Latvia Reciprocity Schedule


Visa Classification Fee Number of Applications Validity Period
A-1 None Multiple 60 Months
A-2 None Multiple 60 Months
A-3 [1] None Multiple 24 Months
B-1 None Multiple 120 Months
B-2 None Multiple 120 Months
B-1/B-2 None Multiple 120 Months
C-1 None Multiple 60 Months
C-1/D None Multiple 60 Months
C-2 None Multiple 12 Months
C-3 None Multiple 60 Months
D None Multiple 60 Months
E-1 [2] None Multiple 60 Months
E-2 [2] None Multiple 60 Months
F-1 None Multiple 24 Months
F-2 None Multiple 24 Months
G-1 None Multiple 60 Months
G-2 None Multiple 60 Months
G-3 None Multiple 60 Months
G-4 None Multiple 60 Months
G-5 [1] None Multiple 24 Months
H-1B None Multiple 24 Months [3]
H-1C None Multiple 24 Months [3]
H-2A None Multiple 24 Months [3]
H-2B None Multiple 24 Months [3]
H-2R None Multiple 24 Months [3]
H-3 None Multiple 24 Months [3]
H-4 None Multiple 24 Months [3]
I None Multiple 60 Months
J-1 [4] None Multiple 24 Months
J-2 [4] None Multiple 24 Months
K-1 None One 6 Months
K-2 None One 6 Months
K-3 None Multiple 24 Months
K-4 None Multiple 24 Months
L-1 None Multiple 24 Months [3]
L-2 None Multiple 24 Months [3]
M-1 None Multiple 24 Months
M-2 None Multiple 24 Months
N-8 None Multiple 60 Months
N-9 None Multiple 60 Months
NATO 1-7 10 None Multiple 60 Months
O-1 None Multiple 24 Months [3]
O-2 None Multiple 24 Months [3]
O-3 None Multiple 24 Months [3]
P-1 None Multiple 24 Months [3]
P-2 None Multiple 24 Months [3]
P-3 None Multiple 24 Months [3]
P-4 None Multiple 24 Months [3]
Q-1 [6] None Multiple 15 Months [3]
R-1 None Multiple 24 Months
R-2 None Multiple 24 Months
S-5 [7] None One 1 Month
S-6 [7] None One 1 Month
S-7 [7] None One 1 Month
T-1 [9] N/A N/A N/A
T-2 None One 6 Months
T-3 None One 6 Months
T-4 None One 6 Months
T-5 None One 6 Months
TD [5] N/A N/A N/A
V-1 None Multiple 120 Months
V-2 None Multiple 120 Months [8]
V-3 None Multiple 120 Months [8]

Documents

Most Latvian civil documents are available to Latvian applicants through their local civil registration offices. If the documents will be used in the United States, the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia should legalize them by issuing “Apostille” certification. In the event civil documents are misplaced, lost or destroyed, the Civil Registration Department of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Latvia may issue a new document after verifying the information furnished by the applicant.

It is possible for Latvian citizens or persons listed in the Population Registry of Latvia to obtain civil documents from Latvia even if they are residing in another country. The request should be submitted to the Latvian Embassy in the applicant's country of residence.

Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Certificates

Available through local district or city civil registration offices (their location may be specified at the Civil Registration Department of the Ministry of Justice).

Records up to 1906 are available at the State History Archive (16 Slokas St., Riga, LV 1048, telephone (371) 676 13118 or (371) 676 12406). There is no specific form required for initiating a record search. It usually takes one to three months to obtain a copy of the required document, depending on the precision of the information the applicant is able to submit.

All the records from 1906 to nowadays are available at the Civil Registration Department of the Ministry of Justice at 38A Caka St, Riga, LV-1011, tel. (371) 678 30677, (371) 678 30682.

Records from Riga City and Riga Region from May 1, 1921 to nowadays are available at Riga City Civil Registry at 86 Brivibas St., Riga, LV-1010, tel. (371) 673 12 114.

For birth records up to 1921, only church registration was made, so a person must know the church where he/she was registered.

Adoption Certificates

Available at the Central State Archive (1 Bezdeligu St., Riga LV-1007, tel. (371)   674 62317) or at the local court which issued the adoption decree.

Police and Prison Records

Residents of Latvia over age 16 may obtain police clearance letters from the Ministry of Interior's Information Center at Bruninieku St. 72B, Riga, Latvia LV-1009. The request should be made in person, through a relative, or by a third person presenting written and notarized authorization. Identification is required. Persons living outside of Latvia can request a police clearance letter from the Information Center through the nearest Latvian Embassy or Consulate.

There is a fee for this service. Processing time is five (5) working days. The report can be provided in either the Latvian or English language.

Under Latvian law, almost all records are routinely "cancelled/expunged" after several years. The length of time depends on the nature and scope of the legal punishment imposed. Cancelled records are still maintained in the Information Center records and are available if the person involved specifically authorizes disclosure of the entire record.

Military Records

Available through the Military Recruitment and Registration Center of the Republic of Latvia at  (15 Hospitalu St., Riga, LV-1013, tel. (371) 673 87352). To obtain these records the person must submit a written request, indicating the reason why the record is being requested.

Court Records

Court records can be obtained at the corresponding local court archives at the request of participants in the trial. Contact information for courts in Latvia is available at http://www.tiesas.lv.

Residential Records

Information on a person's prior and present place of residence in Latvia may be obtained at the Population Registry Office of the Department for Citizenship and Migration at Ciekurkalna 1.linija 1, K5, Riga, LV-1026, tel. (371) 678 29710, (371) 678 29711, e-mail: ird@pmlp.gov.lv.

Passport and Other Travel Documents

A Latvian citizen residing abroad can request a passport through the Latvian Embassy in the person's country of residence. In Latvia, passports can be obtained at any office of the Department of Citizenship and Immigration. Contact information for the offices of the Department of Citizenship and Immigration is available at www.pmlp.gov.lv.

Latvian citizen passports issues before June 30, 2002 are invalid for international travel. All other types of Latvian citizen passports issued after June 30, 2002 are valid for international travel.

As of November 20, 2007 Latvia issues biometric passports. These passports can be used by Latvian citizens benefiting from the Visa Waiver Program. Latvian biometric passports issued to persons from 5 to 60 years of age are valid for five years from the date of issuance. Biometric passports issued to minors below 5 are valid for one year or for the term of planned travel to a foreign state. Biometric passports issued to adults over 60 are valid for ten years. Most Latvian citizens over the age of 16 have been issued the new Latvian passport that acts as a foreign travel document and domestic identity document. An exit stamp from the Latvian authorities for international travel is not needed. The Latvian passport may also include information about the individual's children and the passport holder's ethnic origin. The passport holder may request that in addition to the name spelling in Latvian, his/her name spelling in other languages is also included in the passport. The Goverment of Latvia issues an alien passport to Latvian residents who do not have Latvian citizenship. The passport is valid for immigrant and non-immigrant visa issuance. The Latvian/U.S. reciprocity schedule should be followed when issuing nonimmigrant visas to bearers of these passports. The passport cover is purple in color with the seal of Latvia and the words 'Latvijas Republika and Nepilsona Pase' embossed in gold on the cover.

The Government of Latvia issues a Stateless Person's Travel Document to those Latvian residents who hold neither Latvian citizenship nor resident alien status, nor have nationality of another state. This document is valid for immigrant and nonimmigrant visa issuance. The document cover is brown with the seal of Latvia and the words 'Latvijas Republika Celosanas Dokuments'. The Stateless Person's Travel Documents are valid for up to two years from the date of issuance and can be renewed until the document holder acquires Latvian citizenship or that of another state's.

Detailed information about different types of Latvian passports and their security features is available at http://www.pmlp.gov.lv/en/pakalpojumi/pases.html.

 

 

Special Clearance and Issuance Procedures

None.

Visa Issuing Post

Riga, Latvia (Embassy) -- Nonimmigrant Visas; K3 and K4 visas for spouses of U.S. citizens and their children; immigrant visas for children adopted from Latvia by parents from the U.S.

Raina Boulevard 7

Tel: (371) 6703-6200

Fax: (371) 6781-4088

E-mail: askconsular@usriga.lv

Warsaw, Poland (Embassy) -- Immigrant Visas except for a) K3 and K4 visas for spouses of U.S. citizens and their children; b) immigrant visas for children adopted from Latvia by parents from the U.S.

Visa Services

All nonimmigrant visas for Latvia.

The U.S. Embassy in Riga processes the following immigrant visas: a) K3 and K4 visas for spouses of U.S. citizens and their children; b) immigrant visas for children adopted from Latvia by parents from the U.S., including IR2 immigrant visas for adopted children benefitting from approved I-130 petitions.