Academic CentreVisa-free countries
Since you do not need a visa to enter Latvia, you may come to Riga and apply for the long-term (D-type) visa in person in the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA). Please, note that you may reside in Latvia (Schengen area) no longer than 90 days within a half year. It is advisable to apply for the long-term visa within the first 30 days of your stay in Latvia.
It is possible to apply for the long-term (D-type) visa also before arriving to Latvia. In this case you will need to apply for the visa at the Embassy of Latvia. Please contact the International coordinator Alise Buligina alise.buligina@lu.lv from the Mobility Division to receive detailed information regarding the territorial competence for visa issue of Embassies of Latvia as not all countries have an Embassy of Latvia and not all Embassies of Latvia are issuing visas.
In order to apply for the long-term (D-type) visa you should take the following steps:
Step 1. Contact the International coordinator Alise Buligina alise.buligina@lu.lv and submit a reference which confirms student status at the home university (if you haven’t uploaded it together with the other documents when applying for the exchange studies). A visa invitation will be prepared and you will receive a visa invitation number. Please note that in the invitation the visa will be requested until the end of your study semester/academic year.
Step 2. Go to OCMA or Embassy of Latvia, show the invitation number and submit the following documents:
- completed and signed D-visa application form;
- copy of the passport (valid at least 3 months after departing from Latvia), original need to be presented;
- 1 photo (34 mm x 45 mm) with a white background. Photo cannot be older than 6 months;
- valid health insurance (need to be valid for the whole Schengen area for the whole period of stay in Latvia; the minimum amount insured for D-visa is EUR 42 600);
- document confirming necessary subsistence (minimum 620 EUR/month): if you receive scholarship, you need to provide a document that confirms that you receive the scholarship; if you do not receive any scholarship- you should provide a bank statement (in English) confirming that you have sufficient financial means to live in Latvia for the whole period of your stay, i.e., 620 EUR multiplied with months that you will spend in Latvia (e.g., 620 EUR x 5 months= 3100 EUR). Original of this document with a signature and stamp + credit/debit card affiliated to your bank account must be presented
- original o the Acceptance letter prepared by the Mobility Division confirming that you are accepted for exchange studies at the UL.
- document confirming your accommodation address in Latvia. Students who stay in UL student hostel will receive a confirming document provided by the MD. Students who stay in the flat need to receive the Lease Agreement signed by the flat owner. Please double check that the person who signs the agreement is the owner or is authorised to sign it.
Step 3. Wait for the decision (approx. 2 weeks) and go to OCMA or Embassy of Latvia to receive visa (by presenting your passport).
Step 4. Bring or send a scanned copy of your long-term visa to the Mobility Division.