Latvia visa requirements for Ecuadorian citizens

Embassy of Switzerland in Quito, on behalf of Latvia (Eloy Alfaro N34-194 y Catalina Aldaz, Edificio Corporativo 194, 10th floor), with registration and appointment at swiss-visa.ch

An Ecuadorian needs a Schengen visa for Latvia, which has no visa section in Ecuador. The Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Switzerland in Quito both confirm that Switzerland represents Latvia there, for short-stay visas only (at most 90 days in any 180-day period). A long-stay visa cannot be applied for this way. The procedure is the Swiss embassy's: registration and form at swiss-visa.ch choosing Ecuador, an appointment, complete documents without folders, and the fee at the counter, in cash, in US dollars and in the exact amount. The embassy decides without consulting Latvia.

Official application site →

Authorisation system

Electronic Travel Declaration (some nationalities only); ETIAS not yet operational

Latvia is part of the Schengen area and of the future European ETIAS system, the travel authorisation for nationalities exempt from a Schengen visa. As of the verification date ETIAS is not operational and no applications are being taken; the EU will announce the start date several months in advance. The Entry/Exit System (EES) is already running: at the external border, travellers from outside the EU have their fingerprints and photo taken, free of charge and with nothing to do beforehand, and passport stamps are phased out. On top of that, since 1 September 2025 Latvia has required the Electronic Travel Declaration, an online form that must be submitted at least 48 hours before entering the country. It applies to citizens of countries outside the EU, NATO, the OECD and the European Economic Area (and other than Andorra, Brazil, Monaco, San Marino or the Vatican) who do not hold a visa or residence permit issued by Latvia. A Schengen visa from another country does not exempt you. The declaration is not an entry permit and there is no decision to wait for, but it asks for personal details, the purpose and route of the trip, and whether the traveller or their relatives have held public office or served in the armed forces, police or intelligence services.

Apply on the official site →

What ETIAS is, who it will affect and when it starts →

Fee

€90

The 90 euros are the short-stay Schengen visa fee, set by Article 16 of the Visa Code (Regulation (EC) 810/2009) as amended by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1415, in force since 11 June 2024. The same amount is paid at any Schengen consulate. Children aged 6 to 12 pay 45 euros and those under 6 pay nothing. Travellers entering without a visa pay no fee.

Processing time

Where the trip requires a Schengen visa, the consulate must decide within 15 calendar days of an admissible application being lodged, a period that can be extended to 45 days when the file needs closer examination (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art. 23). The application can be lodged no earlier than six months before the trip and, as a rule, no later than 15 days before it (Art. 9).

Required documents

• Passport issued within the previous ten years and valid for at least three months after the planned date of departure from the Schengen area (Regulation (EU) 2016/399, Art. 6(1)(a)). EU and Schengen citizens enter with their national ID card.
• A Schengen visa if your nationality requires one, unless you hold a residence permit or long-stay visa from a Schengen State (Art. 6(1)(b)).
• Accommodation booking or letter of invitation, and a return or onward ticket (Art. 6(1)(c) and Annex I).
• Financial means: at least 14 euros per day of stay if the trip lasts no more than 30 days, and no less than the monthly minimum wage (700 euros) if it lasts longer, under Cabinet Regulation No 225. Not needed if the inviting person covers the costs in the invitation registered with the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs.
• Electronic Travel Declaration at eta.gov.lv, at least 48 hours before entry, for the nationalities it applies to (see above).

Health insurance

Mandatory to apply for the Schengen visa: minimum coverage of €30,000, valid across the whole Schengen area and for the entire length of the stay (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art. 15).

Which policies meet the €30,000 requirement →

When travel insurance is mandatory → Travel insurance policies ↓

How long you can stay

Schengen rule: no more than 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole area, adding up days in any Schengen State. There are no border checks with Estonia or Lithuania, but you must carry your passport or ID card. The border with Russia and Belarus is an external one. Vehicles with Russian or Belarusian plates are banned from entering Latvia, with a few technical exceptions, and any vehicle registered outside the EU must be declared beforehand through the Road Traffic Safety Directorate's e-services, free of charge.

Calculate your available Schengen days →

Why isn't your passport being stamped? The EES system →