On December 21, 2007, Latvia together with Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia and Malta joined the Schengen border-free zone.
With Latvia's accession to the Schengen Area Latvian diplomatic and consular representations abroad have started to issue uniform or Schengen visas that are valid in the territory of all Schengen countries. A valid Schengen visa is valid for entry into the territory of Latvia.
The maximum time that a person holding a Schengen visa may stay in the Schengen Area is three months in a half-year period, beginning on the first day of entry after crossing the external border of the Schengen area.
CITIZENS OF CANADA DO NOT NEED A VISA for travel to Latvia if they are staying in Latvia less than 90 days in half a year, counting from the first day of entry.
To stay in Latvia for more than 90 days in half a year, citizens of Canada must obtain temporary residence permits
Documents required when applying for a visa:
- passport or other travel document (containing at least two blank pages and with a term of validity that exceeds that of the visa by at least three months);
- visa application form filled out and signed by the applicant;
Visa application form for a Schengen visa: - copy of a valid Canadian permanent resident card or a Canadian visa;
- 1 colour photo (35mm x 45mm);
- travel medical insurance policy valid in all Schengen countries and covering the entire period of the visit to the Schengen area (the minimum amount of the insurance is 30 000 EUR)
- supporting documents justifying the purpose and conditions of the visit, for example, an invitation approved by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs;
- if a foreigner applies for a transit visa, the person has to hold a valid visa of the state that he/she intends to enter after leaving the Schengen area, except in circumstances when a foreigner is not required a visa to enter the country of his/her destination after exiting the Schengen area.
- proof of means of transport (for example, a round-trip tickets or the reservation of tickets);
- proof of means of subsistence to stay in all Schengen countries to be visited and means to return to the state of residence (for example, bank account report for transactions during previous months);
- place of residence in Latvia, for example, hotel reservation;
- ties to the state of residence, for example, a letter from employer, educational institution;
- pre-paid, self-addressed secure mail envelope (Fedex, DHL, UPS, Expresspost or equivalent for return of your passport). Regular mail envelopes are not accepted;
- payment
* The consular officer decides upon the kind of supporting documents that have to be submitted. This depends on the purpose of the visit, travelling experience, ties to the state of residence or conditions in the state of residence and the procedure of visa issuance of other Schengen countries.
Visa application fees at the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia in Canada:
|
Type of visa |
Fees |
|
Short-term visa (category C) |
85 CAD |
|
Transit visa (category B) |
85 CAD |
|
Airport transit visa (category A) |
85 CAD |
|
Visa with a limited territorial validity (category B or C) |
85 CAD |
|
One entry or double entry long-term visa (category D) |
85 CAD |
|
Multiple entry long-term visa (category D) |
85 CAD |
|
One entry or double entry long-term visa simultaneously valid as a short-term visa (category D+C) |
85 CAD |
|
Multiple entry long-term visa simultaneously valid as a short-term visa (category D+C) |
85 CAD |
Exemptions from visa application fee
The visa application fee is free of charge for:
- children up to six years of age;
- pupils, students and graduate students, and their accompanying teachers, travelling for the purpose of study or educational instruction;
- researchers from third countries travelling in the European Community for purposes of scientific research
B and C category visa application fee for citizens of those countries with whom the European Community has concluded agreements regarding the facilitation of visa issuance:
For Russian citizens category B and C visa application fee:
- ordinary procedure – 50 CAD
- urgent procedure – 100 CAD
For Ukrainian citizens category B and C visa application fee:
- ordinary procedure – 50 CAD
- urgent procedure – 100 CAD
For Ukrainian citizens' category D visa - free of charge.
For citizens of Moldova, Georgia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia category B and C visa application fee – 50 CAD.
Citizens of Serbia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Montenegro (holders of biometric passports) can enter Latvia without visas for the period up to 3 month.
!!! Payment of the fee must be made in the form of a money order or certified cheque made out to: Embassy of Latvia. The Embassy can only take exact cash for payment in person, does not accept personal cheques, and cannot accommodate the use of credit or debit cards.
!!! The processing fee of a visa is non-refundable even if the visa is denied.
!!! The Embassy is not responsible for loss of documents in the mail.
For more detailed information on Schengen visas please visit the web page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia.
