Latvian Consulate NYC, New York – 5 Easy Steps to Apply for Latvia Schengen Visa

If you’re heading to Latvia, take the time to leave the capital, Riga, and venture farther afield. This Schengen country has many fascinating towns with ancient castles to explore. There are beautiful forests, hills, and lakes where you can take to the many hiking trails – a great way to see magnificent waterfalls. There are also opportunities to spot local wildlife along the way. If you want a more relaxing time, Latvia has 500 km of coastline with hundreds of gorgeous sandy beaches to choose from. In this article learn more about how to apply for Latvia visa at the Latvian consulate in NYC, New York, 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 NYC consulate.

Applying for Schengen Visa from the United States         

If you are a US citizen and want to go to Latvia for tourist purposes, you do NOT need a visa as long as you don’t exceed 90 days in a 180 day period.

If you are a national of Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Mexico, Taiwan, Brazil, and the EU Member States, you also do NOT need a visa.

If you are from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, China or anywhere else and you currently live in the US on a permanent basis, you DO need to apply for a visa if you wish to travel to Latvia.

You have to make sure you apply at the right Latvian embassy and consulate. In order to apply for a Latvia visa, you need to apply to one of the visa offices located in the US. So, if you live in the New York area, specifically, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island, it’s the Consulate of Latvia in New York that you will deal with. However, the consulate in New York does not issue visas, so you will actually submit your application to the Consulate General of Estonia in New York.

If you don’t live in New York or the surrounding area, don’t worry! If you live on the west coast of the United States, you can apply for your Latvia visa through the Consulate General of Poland in Los Angeles. All other visa applications from anywhere else in the US can be made through the Embassy of Latvia in Washington DC.

Schengen Visa

In 2017, there were a total of 166,800 Latvia Schengen visas received worldwide. Just 1.55% of these were denied, putting Latvia in the top 5 of easiest countries to get a Schengen visa. There was no data about the number of applications received at the consulate of Estonia in New York, however, the Embassy in Washington received 74 applications and rejected just 3.

Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Consulate General of Estonia in NYC New York

There are 3 types of visa offered by the Consulate General of Estonia in New York.

1. Schengen visa – for tourist, business, study etc., for up to a maximum of 90 days
2. Airport transit visa – for transiting through the airport to change planes
3. Long-stay visa – for employment, long-term studies, residence etc., for over 90 days

Visas are usually issued as: 

1. Single entry – 1 entry within the dates of the visa
2. Multiple entry – Unlimited entries within the dates of the visa

Schengen Visa Application Process at the Consulate General of Estonia in NYC New York

The consulate of Estonia in New York currently processes Latvia visa applications in 15 days, but this time could be extended to 30 days and in exceptional circumstances as many as 60 days. It really depends on the type of visa and your nationality. You should apply at least 15 days before you travel. You can apply up to 90 days before, so the earlier the better to allow enough time for your application to be processed. Don’t submit your file any more than 90 days ahead because the consulate won’t accept it.

It may appear confusing when it comes to applying for a Latvia visa, but if you stick to the following steps the process will be easy for you.

Step 1: Make an appointment

You need to make an appointment so you can submit your application to the consulate in New York and you need to do this at least 15 days ahead of your trip, as mentioned above. Go to the Estonian consulate’s website and clicking on: “Consular information”:

Then, click on “Visa regulation”:

On the next page, click on: “Applying for a visa at the consulate general of Estonia in New York”:

Scroll down to where it tells you about what documents are required and click on the link:

Then, just enter the information and continue and you’ll be able to make your 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!

Step 2: Complete your application

The next step is to complete your application form and you can find this on the consulate’s website. Click on: “Online application form”:

You’ll be directed to the online application form system. Click which language you would like:

Then, you will be able to complete your application form. Make sure all the information is correct before you print it and check it again before you sign it:

Please note, you can only use this online system if you are applying for a Schengen visa (maximum 90 days). If you are applying for a National visa (over 90 days) you’ll need to download a separate application form and complete it manually.

Step 3: Prepare your documents

Before you start to prepare your documents, it’s advisable to check the consulate’s website. You need to understand what is required for your Latvia visa application. If you submit your application with anything missing, it won’t be accepted by the consulate and you may have to reschedule to a time when you can provide all that is required.

Short-stay visa requirements

Long-stay visa requirements

In addition, you need to submit original documents and photocopies of everything. The consulate will not return documents to you, apart from your passport, so if there is anything you wish to keep, then make extra copies for yourself.

Required documents include:

1. A valid travel document issued no longer than 10 years ago with 2 free pages and valid for 3 months after the return date of your trip
2. Completed and signed the visa application form
3. 1 photograph which meets ICAO standards, taken within the last 6 months
4. Schengen Travel insurance to cover at least €30,000 ($50,000) for the medical, hospital, and repatriation expenses
5. US residence permit or valid visa including re-entry permit
6. Evidence of accommodation in Latvia
7. Proof of sufficient funds to support yourself in Latvia (€94/€108 per day)
8. Proof of your intention to leave Latvia within the dates of the visa
9. Evidence of your reason for going to Latvia  – details of private host/company; evidence of employment/study; air or other travel tickets; proof of family ties/marriage/birth certificate

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 to the Estonian consulate in NYC New York

On the day of your appointment, here are a few reminders:

1. Don’t forget anything – remember to take ALL of your paperwork, including every single document to support your application. Remember to sign the documents in the relevant places and don’t forget your photocopies
2. Arrive early – if you miss your appointment for any reason, you will have to reschedule and this could delay things for you. Leave home with enough time to arrive at the consulate a little earlier. That way you can relax a little and gather your thoughts
3. Dress smartly – this may not seem important, but if you turn up in jeans and t-shirt, the staff may think that you aren’t that serious about wanting to get your Latvia visa

When it’s your turn to be seen, the staff will examine your application and other documents. They may question you further about it. If they do, simply answer honestly and politely.

Typical interview questions could include:

1. What do you wish to go to Latvia now? Could you reschedule?
2. Are you married? If so, what does your spouse do?
3. What did you say you do in the US?
4. Do you know anyone in Latvia or the Schengen area?
5. How much do you earn?

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

The next part of the appointment is for you to pay the fee for your visa. You can pay by cash only. This fee won’t be refunded, even if your application gets rejected.

Latvia Visa Fee

As of May 15th, 2014, you must provide biometric data (fingerprints) when applying for a Schengen visa. However, if you have had a previously approved Schengen visa within a 5 year period AND your data can be found on the Visa Information System (VIS) your data can be reused.

Step 5: Receive your visa

When the consulate has reached a decision about your Latvia visa application, they will contact you and you can collect your passport from their office.

Hopefully, your visa will be inside your passport, but if it isn’t, it would have been denied. Common visa denial reasons include:

1. Passport is out of date
2. There is no invitation letter
3. It does not appear that you have enough money to pay for the trip
4. Your photo does not meet the standards
5. You have a valid Schengen visa

If you have already been to a Schengen country, you may still have a valid visa, so check this first before you apply – you may not need to! If your passport is out of date or isn’t valid as per the specifications, you must obtain a new one before applying for your Latvia visa. Your photo must adhere to the guidelines for acceptable photos and you must provide all the required documents, including an invitation letter, if applicable to your application. Lastly, you must prove that you can afford the trip and have sufficient funds in your account – €94 per day for short-term visas and €108 per day for long-stay visas.

Contact details for the Consulate General of Estonia in NYC New York        

Address: 3 Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, Suite 6B, 305 East 47^th Street, New York, NY 10017-2001

Email: nyconsulate@mfa.ee

Tel: +1 212 883 0636
Fax: +1 212 883 0648

Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 9.00 am – 5.00 pm

Conclusion

It’s easy to apply for your Latvia visa. Just follow these steps for a stress-free time:

1. Make an appointment
2. Complete your application form
3. Prepare the required documents
4. Submit your application to the Estonian Consulate in NYC New York
5. Receive Latvia visa

When you receive your visa, you can look forward to 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

Worldwide Visa Requirements