Latvian Embassy Washington DC – 5 Easy Steps to Apply for Latvia Schengen Visa

Latvia’s capital, Riga, will be the place you start your awesome trip to this Schengen country. Spend a few days wandering around the old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you’ll find magnificent Art Nouveau architecture. History enthusiasts will love the town of Karosta – a former secret military town. There’s always the forests and mountains in the Madona region – great for getting out into Latvia’s stunning countryside. In this article learn more about how to apply for Latvia visa at the Latvian embassy in Washington, DC, 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 Washington DC embassy.

Latvia Schengen Visa

In 2017, there were a total of 166,800 Latvia Schengen visas received worldwide. 2,579 (1.55%) of these were rejected. The Embassy of Latvia in Washington DC received 74 applications and rejected 3 of them.

Applying for Latvia Schengen Visa from the United States         

Many nationalities DO NOT require a visa to go to Latvia. You can see the full list on the website of the Embassy of Latvia in Washington. If you are from a country not mentioned in this list, you will have to apply for a Latvia visa.

You have to make sure you apply at the right Latvian embassy and consulate. If you are currently living in the US, but are a non-US citizen, you may apply for your Latvia visa from the embassy in Washington. This visa office covers the whole of the United States and Mexico.

Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Embassy of Latvia in Washington DC

There are 3 types of visa offered by the Embassy of Latvia in Washington.

1. Schengen visa (type C) – for tourist, business, study etc., for up to a maximum of 90 days
2. Airport Transit visa (type A) – for transiting through the international zone of a Latvian airport
3. Long-stay visa (type D) – 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 Embassy of Latvia in Washington DC

It takes around 15 days for the embassy in Washington to process visa applications, so you should apply AT LEAST 15 days ahead. You can apply up to 90 days before your trip, so the earlier you do this, the more chance your visa application will be processed in time.

To help you apply for your Latvia visa, here are a few steps for you to follow.

Step 1: Make an appointment

The first step is to make an appointment at the embassy for you to submit your documents. All you need to do is contact them on 202-328-2883, 202-328-2882 or 202-328-2881.

Step 2: Complete your application

The next step is to complete your application form. Go to the embassy’s website and click on: “Consular information” and then “Obtaining visas”:

Then, click on: “Documents required when applying for a visa”:

On the next page, click on: “Visa application form”:

You will be directed to the “Electronic Visa Application” system. Click on: “Visa application”:

Read the instructions and click on: “Fill the visa application form“:

Key in the visa type, the country you are applying from, the embassy of Latvia in Washington, and the application language:

Then you will be able to complete your visa application form and submit it electronically to the embassy in Washington. Don’t forget to print and sign the form.

Step 3: Prepare your documents

Before you start to prepare your documents, take a look at the embassy’s website to familiarize yourself with the requirements. If you fail to submit everything, it could result in your visa application being rejected.

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

Required documents include:

1. A valid passport which has been issued within the previous 10 years, contains at least two blank pages for visas and is valid at least 3 months after the expiration date of the visa
2. Completed and signed ONLINE APPLICATION FORM
3. 1 passport-size recent (not older than 6 months) color photo (35mm x 45mm) with a light background, including the entire face, without head-dress
4. Schengen Travel Insurance policy valid in Schengen countries for at least $50,000 to cover medical, hospitalization, and repatriation costs. Must cover the entire duration of stay in Latvia and dated for 15 days after the end of your trip
5. Proof of legal residence in the USA such as valid US alien registration permit or valid US resident visa. These documents must be dated 3 months beyond the intended departure from Latvia
6. Purpose of entry such as an invitation letter or document proving an organized trip
7. Hotel reservation or proof of the invitation
8. Round trip ticket or ticket reservation
9. Sufficient means of subsistence for the duration of the intended stay – 3 x bank statements or credit card statements OR letter from employer confirming salary
10. Proof of your intention to leave the Schengen area such as a letter from your employer or an educational institution if you are a student
11. Pre-paid, self-addressed secure mail envelope (FedEx, UPS, DHL to return the passport)

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 

When the day of your appointment arrives, do the following things:

1. Remember ALL of the required documents and don’t forget to sign them in the relevant places
2. Arrive early – if you are late, your appointment will have to be rescheduled
3. Dress smartly – don’t turn up in shorts and t-shirt

The embassy may ask you additional questions if they need any more information from you. This is so they have all the facts to be able to make a fair decision about your visa application. Just answer with confidence and give true answers.

Typical questions could include:

1. Are you traveling alone?
2. Do you have travel insurance for this journey?
3. Do you know anyone that lives in the Schengen area?
4. What are your plans when you arrive in Latvia?
5. What is your salary?

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 bank card or money order payable to The Embassy of Latvia. This fee won’t be refunded, even if your application gets rejected.

Latvia visa fees

If you have never applied for a Schengen visa before, 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

When the embassy has reached a decision about your Latvia visa application, they will contact you and you can either collect your passport from their office or you can arrange for it to be returned via FedEx, UPS, or DHL. You can also choose to have your passport returned by FedEx overnight shipment, but this will cost an additional $30.

There will be 1 of 2 outcomes:

1. Approved – you will find your visa inside your passport
2. Rejected – your visa application would have been rejected for a reason

Typical rejection reasons include:

1. No hotel booking – you must provide all the required documents and proof of accommodation is a requirement
2. Travel insurance only covers hospitalization – your travel insurance must cover hospitalization, medical, and repatriation costs
3. You have provided a birth certificate in a foreign language – all documents in a foreign language must be translated into English by an authorized translator
4. You provided the last 2 months bank statements – you must provide the last 3 bank statements
5. Itinerary does not cover all destinations – you must have an itinerary for all destinations to be visited within Latvia and/or other Schengen countries

Contact details for the Embassy of Latvia in Washington DC

Address: 2306 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008

Email: embassy.usa@mfa.gov.lv

Tel: +1 202 328 2840
Fax: +1 202 328 2860

Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 8.30 am – 5.00 pm

Conclusion

Just follow these 5 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 reach the end of step 5, you’ll have your visa! Then, you can get ready for your exciting Latvian adventure!

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 NYC, New York

Worldwide Visa Requirements