Embassy
Embassy of Russia, Riga
Riga
Latvia visa requirements for Russian citizens
Latvia is not letting in russian citizens at the moment.
Passport
RUS
Russia
Going to
LVA
Latvia
Not allowed to enter
Entry is closed to this passport.
- Visa
- Not allowed
- Last updated
- 11 November 2026
From 19 September 2022, Russian citizens are banned from entering Latvia for tourism, business, sports or culture.
What to do
Latvia is not admitting travellers on this passport. Check the official government source for exceptions.
Ways into Latvia
Visit visa-free or use a short-stay visa.
Visa on arrivalExceptional border visaA single-entry border visa for exceptional cases accepted by border staff.
- Entries
- Single
How to apply
- Explain your exceptional need at the border.
- Show your travel document and supporting proof.
- Wait for border staff to decide.
Documents required
- Travel document
- Proof of exceptional need
- Get any ordinary required visa before travelling.
- Airport transit A visas must be obtained abroad.
Visa requiredTourist C visaA short-visit visa for people who cannot enter visa-free.
- Stay
- 90 days
- Fee
- €90
- Processing
- 15–45 days
How to apply
- Fill in the online form, then print and sign.
- Arrange submission where you legally live.
- Bring your documents and give fingerprints if required.
- Pay the fee.
Documents required
- Passport with 2 blank pages
- Signed visa form
- Colour photo, 35 × 45 mm
- Insurance covering 30,000 EUR
- Travel and accommodation proof
- Funds and departure proof
- Hotel booking
- Fingerprints
- Your visa sets your stay: at most 90 days in any 180 days.
- Russian and Belarusian citizens face separate visa application restrictions.
Other routeExisting Schengen documentUse an accepted Schengen visa or residence permit to visit Latvia.
How to apply
- Check your document covers Latvia and has entries left.
- Check Latvia's rules for your nationality.
- Send the travel declaration if required.
Documents required
- Valid travel document
- Schengen visa or residence permit
- Follow your document's stay limits and entry rules.
- Another Schengen country's document does not automatically remove the travel declaration requirement.
Sources (40)Last updated 11 November 2026
- Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs: visas and invitations
- State Border Guard: visa requirements; historical fees on this page were not used
- Foreign Ministry: entry into Latvia
- Visa-free countries, territories and official passports
- Applying for a visa
- Documents, financial means and fingerprints
- Processing times and application windows
- Visa fees and exemptions
- Travel medical insurance
- Immigration agency visa and invitation fees
- Airport-transit nationalities and exemptions
- A, C and D visa types
- Visa issuing authorities and exceptional border visas
- Visas with employment rights
- Seasonal employment
- Seasonal-worker visa guide
- Remote-work D visa
- Worker visa application documents; older fee figures were not used
- Employment and residence-permit routes
- Invitations and host support
- Medical-treatment invitation procedure
- Official Electronic Travel Declaration portal
- Electronic Travel Declaration questions and exemptions
- Official electronic visa application form; not an e-visa issuing portal
- Latvian embassy in the United States: short-stay applications
- Latvian embassy in the United States: application checklist
- Latvian embassy in the United States: visitors and bilateral waiver
- Latvian embassy in the United Kingdom: Visa issues links to the central ministry entry guide
- Latvian embassy in India: student D visas; official search text read, direct page redirected to maintenance
- Bilateral visa-waiver additional stays
- European citizens and family members
- Regulation No. 675: European free movement and family entry
- Latvian Visa Regulations
- Russian citizens: visa-application restrictions
- Belarusian citizens: visa-application restrictions
- Russian citizens: external-border entry restrictions
- Questions about Russian entry restrictions
- European Entry/Exit System in Latvia
- European Union: ETIAS not operational
- European Union Visa Code
Embassies for this trip
For lost passports and emergencies.
Coming from Russia
- Plugs C FNo adapter
- MoneyEUR €
- Time−1h
- DrivingOn the rightSame as home
- LanguageLatvian
- Emergency112 police
Planning your Latvia trip
Best time to go: June to early September is the best time for warm weather, with temperatures around 15–20°C. Spring and autumn are fairly mild, while winter can bring snow and brief periods near -30°C.
- Riga Old TownThe capital's historic centre is a World Heritage Site and Latvia's main visitor destination.
- Liepāja and KarostaSee Liepāja's beach and its formerly secret military neighbourhood.
- KuldīgaThis town became a World Heritage Site in 2023 and has Europe's widest waterfall.
- Cēsis castle ruinsExplore the remains of a medieval castle.
Scams to watch for in Latvia
- Language-course payments with no refundA school takes payment for intensive classes. It then cannot provide the classes and refuses a refund. Reviews from locals who attended free classes may give paying visitors a misleading impression.
- Bar invitation and drink-bill extortionA stranger starts a conversation and invites you to a favourite bar. Another version starts through a dating app, sometimes with a move from a reputable venue to the scam bar. The scam often targets men. A drink can bring a bill of as much as €100. Staff may demand card payment or force you to use an ATM. A bouncer may block the exit. The menu may already show the inflated price.
- Unannounced bar and restaurant chargesExtra fees are quietly added to your bill. You may only notice them after paying.
About Latvia
Latvia is a Baltic republic between Estonia and Lithuania, on the eastern Baltic Sea coast.
- Capital
- Riga
- Money
- Euro (€)
- Languages
- Latvian
- Time zone
- UTC+02:00
- Cars drive on the
- right side
- Calling code
- +371
Other Europe passports
Going to Latvia
Easier trips nearby
Places close to Latvia with simpler entry for you.
Questions
Do russian citizens need a visa for Latvia?
Latvia is not letting in russian citizens at the moment.
Does a US, UK or Schengen visa help russian citizens enter Latvia?
We have no record of Latvia relaxing its rules for russian citizens who hold another country's visa. Check with the embassy before you rely on one.
Do latvian citizens need a visa for Russia?
Latvian citizens need an eVisa for Russia. Apply on the official website.
Do other Europe passports get easier entry to Latvia?
Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina, and 5 more can enter without applying before they travel.
Which countries near Latvia are easier for russian citizens?
Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Serbia Belarus, and 3 more let russian citizens in without applying before travel.
What should I carry to Latvia?
Latvia is not admitting travellers on this passport. Check the official government source for exceptions.
What money is used in Latvia?
Euro (€). Carry some cash for arrival, especially if a visa fee is paid at the border.
What language do people speak in Latvia?
Latvian.
How strong is the Russia passport?
It ranks #42 and reaches 109 destinations without applying ahead.
Reviewed by @snuck