student visa in latvia
Do you want to study in Latvia but your country doesn’t have an agreement about that with Latvia? Do you want to study in a more affordable way and don’t have time to waste on multiple applications? Touriago is here for you! To study in Latvia, you must apply to the Latvian State University through Touriago.com services, for more information regarding the application process follow this link .
If you’re looking for a truly full service, dedicated and experienced Immigration Law Firm in Latvia, you’ve come to the right place. Latvia is one of the EU member states, and as such its laws are fully aligned with those of the European Union. Immigration rules therefore are very strict and depend on many different factors. Furthermore, there might be several reasons why you would like to get your Latvian residency permit: work, study, family or just leisure – our law firm can assist with any type of application related to migration matters.
There are some people who are looking for a cheap student visa in order to study in Europe, and this way they can modify their Russian language in a better way because the majority of European countries also speak Spanish. And for those who are interested about this kind of visa, it’s very important to know that you must ask for a residence permit before leaving your own country and once you arrived at the airport in Riga – from there you start your journey!

Are you a student looking to study in Latvia?
If so, you’ve come to the right place. Here at Touriago, we specialize in providing visas for students who want to study abroad. Our team of experts has been helping students like you get their documents in order since 2001 and we are proud of our reputation as one of the leading companies in this industry.
We understand how difficult it can be to get everything done on time when you’re still figuring out what your academic path is going to be like—so we’ve provided some helpful information about student visas in Latvia so that you can make an informed decision about whether this is the right country for you.
Latvia is one of Europe’s newest nations, with its independence from Russia only being declared in 1918 after two centuries under Russian rule. It’s known as one of the Baltic States because it borders Estonia and Lithuania on either side (and Belarus as well). The capital city is Riga and its official language is Latvian (spoken by nearly 90% of its population), but English is widely spoken throughout the country due to its proximity to other European countries like Poland or Estonia.
If you want to study in Latvia, you will need to get a student visa. The process can be complicated, but it is possible.
First, you need to apply for the visa through the Latvian embassy or consulate in your home country. You will need to provide documents that prove that you have enough money to live in Latvia while studying and that you have been accepted by a school there.
Second, once you arrive in Latvia, you need to register at the university within 10 days of your arrival. You will also need to apply for a residence permit within 30 days of your arrival in Latvia. If your visa expires before you receive your residence permit, then your visa will not be renewed until after 30 days have passed from when it expired (or until after 30 days from when it was issued).
Finally, if possible, make sure that someone who already lives in Latvia can help with your transition into life there!
Visa Requirement
- Visas and residence permits for Students interested in studying in Latvia are acquired as part of the application and enrolment process. Based on a positive valuation of the applicant’s education documents provided by the Academic Information Centre (AIC) and a successful enrolment application. When the student has arrived, a residence permit is applied for by the university on behalf of the student for the period of studies in which the student is enrolled.
- Application form for residence permit.
- 3 recent passport size photographs, 35×45 colored, with white background. (Face cover 80%)
- Passport (must be 6 month valid).
- Payment Proof of University Application Fees, Tuition Fees and Resident Permit+ Security Deposit.
- Police Clearance Certificate for Latvia (Apostle by Ministry Of External Affairs)
- Financial Means of Subsistence:
- Original Bank Certificate & Bank Statement with a minimum balance of 5700 Euro (Approximately 4,00,000/-) in student’s personal bank account ONLY not older than 15 day.
- Xerox of INTERNATIONALLY VALID Debit Card of the same Bank Account
- Highest Degree needs to be apostle from Ministry of External Affairs for (Bachelor/Master/Doctorate)
- Student has to deposit 500 or 720 USD as security amount to university directly which will be 100% refundable after completion of the program.Resident Permit ChargesGeneralExpressExpress(35 days)(10 days)(5 days)120 USD320 USD520 USDAll Universities strongly suggest you to start the visa process once the student will receive the conditional Offer Letter, to cut down the express Resident permit charges
Study in Latvia without IELTS
You can study in Latvia without an IELTS score and apply for the Latvia study visa for Indians under the following conditions:
- You are a native speaker of an English speaking country;
- Your previous degree of education is from an English Medium University/College;
- The students are required to provide an official Declaration or Certificate as evidence that their previous education was in English;
- Applicants who do not have an internationally recognised test score will be requested to opt for English courses in the Latvia university itself.
Some universities conduct online tests and interviews via Skype for their selected applicants. These interviews and tests are conducted to evaluate students’ English language abilities and cover all aspects such as speaking, reading, and general comprehension of the language.
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You can also provide any other official language certification and give other English proficiency tests such as:
- TOEFL(Test of English as a Foreign Language)
- FCE (First Certificate in English)
- CAE (Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English)
- CPE (Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English)
- Cambridge English: Business Vantage (BEC Vantage)
- Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE)
- Cambridge English Linguaskill
Some universities that allow admission without submitting IELTS scores are:
- Daugavpils University
- University of Latvia
- Riga Technical University
- Riga Stradins University
- University of Liepaja
- Ventspils University College
Latvia Study Visa Requirements for Indian Students
- A filled Long Stay Visa Application Form of the Republic of Latvia.
- One passport size photo (size 35mm x 45 mm), taken during visa submission
- A Valid Passport
- Copies of the identification and information pages of previously issued visas (if any)
- OCMA approved invitation.
- Study Agreement
- Written certification issued by the higher education institution or college
- Proof of sufficient financial means
- Proof of Accommodation
- Proof of Sponsorship
- Proof of the Previous Education
- Ticket Reservation
- Travel Medical Insurance of minimum coverage of 42,600 EUR.
- Visa fee of 60 EUR ( (Masters and PhD students exempted)
- Hello Verify confirmation slip
Latvia Student Visa Processing Time
According to the Immigration Law of Latvia, the visa processing time is 15 days after the submission of all the supporting documents for Indian nationals. Due to COVID-19, there are expected delays in issuing of visas and applicants may be considered on the basis of type of visa and travel purpose. The documents are considered to be submitted when received at the Embassy from the VFS Global. If additional information or inspection is necessary, the decision takes place within 60 days.
How to Apply for Study Visa for Latvia?
- Applicant can schedule their appointment after uploading the requested documents at the Hello Verify webpage. They will receive confirmation once all documents are successfully uploaded. Applicants who are unable to book an appointment online need to contact the VFS Global India Call Center (+91-22-67866025) to schedule an appointment
- Applicants have to submit the visa application at the assigned VFS Global Latvia visa application centre in India.
- All student applicants need to appear for the interview at the VFS Global Latvia Visa application centre with the Embassy of Latvia in India. The date and time slot of the interview will be allocated by the VFS Global Latvia Visa application centres when submitting the visa application. This interview can be either through video call or in person.
Latvia Study Visa Cost and Fees 2021
Service | Charges |
VIS Cases | ₹2,249 |
Non-VIS Cases | ₹2,336 |
Video Conferencing Fee | ₹3,028 |
Visa Fee | ₹5,185 |
Courier Fee | ₹551 |
Conclusion
Latvia is part of the border control-free Schengen Area. This means that it’s visa requirements are similar to those of countries like France and Germany. Any member of the Schengen Area can issue a visa for the area, but you’ll need to enter the Area through the country that issued the visa. For example; you can’t enter through France on a Schengen visa issued by Poland.
You’ll need to apply in-person at your nearest Latvian embassy or consulate. You’ll need to present these documents in Latvian with a notarized translation. Your student visa is valid for the entire duration of your studies.
Your permit allows you to work for up to twenty hours per week during term time, going up to forty hours per week during holidays.
Remember, if you have an EU, EEA or Swiss passport, you can freely enter Latvia and, once registered, stay for as long as you like. The requirements listed here only apply to third-country nationals. Please note: UK citizens are now third-country nationals.