ETIAS VISA WAIVER FOR LATVIA

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Latvia

Capital: Riga
Official language: Latvian
Currency: Euro
Population: 1.92 million
EU member state since: 2004

Latvia is a member of the Schengen Zone. This implies that travellers having an authorised ETIAS can use the same visa waiver to enter any of the other Schengen member countries. ETIAS will also be necessary to travel to Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, and Romania, all of which are in the process of becoming members of the Schengen Area.

Estonia and Lithuania, the other two Baltic republics, are easily accessible from Latvia by plane or road.

Riga International Airport has direct flights to destinations around Europe, including Germany, Italy, Finland, and the Netherlands.

Russia and Belarus also share a border with Latvia; anybody planning a trip to these non-EU countries should verify the visa requirements of each individual country.

Passport holders from many other countries will soon be required to enter Latvia through ETIAS, Europe’s visa waiver system. The European Travel Information and Authorisation System will go live in 2023 and will soon become necessary for visa-exempt travellers.

The ETIAS process is entirely online, and the authorization is digitally linked to the passport, eliminating the need to carry a paper permission while crossing the border.

Individuals from non-EU countries who do not qualify for ETIAS must get a Schengen visa. Depending on the cause for the visit, many types of visas are available; extra supporting papers, such as confirmation of medical coverage, must also be submitted.

Non-European people from visa-free countries will require ETIAS in order to enter Latvia for tourist or business, or to transit via a Latvian airport.

It is necessary to have a biometric passport that is valid for at least three months after the desired date of departure from the Schengen Area.

The ETIAS is linked to the passport’s biometric chip and is recognised when the travel document is scanned at the border. It will be impossible to enter Latvia without a valid ETIAS permit.

International travellers who do not qualify for ETIAS must get a Schengen visa before visiting Latvia. In addition to the visa, supporting papers such as proof of financial resources may be required.

Yes, if you have a digital nomad visa for Latvia, you may work in the nation. The Latvian government created the digital nomad visa to allow foreign people to operate remotely within the country without the need for local sponsorship.

To get a digital nomad visa for Latvia, you must work for a firm that is a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Alternatively, you might be self-employed with an OECD-registered firm.

A digital nomad visa for Latia is valid for up to a year. It can, however, be extended for an extra year of validity. After that, the visa can be exchanged for a Latvian temporary residence permit.