Latvia Restricts Citizens of 2 Countries from Entering Its Territory or Obtaining Visas
- Latvia's Cabinet of Ministers passed Cabinet Regulation No. 123 in Riga, placing formal restrictions on visa applications and entry from two countries
- The citizens face strict limits on who qualifies to apply for a visa to Latvia, with only specific categories of applicants considered eligible
- The regulation remains in force until 31 December 2026, replacing an earlier Cabinet order issued in September 2022
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Latvia's Cabinet of Ministers formally imposed visa and entry restrictions on citizens of Russia and Belarus through Cabinet Regulation No. 123, signed in Riga and valid until 31 December 2026.
The regulation, issued under Section 4(12) of Latvia's Immigration Act, sets out detailed rules on which nationals from both countries may have their visa applications accepted at Latvian diplomatic and consular missions abroad, and under what conditions they may cross into Latvian territory.
Source: UGC
Who Qualifies Under Latvia's Russia Restrictions
Russian citizens are generally barred from obtaining a standard short-stay visa to Latvia, but several categories of people remain eligible.
These include family members of Latvian citizens or EU nationals, persons with existing Latvian residence permits, individuals entering for humanitarian reasons, accredited Russian diplomatic staff and their families, as well as diplomatic couriers and technical support personnel travelling to the Russian Embassy in Riga.
Entry through Latvia's external border is permitted for Russian nationals holding a valid residence permit from Latvia, another EU country, an EEA state, or Switzerland.
Those holding a long-stay Schengen visa may also cross the border, provided they fall into one of the approved categories such as family members of Latvian or EU citizens, transport workers on duty, seafarers, or persons with humanitarian needs.
Belarus Citizens Face Similar Limits
The restrictions on Belarusian citizens follow a comparable structure but with some differences. Belarusian nationals may submit applications for long-term visas without the same categorical barriers.
For short-stay visas, however, eligibility is limited to family members of Latvian or EU citizens, those entering for humanitarian purposes, family members of Belarusian nationals already legally residing in Latvia, transport workers and flight crews on duty, and seafarers.
Belarusian diplomatic staff, couriers, and embassy technical personnel are also covered under permitted exemptions, consistent with the treatment applied to Russian nationals.
The regulation further allows Latvian missions to consider visa applications from both Russian and Belarusian citizens on a case-by-case basis where doing so aligns with Latvia's international obligations, foreign policy interests, or national security considerations.
The new regulation replaces Cabinet of Ministers Order No. 599, which was originally issued on 9 September 2022 and had governed Russian entry into Latvia since that date.
Latvia clarifies residence permit rejections
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Latvia published a list of conditions under which a foreigner may be denied a residence permit to enter or live in the country long-term.
The list covers reasons ranging from missing documents and false information to criminal history and marriage fraud.
Source: Legit.ng
