15.09.2020

Travelling to Latvia


Entry is allowed to foreigners transiting through the territory of Latvia on their return to their country of residence. Self-isolation does not apply to persons who cross the territory in transit.

An updated list of countries for which entry to Latvia is restricted is available on the Latvian Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Countries marked as red or yellow have registered infections above the allowed threshold.


Travelling from Latvia or returning to Latvia
Travelling to countries with COVID-19 incidence rates above 25 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over a 14-day cumulative period is not recommended.

You must self-isolate if you enter Latvia or return from a country which is subject to special precautionary and restrictive measures due to a high number of confirmed COVID-19 cases.

The list of affected countries can be found on the website of the Latvian Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Rules and Exceptions


Citizens from EU+ and persons lawfully residing in these countries are allowed to enter Latvia, provided that the incidence of COVID-19 (coronavirus infection) in their country of origin has not exceeded 16 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days.

A list of countries for mandatory 14-day isolation upon arrival is periodically updated.

All travellers, including citizens and permanent residents of Latvia, who have arrived from countries in which the 14-day cumulative number of COVID-19 cases has exceeded 16 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, must self-isolate for a 14-day period upon arrival in Latvia.

Mandatory Travel Documentation
Prior to the arrival in the Republic of Latvia, a person who enters the country by using services of international carriers must confirm in writing that, upon arrival in Latvia, the epidemiological safety measures established in the country will be observed. In the statement the person must indicate his or her name, surname, personal identification code, contact telephone number and the address of the actual place of residence where the person can be reached, as well as the countries and dates of departure in which the person has stayed during the last 14 days before the arrival in Latvia.

Links to national sources

Latvian Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
https://covid19.gov.lv/en
Driving abroad

Source: https://reopen.europa.eu/en/map/LVA


21.04.2020

Emergency situation declared throughout national territory 

Suspension of international transit of passengers through airports and ports, by bus and rail, except for the travel of passengers by State aircraft and military transport. Prohibition of the movement of passengers and vehicles through border crossing points at airports and ports, on road and railway lines at the external border of the European Union, as well as through the border crossing points intended for local border traffic, with the exception of the carriage of goods.

Start date: 17.03.2020

End date: 12.05.2020

Further information can be found on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Cabinet of Ministers






04.12.2020

The Latvian State Revenue Service informed that this week the number of vehicles waiting for border crossing at Terekhova customs office has dramatically increased. Yesterday morning at 8:00, 330 trucks were waiting for exit to Russia, while there were only 10 vehicles waiting at Grebnevo customs office. The increase is mainly due to the fact that more and more carriers from Lithuania choose the route through Latvia. Also, the seasonal deliveries have an impact on the traffic. To avoid long queues, the State Revenue Service of Latvia recommends to use Grebnevo customs office. Please be reminded that the TIR procedure can be used at the Grebnevo-Ubylinka checkpoint.

Source: Latvijas Auto

                                                                                                    

12.10.2020

Starting from 12 October every person entering Latvia must fill in an electronic questionnaire (available here:www.covidpass.lv), they will then receive a QR code to show to customs.Until 12 October, those entering Latvia will be required to fill in a paper questionnaire.

Filling in the questionnaire is mandatory for all visitors and must be completed no less than 48 hours prior to entering Latvia.

The person must indicate their name, surname, personal code for Latvian citizens (social insurance number – for other citizens), contact telephone number, address of actual place of residence where the person is available, as well as name of the country (including date of departure) where the person has been during the last 14 days before arriving in Latvia, etc.

Each adult person must fill in a separate questionnaire, the questionnaires of minors are filled out by their parent or legal guardian.

Once the questionnaire is completed, the person who arrives on the territory of Latvia will receive a QR code confirming the submission of data. If you lose the QR code, a function on the home page will be available where you can enter your email address and receive the QR code again.

The obtained data will be transmitted to the authorities, namely: State Police, State Border Guard and the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Personal data will be stored for 30 days in order to use the information received for epidemiological safety and contact tracing. After 30 days, personal data will be automatically deleted.

The Traveller Registration Control Information System (IECIS), which will further serve as an electronic self-declaration system (confirmation questionnaire) for persons arriving or returning to Latvia from foreign countries, have been developed by the Information Centre of the Ministry of the Interior in cooperation with State Police, State Border Guard and Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

More information: https://www.mk.gov.lv/en/aktualitates/october-12-when-crossing-border-republic-latvia-electronic-questionnaire-will-have-be

Source: Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia

                                                                                                    

24.09.2020

Over the past few days longer queues have been observed at the border crossing point between Terekhovo (LVA) and Burachki (RUS).

More traffic and ongoing reconstruction works have led to a waiting time of up to 20 hours to cross the borders.

Transport operators are kindly requested to take this information into consideration and use nearby border crossing points, particularly between Grebnevo (LVA) and Ubylinka (RUS). Queues are minimal and TIR carnets can be used to enter Russia at this crossing point.

 

Source: Latvijas Auto, State Revenue Service of Latvia

                                                                                                    

30.06.2020

The State of Emergency ended in Latvia on June 9.  However, borders are only open to residents of Latvia, other EU Member States, countries in the European Economic Area and Switzerland, that hold proper residency documentation. The Government of Latvia is monitoring the rates of COVID-19 in these countries and passenger from countries with more than 15 cases per 100,000 inhabitants will be required to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival.

As of 9 June, face masks are mandatory on public transport.  International passenger transport operations cannot be performed to countries listed by the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. The transport of workers that is specifically carried out so that they can fulfil their work duties is exempted from this provision.

From 10 June, movements of people to and from countries at risk is banned; road transport workers are exempt from this provision, as well as from quarantine requirements upon entry into Latvia.

Borders with Russia and Belarus remain closed for all international passenger travel.

Source: Latvian Government

                                                                                                    

15.05.2020

International passenger transport between the Baltic States is authorised from 15 May. The government decided to authorise the resumption of international passenger transport by air, sea, bus and rail from and to Lithuania and Estonia.

International passenger transport to other destinations will still require the permission of the Minister for Transport, based on a case-by-case basis.

Latvian nationals and permanent residents, as well as foreigners who have not visited other countries in the last 14 days, except Lithuania or Estonia, as well as Lithuanian and Estonian nationals who cross Latvia in transit, do not have to spend 14 days in self-isolation. Persons who transit through Latvia do not have to spend 14 days in self-isolation either.

Amendments to the Order provide that persons who have arrived in Latvia from abroad, except Estonia and Lithuania, may only use public transport if they have self-isolated and they must cover their mouth and nose within the public transport network.

More detailed information can be found on the official website here.

Source: LATVIJAS AUTO

                                                                                                    

18.04.2020

On 27 March, the Latvian government notified a set of relaxations on driving and rest times rules, which apply until 25 April and are as follows:

-       Art. 6.1: increase of the maximum daily driving time from 9 hours to 11 hours

-       Art. 6.2: increase of the maximum weekly driving time from 56 hours to 60 hours

-       Art. 6.3: increase of the maximum fortnightly driving time from 90 hours to 96 hours

-       Art 7: the driver shall have an uninterrupted break of at least forty-five minutes if he does not take a rest period after five and a half hours of driving

-       Art. 8: a regular weekly rest period of 45 hours may be reduced to 24 hours without the requirement of compensation.

Source: ITF

                                                                                                       

22.03.2020

From 18 March 2020, people entering Latvia will have to fill out the following application forms and submit them to the State Border Service:

  • Form for Latvian citizens and persons permanently residing in Latvia (holders of permanent/temporary residence permits and long-term "D" visas, provided they were issued in the Republic of Latvia).
    The form is available in LatvianRussian and English.
  • Form for Lithuanian and Estonian citizens and residents (holders of permanent/temporary residence permits and long-term "D" visas, provided they were issued in Lithuania or Estonia), returning to Lithuania or Estonia.
    By signing the form, the person “undertakes not to visit publicly available spaces”. Parkings and refuelling station are not concerned by these measures.
    The form is available in Russian and English.
  • Form for all freight carriers (including foreigners transiting through Latvia), by which the person “undertakes not to visit publicly available spaces”. Parkings and refuelling station are not concerned by these measures.
    The form is available in LatvianRussian and English.

Source: Latvian Ministry of Transport