status by contacting your travel agency. Alternately, you can opt for SMS notifications by the VAC.
The online visa application for Latvia is done at the website of the embassy. The submission of documents is done at the VAC. the VACs are located across India in the metropolitan cities. Even though the application is done at the VAC, the processing is done by the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia.