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Latvia flag — visa destinationSchengen Airport Transit (Type A) Verified 2026-05-01

Airport Transit Visa (Schengen Type A)

Latvia Airport Transit Visa (Schengen Type A) for nationals required to obtain it (Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, others) when transiting through Riga Airport. Indian citizens generally do NOT need this.

Straight answer: No. Indian passport holders do not need an airport transit visa for Latvia. India is not on the EU common airport-transit list (Annex IV) and Latvia has no national requirement for Indian nationals, so an airside connection between two non-Schengen flights needs no visa. You only need a Schengen short-stay (Type C) visa if you leave the transit zone, collect baggage or change airports.
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Processing time
About 2 weeks
after you submit

No visa is ever guaranteed — the final decision always rests with the Latvia visa authority. We make sure your file is presented at its strongest.

Latvia — Schengen member · Embassy New Delhi · Hello Verify is MANDATORY before VFS

One Latvia visa = all 29 Schengen countries. But Hello Verify must come BEFORE VFS appointment.

All India applications are decided by the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia, New Delhi through VFS Latvia centres. India and Sri Lanka applicants cannot book a VFS appointment without first uploading their documents to Hello Verify and getting a confirmation slip — this is the single most-skipped step. For most categories, an OCMA invitation (from Latvia's Office of Citizenship & Migration Affairs at pmlp.gov.lv) is also mandatory and must be dated ≤6 months before application.

29 Schengen countries

Full Schengen member — Latvia visa unlocks the whole zone, not just Latvia.

Embassy New Delhi only

All India + Sri Lanka files decided by Embassy of Republic of Latvia, New Delhi.

10 working days (C) · 15 days (D)

Apply 2+ weeks before. Non-Delhi VFS centres add ~2 days for postal delivery to the Embassy.

The Hello Verify rule (India + Sri Lanka)

  1. Upload all visa-application supporting documents to Hello Verify for verification.
  2. Receive the Hello Verify confirmation slip — keep it; you must hand it to VFS at submission.
  3. Only then can you schedule the VFS appointment. Without pre-payment of VFS service charges (₹2,913) when scheduling, no slot is allotted. The slip is single-use — re-applying = redo Hello Verify.

VFS helpline: 022-67866025 · info.latviain@vfshelpline.com

Student visa applicants: all interviews are conducted via Video Conferencing — applicable across India. Separate ₹3,776 VC fee charged at appointment scheduling. Long-Stay D visas need €42,600 minimum insurance (vs €30,000 for short-stay) — note the higher coverage.

Note: SureshotVisa handles Latvia Tourist, Business, Cultural & Sports, Family/Friends, Medical Treatment, Airport Transit short-stay visas plus the Student (D) long-stay visa end-to-end through VFS. Employment (D) and Residence Permit (D) are informational only — those need a Latvian-side employer (with OCMA labour-market clearance) or an OCMA-issued positive residence-permit decision before VFS submission. Seafarer visas are carrier-driven (shipping company / maritime agency initiates) and informational on this site.

Processing

10 working days standard processing for…

Stay Duration

Airport transit only

Starting Fee

₹9,709

Apply At

12 VFS centres

Done-for-you · End-to-end filing

Your whole Latvia Airport Transit Visa, handled for one honest price.

A strong Latvia file clearly explains your travel purpose, funds, and ties to India. We structure and submit everything properly — so your case is presented clearly and professionally.

All-in · 18% GST included · no hidden charges

₹5,999all-in · GST incl.

File-ready in 3–5 working days after documents

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Everything below — included, nothing extra

  • Document checklist
  • Application form guidance
  • Document review
  • Cover letter
  • Purpose of travel structure
  • Financial proof review
  • Sponsor document guidance
  • Submission & appointment support
  • Post-submission guidance
Licensed consultant files it Govt/VFS fees paid direct — never marked up

Not sure you qualify? Start with a refundable ₹499 possibility report — an honest Yes / Maybe / No, credited to this fee.

Price is for our consultancy service only and includes 18% GST. No agency can guarantee a visa — the final decision rests with the visa authority.

Your fee, in one glance

What the ₹5,999 fee covers for a Latvia file

  • We work out what your case actually is, before touching a form
  • We build the checklist around your profile, not a template
  • We read your documents against each other, not against a list
  • Financial proof review
  • Purpose of travel structuring
  • Cover letter / explanation support
  • Return ties review
  • Sponsor / invitation guidance
  • Application form guidance
  • Submission & appointment support
  • Biometrics guidance
  • Post-submission support

Government, VFS, insurance, ticket and hotel costs are separate and charged at cost. Read what each item means, in full.

Good to know before you apply

Rules that apply to every Latvia visa type — worth a quick read so nothing trips up your file.

  • 1Embassy of the Republic of Latvia, New Delhi processes ALL India + Sri Lanka applications. Single jurisdiction across India.
  • 2HELLO VERIFY IS MANDATORY: India and Sri Lanka applicants cannot schedule a VFS appointment without first uploading documents to Hello Verify and obtaining a confirmation slip. The slip is single-use — re-applicants must redo the Hello Verify process.
  • 3OCMA INVITATION RULE: For most Schengen short-stay categories AND all Long-Stay D Visa categories, an invitation approved by Latvia's Office of Citizenship & Migration Affairs (OCMA / pmlp.gov.lv) is mandatory. The invitation must be dated NOT LATER than 6 months before the application date.
  • 4VFS service fees + Video Conferencing fee (where applicable for student visas) MUST be paid through the contact centre / online at appointment scheduling. Without pre-payment, no slot is allotted.
  • 5Photo specification: 35mm × 45mm (3.5 × 4.5 cm), no more than 6 months old, white or off-white background, full face non-smiling, no sunglasses / hat / cap / head covering (except for religious or ethnic reasons with all facial features clearly visible).
  • 6Travel medical insurance: €30,000 minimum coverage for Schengen Type C (plus 15-day 'period of grace'), €42,600 minimum for Long-Stay D Visa (90 days), covering urgent medical attention + emergency hospital + medical transportation + repatriation.
  • 7Indian passport must be valid 3 months beyond intended Schengen departure, ≤10 years old, with at least 2 blank pages.
  • 8Apply at least 2 weeks (14 days) before travel. Non-Delhi VFS centres add ~2 days for postal delivery to Embassy.
  • 9Student visa applicants are interviewed via Video Conferencing — applicable across India. Bookable on Mon-Tue-Wed-Thu-Fri (operational day varies by centre — check before booking).
  • 10Indian Income Tax Return (ITR) acknowledgments are mandatory: 2 years for short-stay, 3 years for Employment / Long-Stay D categories (Form 26AS + Form 16/16A + ITR-V).

Who Can Apply

  • Citizens of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, DR Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka
  • Foreigners holding travel documents issued by these countries

Not eligible under this visa:

  • Indian citizens — generally do not need this visa
  • Anyone leaving the airport / entering Latvian territory — apply for Type C instead

What it costs

Government & VFS fees

Paid directly to Latvia / VFS — these are not our service fee, and we never mark them up.

ItemAmount
Schengen Short-Stay visa fee — adult (Type C)₹9,709
Schengen visa fee — child (6–12 years)₹4,855
Schengen visa fee — child below 6 years₹0
VFS service charge₹2,913

Visa fees are set by the Embassy of Republic of Latvia in INR and are non-refundable in case of refusal. The applicable INR fee tracks the current EUR / INR exchange rate and may change without notice. All VFS service charges are inclusive of CGST 9% + SGST 9%. As of 9 July 2018, VFS service fees + Video Conferencing fee (where applicable) must be paid through contact centre / online when scheduling an appointment — without pre-payment, no slot is allotted. The VFS service fee is in principle non-refundable, even if the applicant doesn't attend the appointment. Helpline: 022-67866025 / info.latviain@vfshelpline.com.

Flights · Hotels · Insurance · Itinerary

What Latvia actually requires — and what it does not.

Latvia applies the Schengen rules, so travel insurance is not a nice-to-have — it is a legal condition of the visa.

2 of 4 are compulsory for Latvia

Expected

Flight reservation

The Latvia consulate wants a return itinerary with a real PNR covering your exact dates. It does not want a paid ticket, and buying one before a decision puts your money at risk for nothing.

Where people slip: Flying into one city and out of another with nothing showing how you travel between them. Officers read the whole route, and an unexplained gap reads as a plan that does not hold together.

How to hold a flight without paying
Required

Hotel booking

Accommodation for EVERY night of the stay. Not most nights — every one. A gap is a documented refusal ground under the Schengen code.

Where people slip: Free-cancellation bookings are accepted, but if the entire file is free-cancellation the officer sees a trip nobody has committed to. Some of it should be real spend.

Refundable hotel booking, explained
Required

Travel insurance

Minimum EUR 30,000 medical cover, valid in every Schengen state, including repatriation and emergency medical evacuation, for the full period of stay. Regulation (EC) 810/2009 — this is law, not preference.

Where people slip: Buying cover for the adults and forgetting the children. Every traveller needs their own EUR 30,000, infants included — a real refusal we have seen on a family of four.

What the cover must actually say
Expected

Travel itinerary

A day-by-day plan matching your flights, your hotels and the country you applied to. Latvia must be your main destination or your first point of entry, or you are at the wrong consulate.

Where people slip: Spending more nights in another Schengen country than in Latvia. That gets a file rejected before it is even assessed.

The letter your itinerary attaches to

We arrange all four for your Latvia file.

We are a B2B travel agency as well as a visa consultancy, working with partners including Riya Travel — so the flight, the hotel and the policy all come from us, issued the same day, and you deal with one team instead of four. Every booking is a real one under your own name.

What to gather

Documents required

Having a document isn't the same as presenting it right — that's the part we handle.

Personal Documents

4 items
  • Visa application form (online, printed and signed)Required
  • Two photos (35mm × 45mm, max 6 months old, white/off-white background)Required

    Full face non-smiling, no sunglasses/hat/cap (except religious).

  • Valid passportRequired

    ≥3 months validity beyond Schengen departure, ≤10 years old, 2 blank pages. Copies of bio-data + previous-visa pages.

  • Hello Verify Confirmation SlipRequired

    MANDATORY for India + Sri Lanka applicants — must be obtained BEFORE scheduling VFS appointment.

Airport Transit-Specific Documents

5 items
  • OCMA-approved invitation (where applicable)Required

    Dated ≤6 months before application.

  • Visa or other entry permit for the third country of destinationRequired

    Confirms onward travel after Riga transit.

  • Documents in relation to the onward journey to the final destination after the intended airport transitRequired
  • Round trip air tickets confirmed by airlineRequired
  • Travel medical insurance — €30,000 minimum (Schengen-wide + 15-day grace)Required

Financial Documents

6 items
  • Original private bank account statement showing 3 months' movementsRequired

    All pages duly stamped and signed by the bank with bank certificate.

  • Indian ITR acknowledgement — last 2 assessment yearsRequired

    3 years for Employment / Long-Stay D categories — include Form 26AS + Form 16/16A + ITR-V.

  • If employed — Salary pay slips for last 3 months + employment contract + employer's leave-approval letter
  • If self-employed / company owner — Certificate of registration of the company
  • If sponsored — Sponsorship proof / sponsor's bank statement (last 3 months) / sponsor's salary slips / business registration

    Plus reference in OCMA invitation where applicable.

  • If retired — Pension statements for last 3 months + proof of regular income from property/business

Minor-Specific Documents (if applicable)

3 items
  • Minor with one parent — Notarized written consent from non-travelling parent (or court order if sole custody)
  • Minor travelling alone — Notarized written consent from BOTH parents/guardians
  • Copies of both parents' passports OR photo IDs

    If unavailable — birth certificate of minor + parent ID copies.

Required · optional / if applicable

The journey.

8 steps from intake to approval. Curved spine on the right shows the natural pace — never as linear as government sites pretend.

  1. 01

    Confirm Latvia is your main Schengen destination

    Apply via Latvia if your itinerary spends most time (or has its main purpose) there. If splitting time evenly between Schengen states, apply through the country of first entry.

  2. 02

    Get OCMA invitation (where required)

    For most short-stay categories and all Long-Stay D Visas, the Latvian host (employer / family / event organiser / institution) gets the invitation approved by OCMA at pmlp.gov.lv. Invitation must be dated ≤6 months before application.

  3. 03

    Upload documents to Hello Verify (MANDATORY for India + Sri Lanka)

    Upload all visa-application supporting documents to Hello Verify for verification. Receive the confirmation slip — keep it; you must hand it to VFS at submission.

  4. 04

    Complete the online application form + pre-pay VFS service charges

    Online form via VFS Latvia India. Service fee ₹2,913 (+ ₹3,776 VC fee for student visas) MUST be paid online when scheduling — no payment, no slot.

  5. 05

    Book your VFS appointment

    Mon-Tue-Wed-Thu-Fri operational days vary by centre — check before booking. Sri Lanka applicants book at vfsglobal.com/Latvia/Sri-Lanka.

  6. 06

    Submit at VFS + biometrics + Hello Verify slip

    Attend in person with all documents including the Hello Verify confirmation slip. Pay visa fee in cash/card. Biometrics captured at the centre.

  7. 07

    Wait for the decision (10 working days standard)

    Embassy of Republic of Latvia, New Delhi decides. Non-Delhi VFS centres add ~2 days for postal delivery. Track via VFS website.

  8. 08

    Collect your passport from VFS

    Once notified, collect from VFS or use courier. Verify visa validity dates and entry type before leaving the counter.

What works

3 levers that flip a borderline case.

  • Indian citizens don't generally need this visa — confirm your passport country before applying.
  • Sri Lanka nationals must apply at the Latvia VAC in Sri Lanka — not via India centres.
  • Onward-destination visa proof is the deciding document.

What kills cases

Top 2 refusal triggers we see.

  • 1Onward-destination visa missing or expired
  • 2Wrong category — applying as Indian citizen who doesn't need this visa

VFS application centres

VFS Latvia Visa Application Centre — New Delhi (HQ)VFS Latvia Visa Application Centre — MumbaiVFS Latvia Visa Application Centre — BengaluruVFS Latvia Visa Application Centre — ChennaiVFS Latvia Visa Application Centre — KolkataVFS Latvia Visa Application Centre — HyderabadVFS Latvia Visa Application Centre — PuneVFS Latvia Visa Application Centre — AhmedabadVFS Latvia Visa Application Centre — CochinVFS Latvia Visa Application Centre — ChandigarhVFS Latvia Visa Application Centre — JalandharEmbassy of the Republic of Latvia — New Delhi (single India + Sri Lanka jurisdiction)

Quiz not yet available for this visa type

We're actively building per-visa quizzes. For now, the best way to assess your eligibility for Airport Transit Visa (Schengen Type A) is a 1-on-1 consultation with our team.

Frequently asked

Questions, answered straight

Generally no. Latvia airport transit visas are required only for nationals of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, DR Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka — not for Indian passport holders.

You may still need this visa. Sri Lanka nationals apply via the Latvia VAC in Sri Lanka (vfsglobal.com/Latvia/Sri-Lanka). Bangladesh nationals via the Latvia VAC serving Bangladesh.

For applicable nationalities, yes — we coordinate Hello Verify upload, OCMA invitation, and VFS submission. For Indian citizens who don't need this visa, we'll redirect you to the appropriate Schengen Type C category.

Reviewed by Sherbir Singh Grewal, SureshotVisa — a government-licensed consultancy (Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024). Verify us.

How we get it done

Your Latvia Airport Transit Visa, from your first message to your passport back.

6 questions about this visa specifically. The first two are open — tap any other to read it.

Refused? Our full service fee comes back.Government and visa-centre fees are the one part nobody can refund.

+Do I actually need a Latvia transit visa?

Often not — and we will tell you so rather than file something you do not need. It depends on your nationality, the airport, whether you stay strictly airside, whether you change terminals, and whether your bags are checked through. Change of terminal or an overnight connection usually tips it into needing one. Send us your itinerary and ticket and we will read the actual routing; this is one of the few questions with a clean yes or no answer once someone looks properly.

+How long can I actually stay on a Latvia Schengen visa?

Airport transit only (typically <24 hours). The window rolls: on any given day the authorities count backwards 180 days and add up the days you were inside. It is not 90 days per country and it does not reset when you leave and come back. Entries are single-use airport transit. Getting this arithmetic wrong is how people end up overstaying without realising, which follows you into every future application.

+Should I apply to Latvia or to another Schengen country?

You apply to the country you will spend the most nights in. If the nights are equal across several, you apply to the one you enter first. Applying to the "easier" consulate when your itinerary says otherwise is a well-known refusal ground and, if the mismatch looks deliberate, it reads as misrepresentation rather than a mistake. Send us your itinerary and we will tell you which mission is the correct one for your trip — sometimes that is not Latvia.

+How long does a Latvia Airport Transit Visa take, start to finish?

Three things sit between today and your trip: preparing the file properly, waiting for an appointment, and the mission's own processing. Latvia currently states 10 working days standard processing for Schengen Type C visas at the Embassy of Republic of Latvia, New Delhi. Apply at least 2 weeks before intended travel. Applications submitted at non-Delhi VFS centres take an additional ~2 days for postal delivery to the Embassy. For Long-Stay D Visas, processing is 15 calendar days from when the Embassy receives all stipulated documents from VFS Global; if additional information or inspection is required, the decision is made within 60 days. for the decision itself. We control the first, which is usually days. The middle depends on slot releases. The third is entirely the mission's and no consultant can shorten it — anyone telling you otherwise is selling something they cannot deliver. Tell us your travel date and we will tell you honestly whether it is realistic.

+How much of what I pay for the Latvia visa is actually your fee?

Most of it is not ours. The Latvia government fee (currently ₹9,709) goes to the mission and the visa-centre fee goes to VFS — both charged to you at cost, never marked up, and shown as separate lines on one GST invoice in the registered company name. Our service fee is the only part we set, and it is published rather than quoted case by case.

+How does SureshotVisa handle my Latvia Airport Transit Visa, from first message to passport back?

You send what you have on WhatsApp and a licensed consultant says the same working day whether the case is ready. We build the file around your profile, check every document against the others, write the cover letter to match them, and hold the file complete so the first workable appointment can be taken the moment it appears. You attend biometrics; we track the file to the decision (Latvia currently states 10 working days standard processing for Schengen Type C visas at the Embassy of Republic of Latvia, New Delhi. Apply at least 2 weeks before intended travel. Applications submitted at non-Delhi VFS centres take an additional ~2 days for postal delivery to the Embassy. For Long-Stay D Visas, processing is 15 calendar days from when the Embassy receives all stipulated documents from VFS Global; if additional information or inspection is required, the decision is made within 60 days.). Government and visa-centre fees (₹9,709 for this visa) are charged at cost; our own fee is published, and if the visa is refused that fee comes back in full.

Before you file

A Latvia Airport Transit Visa goes one of two ways.

Filed on a guessed checklist, the government fee is gone on a refusal and the refusal follows every future application. Filed after a licensed consultant has read the papers against each other, the file answers the officer's questions before they are asked. Same Latvia rules, different outcome. How we do that is written once, in full, on the method page rather than repeated here.

Other Latvia Visa Types

Schengen Short-Stay (Type C) — Tourism

Tourist Visa (Schengen Short-Stay, Type C)

Apply for a Latvia Tourist Visa (Schengen Type C) from India through VFS. Hello Verify is mandatory before VFS appointment. Riga, the Baltic coast, Sigulda forests, and Jūrmala beach.

View guide
Schengen Short-Stay (Type C) — Business

Business Visa (Schengen Short-Stay, Type C)

Latvia Business Visa (Schengen Type C) for Indian professionals — meetings, scientific / educational / professional events, agreements, estate negotiation in Latvia. OCMA invitation required.

View guide
Schengen Short-Stay (Type C) — Cultural / Sports / Religious / Film Crew

Cultural, Sports & Religious Events Visa (Schengen Short-Stay, Type C)

Latvia Cultural Visa (Schengen Type C) for journeys undertaken for cultural, sports or religious events and for film crews. OCMA invitation required. Riga Song Festival, EuroBasket, Latvia film locations.

View guide
Schengen Short-Stay (Type C) — Visiting Family / Friends

Family and Friends Visit Visa (Schengen Short-Stay, Type C)

Latvia Family and Friends Visit Visa (Schengen Type C) for Indian travellers visiting Latvian-resident family or friends. OCMA invitation required. Travel period less than 90 days.

View guide
Schengen Short-Stay (Type C) — Medical Treatment

Medical Treatment Visa (Schengen Short-Stay, Type C)

Latvia Medical Treatment Visa (Schengen Type C) for Indian patients seeking treatment at Latvian hospitals — Riga's Stradins University Hospital, dental clinics, rehabilitation centres.

View guide
Schengen Short-Stay (Type C) — Seafarer (Informational)

Seafarer Visa (Schengen Type C)

Latvia Seafarer Visa (Schengen Type C) — special for sailors entering Schengen to board / disembark vessels at Riga or other Schengen ports. Carrier-driven (shipping company / maritime agency initiates). Informational only.

View guide
Long-Stay (D Type) — Student

Student Visa (Long-Stay D Type)

Latvia Student Visa (Long-Stay D Type) for Indian students enrolled at OCMA-accredited Latvian education institutions. ₹9,709 fee + ₹3,776 Video Conferencing fee. €42,600 insurance. All applicants interviewed via VC.

View guide
Long-Stay (D Type) — Employment (Informational)

Employment Visa (Long-Stay D Type)

Latvia Employment Visa (Long-Stay D Type) for Indian workers with confirmed Latvian employment + OCMA-approved labour clearance. Informational only — Latvian employer initiates with OCMA / State Employment Agency.

View guide

Source & Disclaimer

Data on this page is sourced from the official VFS Global Latvia website and Embassy of Latvia. Last verified 2026-05-01. Always verify with the official embassy before applying — fees and requirements change without notice.

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