Embassy
Embassy of Switzerland in Latvia
Smilšu iela 8 LV-1050
Latvia visa requirements for Swiss citizens
Swiss citizens do not need a visa for Latvia. Show your passport at the border.
Passport
CHE
Switzerland
Going to
LVA
Latvia
No visa needed
Just show your passport at the border.
- Visa
- Not required
- Last updated
- 11 November 2026
What to do
Check your passport is valid for the whole stay, ideally six months beyond it.
Carry proof of onward travel and of funds; border officers can ask for both.
Note the maximum stay and count your days in Latvia.
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 Switzerland
- Plugs C FAdapter for some
- 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 swiss citizens need a visa for Latvia?
Swiss citizens do not need a visa for Latvia. Show your passport at the border.
Do latvian citizens need a visa for Switzerland?
Latvian citizens can visit, live and work in Switzerland without a visa.
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 swiss citizens?
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland Ireland, and 3 more let swiss citizens in without applying before travel.
What should I carry to Latvia?
Check your passport is valid for the whole stay, ideally six months beyond it. Carry proof of onward travel and of funds; border officers can ask for both.
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 Switzerland passport?
It ranks #7 and reaches 155 destinations without applying ahead.
Reviewed by @snuck