Latvia Visa from Dubai: VFS, AED 379 Fee, Documents and Timeline

The short answer: Emiratis don't need a visa for Latvia: they can stay up to 90 days in any 180. Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan nationals living in the UAE need a Schengen visa. Unlike some smaller Schengen states, Latvia has its own embassy in the UAE: the Embassy of Latvia in Abu Dhabi decides every application, and you lodge your documents at VFS Global in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. The visa fee is AED 379 for adults, plus a VFS service fee of AED 127.33. Processing takes at least 15 calendar days, longer for some nationalities, and the checklist asks for six months of bank statements.

Riga's Old Town and Art Nouveau streets, the castles and forests around Sigulda, and the Baltic Sea beach town of Jurmala are why most UAE residents go. Latvia issues Schengen visas, so a Latvian visa also covers the other Schengen countries, as long as Latvia is your main destination.

Latvia visa for UAE residents at a glance

Question	Answer (October 2026)
Emirati passport	No visa, up to 90 days in any 180
India, Pakistan, Philippines, Egypt, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka	Schengen visa before travel
Who decides	The Embassy of Latvia in Abu Dhabi, its own mission, not a representing country
Where to apply	VFS Global, Wafi Mall in Dubai or the World Trade Centre mall in Abu Dhabi
Visa fee	AED 379 adults, AED 190 children aged 6 to 11, free under 6
VFS service fee	AED 127.33
Processing	At least 15 calendar days; 15 working days for some nationalities, up to 45
Bank statements	Last 6 months, stamped and signed by the bank

Who needs a visa for Latvia

Whether you need a visa depends on your passport. UAE citizens have been able to visit Latvia and the rest of the Schengen area without a visa since May 2015. They will need the EU's ETIAS travel authorisation once it starts; it hasn't yet, and the EU says it will announce the date several months ahead.

Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan nationals need a Schengen visa, and so do most other nationalities living in the UAE. You must hold a valid UAE residence visa to apply here: VFS says that if you are in the UAE on a visit stay visa, a C-type visa, you need to apply for your Schengen visa from your own country of residence instead.

Apply to Latvia if it is your main destination, where you spend the most nights. Five nights in Riga and Sigulda and two in Vilnius is a Latvian application; the reverse is a Lithuanian one. See our Schengen visa guide for how the rule works.

A short-stay Schengen visa never lets you work in Latvia. A job needs a residence permit decision from Latvia's Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) first, then a separate long-term D visa from the embassy; studying for more than 90 days works the same way. The D visa fee is EUR 60, on top of VFS's charges, separate from the Schengen fee above.

How to apply from Dubai or Abu Dhabi

1. Fill in the online Schengen application form, then print it and sign it. For an applicant under 18, both parents sign.
2. Book an appointment on VFS Global's Latvia site for the UAE. Every applicant needs their own appointment and attends in person, including children and infants.
3. Attend your appointment at VFS in Wafi Mall, Dubai (First Floor, Phase 5, Horus) or the World Trade Centre mall, Abu Dhabi (Level B2). Residents of every emirate and Al Ain can use either centre: VFS doesn't split jurisdiction by residence the way it does for some other Schengen countries. You hand in your documents, give fingerprints and pay the fees.
4. Wait at least 15 calendar days. The Embassy of Latvia in Abu Dhabi decides; for applicants of some nationalities, Latvia must first consult other Schengen states, which raises the minimum to 15 working days.

There is no separate Latvian consulate in Dubai: the Embassy of Latvia in Abu Dhabi, in Al Bateen, is the only Latvian mission in the UAE, and VFS takes applications on its behalf in both cities. Some booking sites say Latvia has no embassy here and that another country handles its visas: that isn't the case. Latvia's embassy has accepted Schengen and national visa applications from UAE residents since February 2018, and VFS Global's own site names it, not another country's mission, as the deciding authority.

Documents

VFS's tourism checklist for Latvia asks for, all in English and no older than one month unless stated:

• The signed application form
• Two recent photos, 3.5 by 4.5 cm, white background, not older than three months, not stapled
• Passport issued within the last ten years, with at least two blank pages, valid at least three months after your intended stay, plus a copy of the identity page, your UAE residence permit, your Emirates ID and any Schengen visas from the last three years
• A letter from your employer and/or sponsor stating your position, employment date, salary, the period of stay and the purpose of your visit, with an original signature and stamp
• Your trade licence if you own or part-own a company
• Housewives and minors: a Non-Objection Letter from their sponsor, plus the sponsor's passport and visa copy, salary certificate and current bank statement
• Bank statements for the last six months showing regular income, stamped and signed by the bank. Cash isn't accepted as proof of funds.
• Flight ticket reservation, including the return trip
• Proof of accommodation for the whole stay: a confirmed hotel booking, an invitation approved by Latvia's Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, or an invitation from your host giving the accommodation address
• Travel medical insurance, signed and stamped, with at least EUR 30,000 of cover for the whole Schengen area and your whole stay, including repatriation

The embassy can ask for other documents and may call you for an interview. You bring your originals to the appointment but usually only submit copies, unless a document specifically has to be the original.

Visiting family or friends

If you apply as a tourist and stay with family or friends, writing your host's address in the accommodation section is enough, the same as a hotel booking. If you apply under the specific Visiting Family and Friends category, VFS's checklist instead asks for an invitation approved by Latvia's Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs. Since OCMA doesn't issue a confirmation letter for an approved invitation, VFS says you can submit the invitation number in any form, for example a printed email. Ask VFS or the embassy which route applies to you before your appointment.

Children

The checklist doesn't list a birth certificate or a specific consent form for children, but the application form itself needs both parents' signatures for any applicant under 18. If only one parent is applying with a child, ask VFS or the embassy whether they need extra proof of the other parent's consent before you book.

How much money you need to show

Latvia doesn't publish a daily amount for UAE applicants. The checklist asks for six months of bank statements with regular income, stamped and signed by the bank, so a steady salary over that period matters more than one month's balance.

Fees and processing time

Fee	Amount
Visa fee, adults	AED 379
Visa fee, children aged 6 to 11	AED 190
Visa fee, children under 6	Free
VFS service fee, every applicant, tax included	AED 127.33
Total for one adult	AED 506.33

VFS and the embassy say dirham amounts follow the exchange rate and can change without notice, and that no fee is refunded. The minimum processing time is 15 calendar days from when your complete application is lodged. For applicants of some nationalities, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt and Sri Lanka, Latvia first consults other Schengen states before deciding, which raises the minimum to 15 working days; the embassy can extend any case to 45 days if it needs more checks. You can apply up to six months before you travel, and no later than 15 calendar days before.

If you are refused, you can appeal in writing, in Latvian, Russian or English, within 30 days of being notified. Lodge the appeal at the Embassy of Latvia in Abu Dhabi or send it to the Consular Department of Latvia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Riga; the Director decides within 30 days, and the embassy's page doesn't mention an appeal fee. An appeal doesn't suspend the refusal, and if it's rejected, the next step is Latvia's Administrative Court, whose ruling is final.

At the border

Since April 2026, Latvia and every other Schengen country register non-EU visitors in the EU's Entry/Exit System. On your first trip since it started, you give fingerprints and a photo at passport control instead of getting a stamp.

Flights from the UAE

• flydubai launched Dubai to Riga non-stop in December 2025, three times a week, with Emirates selling seats on the same flights. The route was disrupted in 2026, so check it is flying on your dates.
• airBaltic flew Riga to Dubai year-round, up to daily in winter, until it suspended the route in March 2026 over regional security concerns. Reports place the suspension running to around 24 October 2026, with no confirmed restart date, so check directly before you rely on it.
• From Abu Dhabi or Sharjah, you connect through Dubai or a European hub.

Flights between the UAE and Europe were disrupted for much of 2026, so check your flight with the airline before you book, and make sure the reservation you submit matches your application dates.

Frequently asked questions

Does Latvia have its own embassy in the UAE?

Yes. The Embassy of Latvia in Abu Dhabi decides every Schengen and national visa application lodged in the UAE. VFS Global handles your documents and biometrics in Dubai and Abu Dhabi on the embassy's behalf, but no other country represents Latvia here.

Where do I apply for a Latvia visa in Dubai?

At VFS Global's visa centre in Wafi Mall, First Floor, Phase 5, Horus, or at VFS in the World Trade Centre mall, Abu Dhabi. Residents of every emirate can use either centre.

How much is the Latvia visa fee in Dubai?

AED 379 for adults and AED 190 for children aged 6 to 11, plus VFS's service fee of AED 127.33: AED 506.33 in total for one adult. Children under 6 pay no visa fee.

How long does a Latvia visa take from Dubai?

At least 15 calendar days, according to the embassy and VFS. Applicants of some nationalities, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt and Sri Lanka, need 15 working days instead because Latvia consults other Schengen states first. It can extend to 45 days, so apply early.

How many months of bank statements do I need for a Latvia visa?

Six months, stamped and signed by the bank, showing regular income. Latvia doesn't set a minimum daily amount for UAE applicants.

Do Emiratis need a visa for Latvia?

No. UAE citizens can visit Latvia without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180. They will need an ETIAS travel authorisation once the EU starts it.

Planning a trip to Latvia

Three or four days covers Riga's Old Town and its Art Nouveau district, with a day trip to Sigulda's castles and Gauja National Park; add the seaside town of Jurmala in summer. Vilnius is about four hours away by bus and Tallinn about four and a half, both in Schengen too, so one visa can cover a Baltic states trip. See our Schengen visa services for help preparing your Latvia application, browse holiday packages, or talk to us about flights and hotels.

Related guides

• Schengen visa for UAE residents
• Poland visa from Dubai
• Finland visa from Dubai
• Sweden visa from Dubai

Last checked 9 October 2026 against the Embassy of Latvia in the UAE's website, VFS Global's Latvia pages and its Tourist and Family and Friends Visit checklists for the UAE, the EU Visa Code and fee regulation, the European Commission's ETIAS page, eu-LISA on the Entry/Exit System, and airline schedules and reports. This guide is general information, not immigration advice. Confirm the current requirements with VFS Global or the Embassy of Latvia in Abu Dhabi before you apply.