Latvian Consulate Chicago – 5 Easy Steps to Apply for Latvia Schengen Visa

If your heading to Latvia, you will be pleased to know that this Schengen country is full of interesting things to do and places to see. The capital city of Riga is full of history and a great place to wander around. Liepaja is the city of music and fun to visit when a festival is on. Then, there is Sigulda with its fascinating castles or Madona for its forests and lake and excellent choice of winter activities. In this article learn more about how to apply for Latvia visa at the Latvian consulate in Chicago, Illinois, Latvia visa appointment booking, Processing time at the Latvia visa application center, flight itinerary for Latvia visa, hotel bookings for Latvia visa, Schengen travel insurance for Latvia visa application, and Latvia Visa Application Process at the Chicago embassy.

Latvia Schengen Visa

In 2017, there were a total of 166,800 Latvia Schengen visas received worldwide. The number of rejections totaled 2,579 (1.55%). There was no data about how many applications were dealt with by the Consulate General of Lithuania for Latvia.

Applying for Latvia Schengen Visa from the United States         

If you are a US citizen, you do NOT need to apply for a visa for Latvia. However, if you are a non-US citizen and you are living in the US on a permanent basis, you will need to apply for a visa to be able to go to Lativa.

You have to make sure you apply at the right Latvian embassy and consulate. You can do this easily from the United States, however, there is no consulate of Latvia in Chicago. Instead, you will submit your application to the Consulate General of Lithuania in Chicago.

This consulate deals with applications from residents of the following areas:

1. Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Therefore, if you live in the above areas, you may apply at the office in Chicago.

Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Consulate General of Lithuania in Chicago

There are 2 types of visa issued by the Consulate General of Lithuania in Chicago and the one you need to apply for will depend on the length of your trip and why you wish to go to Latvia:

1. Schengen visa – for tourism, visit family or friends, business trips, economic or cultural activities, international conferences, sports events or transit for up to a maximum of 90 days. Schengen visas are issued as single, double or multiple entry
2. National visa – for employment, long-term studies, residence etc., for over 90 days up to 1 year. National visas are issued as single or multiple entry

Schengen Visa Application Process at the Consulate General of Lithuania in Chicago

The consulate in Chicago processes visa applications within 10-15 days, although, some cases could take up to 60 days.  You can apply up to 3 months ahead of your trip, so apply well in advance!

Here are a few steps to help you apply for your Latvia visa.

Step 1: Make an appointment

Making appointments with the embassy or visa application center is generally free and can be done yourself. However, If you are running short of time or not sure which consulate to apply to or have no idea on how to get this done yourself then not to worry, we will make the appointment for you for a small service fee!

Booking a visa appointment using our services is pretty simple! All you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the link to schedule the visa appointment
2. Submit the appointment details, visa you are applying for, consulate you need the appointment for, the country you need the appointment IN and make the payment
3. Receive appointment confirmation in email

You can also make an appointment on your own by following the steps below:

1. Go to the consulate’s website and click on: “Travel and residence” then “Visas”:
2. Then, click on: “Schengen visas”:
3. Scroll down and click on the link for making appointments:
4. You will be directed to the online booking system. Complete the information and register:

Then, you will be able to make an appointment on a day and at a time which is convenient for you.

Step 2: Complete your application

The next step is to complete your application online. Go the consulate’s website again, scroll down and click on the link for the online application form:

Next, click on: “New application”:

Then, you’ll be able to complete your application form:

Step 3: Prepare your documents

Before you begin this step, you should take a look at the consulate’s website to find out what documents are required for your visa application. If you submit an incomplete file, the consulate may reject it.

1. Requirements for Schengen visas
2. Requirements for Nationals visas

In addition, you need to submit original documents and photocopies of everything, so don’t forget to do this either.

Documents include:

1. A completed application form – must be signed and dated at the consulate
2. 2 x passport-sized photos – not older than 6 months
3. A valid travel document, i.e. a passport valid for at least 3 months after the intended date of departure from Latvia; have at least 2 blank pages and issued within the previous 10 years
4. Proof of legal residence in the US and valid re-entry document – US permanent residence card (Green Card) or valid US resident visa type A, E, F (with endorsed I-20), G, H, I, J plus J1 documents, L, O, R. Must be valid for 3 months past trip. Please note, if you hold a B1/B2 you must apply from your own country
5. Letter of employment stating your name, job role and confirmation of your ability to return to your job PLUS last months payslip
6. Tax return and proof of income
7. Flight reservation or other proof of intended transport and full itinerary
8. Proof of accommodation – hotel reservation or evidence that you are part of a tour/travel group
9. Schengen Travel medical insurance – with a minimum of €30,000 ($50.000) for the entire trip and for the whole of the Schengen area.  Must cover emergency medical expenses and hospital treatment and repatriations for medical reasons
10. Supporting documents to confirm the purpose of stay – confirmation of travel plans/itinerary/accommodation etc., for group travel; accommodation/car rental agreements/travel tickets etc., for individual visits
11. Proof of sufficient financial means – last 3 bank account statements or proof of regular income e.g. last 3 pay slips or tax return or pension certificate
12. Letter from your school/university in the US confirming enrollment and/or admission in course
13. Proof of residence – driver’s license or utility bill
14. Letter of invitation from private individual or company including ID/residence permit of inviting party
15. Work permit and/or certificate of employment or other proof as to why you want a National visa for over 90 days
    

If you’re planning to obtain your flight reservation for visa without paying for the ticket, all you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
2. Submit the travel details and make the payment online
3. Receive flight itinerary in email

Step 4: Submit your file 

Here are a few things to remember about what to do when the day of your appointment arrives:

1. Arrive early – if you are late, you will have to make a new appointment and this could delay your travel plans
2. Remember your documents – if you hand over an application with missing documents, your appointment may have to be rescheduled and/or the consulate will reject your application
3. Dress the part – don’t dress too casually. Your aim should be to make a good impression in front of the visa staff

The visa officer will start to examine your paperwork and if they need any further information from you, they will question you further about your application. If they do this, don’t panic! Simply comply with their requests and answer any questions politely and tell the truth!

Typical visa application questions

1. Is this your first time visiting a Schengen country?
2. What do you know about Latvia?
3. What is your job in the US?
4. Are you planning on working in Latvia?
5. How do we know you will return home before the visa expires?

Don’t jeopardize your Schengen visa interview at the last minute. Use this comprehensive and thorough visa interview guide to crack the visa interview!

You’ll also pay the relevant fee for your visa. You can pay by cash, debit or credit card. This fee won’t be refunded, even if your application gets rejected.

Latvia visa fees

If this is your first time applying for a Schengen visa, you will have to provide biometric data (fingerprints and photograph). If you have applied previously, within a 5 year period, your data can be reused.

Step 5: Receive your visa

Once the consulate has reached a decision about your visa application, you have 2 options:

1. Collect your passport from their office
2. Have your passport mailed back to you via USPS – if you wish to do this, you must provide a prepaid, self-addressed Express Mail envelope from US Post Office or UPS Office (No FedEx) when you submit your application

Visa application decisions:

1. Approved – if your visa has been approved, you will find it inside your passport
2. Rejected – if your visa has been rejected, it would have been for a specific reason. You can find out why your application was rejected at the consulate in person. You have the right to appeal this decision within 14 days

Visa application rejection reasons include:

1. The purpose of stay could not be established – the purpose of your trip to Latvia must be clear and you can prove this by providing documents such as travel itineraries, tour/trip tickets, work permit, student admission form etc
2. The consulate had doubts as to whether you will return to your home country – you should not give the consulate any reason to doubt that you will return home after your trip. Provide documents such as your employment contract, approval of leave, utility bills etc., to prove that you have a life in the US and that you will return to it
3. Lack of funds – you must be able to afford your trip and the documents you provide must prove this. You can provide bank statements, payslips, or other proof of income etc
4. No invitation letter – if you are being invited to Latvia by someone or a company, you must include an invitation letter

Contact details for the Consulate General of Lithuania in Chicago

Address: 455 N Cityfront Plaza Drive, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60611

Email: kons.cikaga@urm.lt or cons.chicago@mfa.lt

Tel: (312) 397 0382

Fax: (312) 397 0385

Hours: Monday – Thursday 9.00 am – 12.00 pm and 12.30 pm – 3.00 pm

Conclusion

Overall, there are 5 easy steps to apply for your Latvia visa:

1. Make an appointment
2. Complete your application form
3. Prepare the required documents
4. Submit your application
5. Receive your visa

When you have received your visa, all you need to do is start getting excited about your trip to Latvia!

At Visa Reservation, we strive to simplify the visa process by providing free visa consultations, cover letter templates and no objection letter templates for our clients from US, UK, Canada, Philippines, India, China, UAE, Europe, Nigeria and globally. We also offer flight itinerary for visa, travel medical insurance, hotel reservations for visa , Book Visa Appointment, Travel Guides, Visa Interview Guides and many more. To learn more about how we can help you with our visa services, please feel free to contact us today.

See Also

How To Apply for Latvia Schengen Visa at Latvian Consulate in Los Angeles, California
How To Apply for Latvia Schengen Visa at Latvian Embassy in Washington, DC
How To Apply for Latvia Schengen Visa at Latvian Consulate in NYC, New York

Worldwide Visa Requirements