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On 14 and 15 October 2026, the annual training on visa matters for officials from Latvian diplomatic and consular missions abroad is taking place in Ankara, Türkiye. This year, consular officials from 21 Latvian missions that issue visas are participating in the training.
Participants represent Latvian missions in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Canada, China, Egypt, France, Georgia, India, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States and Uzbekistan.
The training aims to strengthen the knowledge and practical skills of consular officials at Latvian diplomatic missions in visa matters, with a particular focus on current migration and security challenges.
During the training, participants develop their ability to identify illegal migration schemes and potential risks, familiarise themselves with risk profiles and learn about the latest trends in document forgery. Officials are also briefed on the latest amendments to migration legislation and improve their ability to assess visa applications in accordance with the principles of administrative procedure.
“The effective assessment of visa applications is essential not only for ensuring high-quality consular services, but also for strengthening the security of Latvia and the European Union. It is therefore important that our consular officials regularly update their knowledge of current migration trends, document forgery methods and potential security risks,” emphasised Edīte Medne, Director of the Consular Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Experts from various Latvian institutions, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs and the State Border Guard, as well as foreign experts, are delivering the training as lecturers.
The annual training provides consular officials at Latvian diplomatic missions with an opportunity not only to enhance their professional knowledge, but also to share experiences and best practices with colleagues from other Latvian diplomatic missions, thereby promoting a consistent, high-quality assessment process for visa applications.
The training is organised with financial support of the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy of the European Union within the framework of the project “Provision of regional training for consular officials of the Republic of Latvia on the EU uniform visa issuance policy in accordance with the requirements of the European Visa Code (Stage 1)” (Agreement No. ĀM/RPVP/2024/3).