Citizens of Latvia and other U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries may apply for travelling to the United States without a visa if they plan a short term leisure or business trip. VWP applies for all territories of the US VISA FOR LATVIAN CITIZENS, including Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US-Virgin Islands.
Apply for an appropriate U.S. visa if:
- you have a different purpose of travel, for example, studies, temporary work, work on ships, immigration etc;
- you are a Latvian non-citizens (Alien’s passport holders);
- you don’t meet the requirements for traveling visa-free or your ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) application is denied.
If you have a valid tourist/business (B1/B2) visa, continue travelling with that visa until it expires. DO NOT register in ESTA. Follow this link for information on using an unexpired visa after being issued a new passport.
Travelers who hold dual citizenship with the United States MUST enter and depart the United States on their U.S. passports.
Basic requirements for applying to travel without a visa:
- You hold a Latvian citizen passport issued after November 20, 2007 (citizens of other VWP countries, please refer to website on Travelstate.gov for information on passport requirements);
- You have NOT been refused a U.S. visa or admission to the United States in the past;
- You have NOT violated the conditions of the VWP on your previous visits or been deported from the United States in the past;
- You have NO criminal record;
- You are NOT a U.S. citizen, and do NOT possess a valid or expired U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551;
- Your purpose of travel is tourism, visiting friends/relatives, or business meetings;
- You plan a short term trip that does not exceed 90 days (a return ticket should be presented upon arrival);
- You will enter the United States by air or sea aboard an approved carrier (PDF – 248 kB).The VWP permits arrivals by land from Mexico and URGENT EMEGENCY VISA FOR US at land border ports-of-entry (POEs) – ESTA registration is NOT needed (www.cbp.gov), but travelers must otherwise meet the requirements for traveling without a visa.
APPLY FOR YOUR TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION IN ESTA :
- All new ESTA applications are subject to an ESTA application fee of 21 USD payable by a credit card.
- All answers provided on your ESTA application have to be true and correct to the best of your knowledge.That could result in denial of admission to the United States at the port of entry.
- Please PRINT the page that shows your ESTA number and the approval notification, if your application is approved. Airline representatives may require you to present it prior to the registration for boarding.
- Update your travel information and check the expiration date every time you plan a trip.
- If you have questions regarding your ESTA registration, you may call +1 202 344 3710 (business days from 07:30 to 17:00 Eastern Standard Time/EST) or e-mail U.S. Customs and Border Protection Information Center.
WARNING: VWP travelers should be aware that unauthorized third-parties have established Web sites, which charge visitors seeking to travel to the United States under the VWP, for information about ESTA™ and for submitting ESTA™ applications to DHS on behalf of the traveler. These businesses and Web sites are not endorsed by, associated with, or affiliated in any way with DHS or the United States Government. Use of a private service to apply for travel authorization via ESTA™ will not expedite the granting of approval.
Immigrant Visas
The United States Embassy in Riga, Latvia is providing all immigrant visa services for Latvian passport and resident card holders. We have a limited capacity for non-resident interview appointments. If you are not a resident in Latvia and prefer that your interview appointment is transferred from another embassy or consulate to Riga, please send an e-mail to Askconsular-Riga@state.gov and briefly describe case specific circumstances that warrant your case transfer. These requests need be well justified and are reviewed on a case by case bases by the consular section chief. While we are doing our best to accommodate these requests, for workload concerns, we are not able to approve them all.
The purpose of your intended travel and other facts will determine what type of visa is required under U.S. immigration law. As a visa applicant, you will need to establish that you meet all requirements to receive the category of visa for which you are applying.
