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Visa field guide · LV

Plan your Latvia application

VFS Global by territorial jurisdiction, then OCMA after arrivalSee the common routes, understand the hand-offs, then confirm every requirement on the official website.

01 / ROUTES

Choose the route that matches your trip

These are starting points—not an eligibility decision. Open the official route before you apply.
  • ↗
    Schengen short-stay visa

    Visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period when Latvia is the main destination, lodged through the external provider VFS Global.

  • ↗
    National long-stay visa & residence permit

    A direct application at the competent Latvian mission for stays over 90 days, followed by a residence-permit appointment with OCMA after arrival.

02 / JOURNEY

What the application journey usually looks like

The exact order can vary by visa, nationality and application location. “If asked” steps are conditional.
  1. 01
    Confirm the Schengen or long-stay route

    mfa.gov.lv sets out separate territorial-jurisdiction annexes for short-stay and long-stay visa competence.

  2. 02
    Identify the competent mission under the territorial-jurisdiction regulation

    Short-stay Schengen applications are lodged through VFS Global at the competent Latvian mission for the applicant's location.

    GUIDELENS HELPS HERE
  3. 03
    Book through VFS Global for short stay, or the Latvian mission directly for long stay

    Where Latvia has no local mission, another Schengen state's mission may accept the short-stay application on Latvia's behalf.

  4. 04
    Submit documents & biometrics in person

    For stays over 90 days, only the competent Latvian mission itself can accept the application; representing missions do not process this category.

    IF ASKED
  5. 05
    Track the decision

    The mission communicates the decision and any next steps for collecting the visa.

  6. 06
    Book the OCMA appointment after arrival to receive the residence-permit card

    After arriving in Latvia on a long-stay basis, the applicant books an OCMA appointment to complete and collect the residence-permit card.

03 / BEFORE YOU START

Four things to know before you start

Official portal
mfa.gov.lv publishes territorial-jurisdiction rules and requirements for both the short-stay and long-stay visa routes.
Short-stay lodging
Short-stay Schengen applications go through the external provider VFS Global at the Latvian mission with jurisdiction over the applicant, or a representing Schengen mission where none exists.
Long-stay is direct-only
For stays over 90 days, applicants must apply directly to the competent Latvian mission; other Schengen states' missions cannot process Latvia's long-stay visas on its behalf.
Residence permit after arrival
The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA/PMLP) issues the residence-permit card, and its processing clock starts when OCMA receives the case in Latvia, not at the embassy submission date.

04 / PRACTICAL GUIDE

Latvia visa details that differ from the regional guide

Latvia's territorial-jurisdiction rules decide who can accept a case, and that authority splits sharply between short-stay and long-stay visas.
  1. 01

    Territorial jurisdiction is set by regulation, not the nearest office

    Cabinet Regulation No. 725 sets out, in separate annexes, exactly which Latvian mission (or, for short stays only, which representing Schengen mission) has jurisdiction over an applicant's location.

    Latvia · Cabinet Regulation No. 725 on territorial competence for visas ↗
  2. 02

    A representing mission cannot issue Latvia's long-stay visa

    Unlike the short-stay category, applications for stays exceeding 90 days must go directly to the competent Latvian embassy or consulate; another Schengen state's mission cannot accept this application on Latvia's behalf.

    Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs · Applying for a visa ↗
  3. 03

    OCMA's processing clock starts locally, after arrival

    The residence-permit card itself is issued by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA/PMLP) once the applicant is in Latvia, and processing time is measured from when OCMA receives the case there, not from the earlier embassy submission.

    PMLP · Application for and registration of a residence permit ↗
  4. 04

    Keep the Schengen rule in view

    For a multi-country trip, apply to the country that is the main purpose or longest stay. Use the first country only when stays are equal. The 90 days in any 180-day period are counted across the whole Schengen area.

    European Commission · Applying for a Schengen visa ↗

05 / PREPARE

Information worth gathering before you open the form

Not every item applies to every route. Use the official checklist generated for your application.

  • Passport and previous travel-document details

  • Travel dates, itinerary and accommodation

  • Travel medical insurance for the Schengen stay

  • Evidence of funds and the purpose of the trip

  • Employment, study or sponsor information where relevant

  • Translations and route-specific documents requested locally

06 / OFFICIAL

Continue with the official authority

View current requirementsMinistry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia

You remain responsible for reviewing and submitting your application.