United Kingdom
Latvia
Latvia visa for British citizens
Entry requirement
British citizens do not need a visa for Latvia: stays of up to 90 days are visa-free.
- Maximum stay
- 90 days
- Where to apply
- Nothing to apply for in advance
Checked 7 November 2026 · Passport Index · Confirm at www2.mfa.gov.lv
For longer stays: study, work and residence
Latvia: visa decisions in the United Kingdom
| Year | Applications | Visas issued | Refused | Refusal rate | Multiple-entry share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,218 | 1,065 | 143 | 11.7% | 95.2% |
| 2024 | 1,073 | 843 | 211 | 19.9% | 90.3% |
| 2025 | 1,419 | 986 | 374 | 27.4% | 67.7% |
In 2025, Latvia’s embassy and consulates in the United Kingdom (London) received 1,419 applications for short-stay Schengen visas and issued 986. The refusal rate was 27.4%. The refusal rate rose by 7.5 points from 19.9% in 2024, a sharp increase. Applications rose by 32% compared with 2024 (1,073).
For comparison, all Schengen states together refused 10.5% of the applications lodged in the United Kingdom that year, from 1.0% at the consulates of the Netherlands to 32.0% at those of Iceland. Latvia’s consulates worldwide refused 12.3%. Latvia was the 22nd most applied-for Schengen state in the United Kingdom.
You apply to the Schengen state that is your main destination (the longest stay or the main purpose; the state of first entry only when there is none), so a lower rate elsewhere is no reason to apply there. The figures cover applications lodged in the United Kingdom, by any nationality: mostly citizens, but also residents from other countries.
Source: European Commission, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, visa statistics for consulates 2023–2025 (© European Union, reused under CC BY 4.0). Short-stay (type C) visas. How these figures are made
Latvian citizens travelling to the United Kingdom
LatviaUnited Kingdom Electronic travel authorisation (ETA) United Kingdom visa for citizens of Latvia
Travel advice for Latvia
- US State Department Level 1: Exercise normal precautions
- UK Foreign Office (FCDO) No advice against travel
- German Foreign Office No travel warning
What the US, British and German foreign ministries tell their own citizens about travelling there, in each ministry’s own terms.
For a trip from the United Kingdom to Latvia, the published travel advice reads as follows: the US State Department rates Latvia at Level 1, exercise normal precautions (updated 31 March 2026), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office does not advise against travel to Latvia (updated 11 August 2026) and the German Foreign Office has no travel warning for Latvia (updated 13 October 2026).
Good to know
How long British citizens can stay in Latvia
British citizens may stay in Latvia for up to 90 days. Days in Latvia count towards the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180-day period across all member states.
Latvia and the Schengen area
Visa-free stays of British citizens in Latvia count towards the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180-day period, shared with every other member state.
Latvia’s neighbours for British citizens
Lithuania, Estonia and Belarus admit British citizens visa-free. Russia requires British citizens to obtain a visa in advance.
Latvian citizens travelling to the United Kingdom
Latvian citizens need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) for the United Kingdom, obtained online before travel, for stays of up to 180 days.
Frequently asked questions
Do British citizens need a visa for Latvia?
British citizens do not need a visa for Latvia: stays of up to 90 days are visa-free.
How long can British citizens stay in Latvia?
British citizens can stay in Latvia for up to 90 days, within the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180.
Do Latvian citizens need a visa for the United Kingdom?
Latvian citizens need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) for the United Kingdom, obtained online before travel, for stays of up to 180 days.
Can British citizens enter Latvia visa-free?
Yes, British citizens can enter Latvia without a visa and stay for up to 90 days.
Visa data: Passport Index via passport-index-data, as of 7 November 2026. Rules change, sometimes overnight. Confirm with the embassy or the official government portal before you book.