Latvia entry requirements, by passport

Vaccinations

• No mandatory vaccines for entry. Latvia does not ask any traveller for a yellow fever certificate, wherever they arrive from, according to the list the WHO publishes under the International Health Regulations.

Customs limits

Cash

Cash or travellers' cheques from 10,000 euros must be declared when entering or leaving the EU (Regulation (EU) 2018/1672). Customs gives you a stamped declaration; without it the money can be held when you leave.

Alcohol

From outside the EU, aged 17 and over: 1 litre of drinks over 22% or 2 litres at 22% or under, plus 4 litres of still wine and 16 litres of beer (Directive 2007/74/EC, Art. 9).

Tobacco

From outside the EU, aged 17 and over and arriving by air: 200 cigarettes, or 100 cigarillos, or 50 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco (Directive 2007/74/EC, Art. 8). The Directive lets each State cut the limit to 40 cigarettes for travellers arriving by land; the figure applied at Latvia's land borders could not be confirmed against Latvian customs. Meat, milk and products containing them cannot be brought in.

Overstay penalties

Exceeding 90 days can lead to an entry ban on the Schengen countries of up to three years, according to the UK Government. As a Schengen State, Latvia can issue a return decision and record the ban in the Schengen Information System, which makes it apply across the whole area. The amount of any fine could not be confirmed against national law, so no figure is given.

Check whether you would go over the limit →

What happens if you stay past 90 days →

Grounds for refusal

Apply to: Visa-free

• Not presenting a valid travel document: valid for at least three months after the intended departure and issued within the previous ten years (Art. 6(1)(a)).
• Not justifying the purpose and conditions of the stay, or not showing sufficient means of subsistence for the stay and the return (Art. 6(1)(c)).
• Having already used up the 90 days within the current 180-day period (Art. 6(1)).
• Being the subject of a Schengen Information System (SIS) alert for the purpose of refusing entry (Art. 6(1)(d)).
• Being considered a threat to public policy, internal security, public health or the international relations of a Schengen State (Art. 6(1)(e)).

Source: Regulation (EU) 2016/399 (Schengen Borders Code) , Art. 6(1). A refusal is given in writing with its reasons and can be appealed (Art. 14).

Apply to: Visa required

• A false travel document, or reasonable doubts about the authenticity of the documents submitted (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art. 32(1)(a)(i) and 32(1)(b)).
• Failing to justify the purpose and conditions of the trip (Art. 32(1)(a)(ii)).
• Failing to show sufficient means for the stay and the return (Art. 32(1)(a)(iii)); Latvia's reference is 14 euros a day for stays of up to 30 days.
• Having already used the 90 days of the current 180-day period (Art. 32(1)(a)(iv)).
• Having an alert in the Schengen Information System for the purpose of refusing entry (Art. 32(1)(a)(v)).
• Being considered a threat to public policy, internal security or public health (Art. 32(1)(a)(vi)).
• Not presenting valid travel medical insurance where required (Art. 32(1)(a)(vii)).
• Reasonable doubts about the intention to leave the Schengen area before the visa expires (Art. 32(1)(b)).

What to do if you are refused entry →