# Latvia Visa from India 2026: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

> Every step of a Latvian Schengen visa application from India in 2026: category, appointment, documents, funds, fees, processing time and what changes for students and workers.

_Published: 2026-11-06 · Reading time: 5 min · Words: 1186_

## TL;DR

Indians apply for a Latvian Schengen visa through the Embassy of Latvia in New Delhi, using the joint VFS Global centres and giving biometrics in person. The adult fee is EUR 90 / INR 9996 plus a Rs. 2999 VFS charge, and VFS processes short-stay files in up to 10 working days. Apply between six months and 15 calendar days before the trip.

## Key takeaways

- The Embassy of Latvia in New Delhi handles Schengen visas for all of India; applications are lodged at the joint VFS Global centres.
- Short-stay appointments are requested by email to appt_latvia_sa@vfsglobal.com.
- Fees: EUR 90 / INR 9996 for adults, EUR 45 / INR 4998 for children 6-12, plus Rs. 2999 VFS service charge.
- VFS processes short-stay visas in up to 10 working days; the Embassy decides within 15 calendar days, extendable to 45.
- Tourists show at least EUR 14 per day for stays up to 30 days.

**According to the Embassy of Latvia in New Delhi, Indian citizens apply for a Latvian Schengen visa through the joint VFS Global centres for Latvia, giving biometrics in person. Book by emailing appt_latvia_sa@vfsglobal.com, apply 15 days to six months before travel, and pay EUR 90 / INR 9996 plus Rs. 2999 VFS charge.**

## Article

Latvia is a Schengen state, so the visa it issues is valid across the Schengen area for short stays. There is no visa on arrival and no eVisa for Indian passport holders. The steps below are as published on the official sources, checked on 2026-10-15. For a summary of fees and documents, see our Latvia visa page for Indians.

### Which Latvia visa category fits your trip?
For visits of up to 90 days, you choose one of seven short-stay (Schengen) categories:

- Tourist Visit
- Business Visit
- Family And Friends Visit
- Cultural Visit
- Medical Treatment Visit
- Seafarers
- Airport Transit
Longer stays use the long-stay categories: Student Visa, Employment and Residence Permit. If you are only changing planes in Riga, you do not need a visa to stay inside the international transit area, because India is not on the airport-transit-visa lists.

### How do you apply for a Latvia visa, step by step?
- Fill in the application form online, then print and sign it.
- Request a VFS appointment by email at appt_latvia_sa@vfsglobal.com. The Embassy of Latvia covers all of India. The official pages refer to VFS offices in and outside New Delhi without listing them, so ask for the centre nearest you when you email.
- Prepare the documents in the checklist order (table below), with two colour photos of 35mm x 45mm, taken in the last 6 months, on a white background.
- Buy travel medical insurance valid for the whole Schengen area with at least EUR 30,000 cover. The VFS checklist asks for the entire visit plus 15 days as a 'period of grace'.
- Attend the appointment in person. Every Schengen applicant gives biometric data. Only Schengen consulates and VFS may collect it, not travel agencies.
- Pay the visa fee and VFS charge at submission.
- Wait for the decision, then collect your passport.

### What documents do Indians submit?
DocumentLatvia requirementPassportValid at least three months after you leave the Schengen area, two blank pages, issued within the previous ten years; copies of the ID pages and previous visasFlightsRound trip tickets or a flight itineraryAccommodationConfirmed and prepaid hotels with payment details directly from the hotels; social booking platforms are not considered validBank statementOriginal, last three months, stamped and signed by the bank, with a bank certificateIncome taxITR acknowledgment for the last two assessment yearsIf employedPayslips for three months, employment contract, employer's approval for your holidaysIf self-employedCompany registration certificate including the GST registration numberIf retiredPension statements for the last three monthsMinorsNotarised consent of the parents or guardians and copies of their passportsEach category adds its own papers. Tourists add a travel agency certificate for an organised trip or another document showing the travel plans. Business visitors add the invitation from the Latvian company and a cover letter from their employer confirming identity, purpose and the period and place of stay. Family and friends visitors add the host's invitation with address, contact details and intended period of stay, plus proof of the host's citizenship or legal residence.

### How much money do you need to show?
Latvia publishes a figure. Under Cabinet Regulation No 225, as notified to the European Commission, the means of subsistence are at least EUR 14 per day for stays up to 30 days. For stays over 30 days, you need not less than the minimum monthly wage of EUR 700. You do not have to show these means if an OCMA-approved invitation states that the host covers the costs.

Your bank statement, ITR acknowledgments and payslips are how you prove the amount. Make the trip length on your itinerary and the funds on your statement agree.

### How much does it cost and how long does it take?
ItemAmount or timeVisa fee, adult (from 01 May 2026)EUR 90 / INR 9996, non-refundable if refusedVisa fee, child 6-12EUR 45 / INR 4998Child under 6No visa fee (VFS charge still applies)VFS service chargeRs. 2999 per application, including GSTVFS processingUp to 10 working days; add two days for postal delivery from VFS offices other than New DelhiEmbassy decisionWithin 15 calendar days of lodging, extendable to a maximum of 45 calendar daysThe INR amount follows the current exchange rate. Lodge the application no more than six months and at least 15 calendar days before the trip; VFS advises applying at least 2 weeks in advance.

### How strict is Latvia with applications from India?
The European Commission's statistics give the refusal rate for Schengen applications lodged at Latvian consulates in India as 18.6% in 2025 (244 visas not issued; 1,314 applications lodged), up from 11.9% in 2024 (114 visas not issued; 963 applications lodged). With 1,314 applications lodged in 2025, the volume is small, so relatively few decisions move the rate. The figure describes past decisions, not your chances. The way to keep your own file clean is to match the checklist exactly, especially the prepaid-hotel and bank-certificate requirements.

### What changes if you are going to study or work?
Long-stay applicants follow a different route through the same Embassy:

- Upload documents on Hello Verify before booking; VFS gives no appointment without the confirmation.
- Students attend a mandatory interview, by video conference at centres outside New Delhi. The video conferencing fee is Rs 3888 where applicable.
- The Latvian institution's or employer's invitation must be approved by the OCMA (Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs) and dated not more than 6 months before the application.
- Travel medical insurance for 90 days needs a minimum of EUR 42,600.
- The Embassy decides 15 days after all documents are submitted, or up to 60 days if additional inspection is needed. After arrival, you apply for a residence permit at the OCMA.
Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files, with packages from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact us through our contact page.

### Frequently asked questions

#### Where is the Embassy of Latvia in India?
The Embassy of the Republic of Latvia to India is at B8 Anand Niketan, New Delhi 110021, telephone +91 11 4985 9100. It handles Schengen visas for all of India, and applications are lodged at the joint VFS Global centres.

#### Who gets a Latvia visa fee waiver?
The Embassy waives the fee for children under six, pupils, students and teachers on study trips, researchers, and representatives of non-profit organisations aged 25 or less. For children under six, the VFS service charge still applies.

#### Can a travel agent give my fingerprints or submit for me?
Biometric data can be collected only by Schengen consulates and external service providers such as VFS, not by commercial intermediaries like travel agencies. All Schengen applicants in India appear in person.

#### Does a Latvian Schengen visa let me visit other Schengen countries?
Yes. A Latvian short-stay visa is a Schengen visa, which is why the insurance you submit must be valid for the whole Schengen area for the entire stay.

## Steps

1. **Choose the category** — Pick the short-stay category that matches your purpose: tourist, business, family and friends, cultural, medical, seafarer or airport transit.
2. **Complete the form** — Fill in the visa application form online, then print and sign it.
3. **Request an appointment** — Email appt_latvia_sa@vfsglobal.com for a short-stay appointment at a joint VFS Global centre for Latvia.
4. **Assemble documents and insurance** — Prepare passport, photos, flight itinerary, prepaid hotel bookings, three-month bank statement with bank certificate, two years of ITR acknowledgments and EUR 30,000 Schengen insurance.
5. **Give biometrics and pay** — Attend in person, give biometrics and pay EUR 90 / INR 9996 plus the Rs. 2999 VFS service charge.
6. **Track the decision** — Allow up to 10 working days at VFS (two more from centres outside New Delhi); the Embassy decides within 15 calendar days, extendable to 45.

## FAQ

### Where is the Embassy of Latvia in India?

The Embassy of the Republic of Latvia to India is at B8 Anand Niketan, New Delhi 110021, telephone +91 11 4985 9100. It handles Schengen visas for all of India, and applications are lodged at the joint VFS Global centres.

### Who gets a Latvia visa fee waiver?

The Embassy waives the fee for children under six, pupils, students and teachers on study trips, researchers, and representatives of non-profit organisations aged 25 or less. For children under six, the VFS service charge still applies.

### Can a travel agent give my fingerprints or submit for me?

Biometric data can be collected only by Schengen consulates and external service providers such as VFS, not by commercial intermediaries like travel agencies. All Schengen applicants in India appear in person.

### Does a Latvian Schengen visa let me visit other Schengen countries?

Yes. A Latvian short-stay visa is a Schengen visa, which is why the insurance you submit must be valid for the whole Schengen area for the entire stay.

## Sources

1. [Embassy of Latvia to India — Applying for a Short Stay (Schengen) Visa](https://www2.mfa.gov.lv/en/newdelhi/consular-section/visa) — Embassy of the Republic of Latvia to India
2. [VFS Global — Apply for Visa to Latvia in India](https://www.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/latvia/india/english/index.html) — VFS Global
3. [VFS Latvia India — Tourist Visa Checklist](https://www.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/latvia/india/english/pdf/tourist-visa-checklist_june.pdf) — VFS Global
4. [European Commission — Schengen visa statistics by consulate (2025)](https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/document/download/56816949-e59f-442b-9091-5d03360bf860_en) — European Commission