Starting September 1, 2025, Latvia will implement a new electronic procedure for nationals of certain third countries wishing to enter its territory without a visa or residence permit.
This electronic declaration, called ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization), aims to collect personal information and travel data prior to arrival in the country.
The Saeima, the Latvian Parliament, explains that “third-country nationals who do not hold a visa or residence permit issued in Latvia will be required to submit specific personal information about themselves, their relatives, and the purpose of their travel before entering Latvia.”
Who is affected by the ETA for travel to Latvia?
The new ETA electronic declaration is therefore intended for third-country nationals wishing to enter Latvia from September 1, 2025, in cases where they:
- are not citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area, the OECD, NATO, Switzerland, or Brazil,
- do not have a visa or residence permit issued by Latvia.
It is therefore important to note that holders of a Schengen visa issued by a country other than Latvia may be affected by this new ETA requirement. Travelers simply transiting through Latvian territory are also subject to this requirement.
Special cases and exemptions:
- Non-Estonian citizens: Latvia does not have to submit an entry questionnaire to nonEstonian citizens.
- Russian citizens: they must complete the ETA form, even if they have been issued a residence permit or EU long-term resident status in Estonia.
- Stateless persons: Persons recognized as stateless in accordance with Section 4.⁴, Part 1 of the Immigration Law are exempt from completing the declaration.
- Ukrainian citizens: If they do not have a visa or residence permit issued by Latvia, they are subject to the same obligations as other third-country nationals concerned.
- Persons already present in the territory: travelers who entered Latvia before September 1, 2025 and are still there are not required to complete the ETA form.
Previous exemptions remain in force for certain specific categories, including diplomats, holders of international immunity, or persons making a short stay for official or technical purposes.
When and how to complete the ETA application for Latvia?
The Latvian Ministry of the Interior states that “at least 48 hours before arriving in Latvia, information must be submitted online.”
The electronic ETA form will be available on the eta.gov.lv portal from August 29, 2025, at 11 p.m. (local time).
From September 1, 2025, travelers will be required to provide the following information online:
- Purpose of travel (entry);
- The planned time and place of stay;
- Travel route;
- Contact information;
- Elected positions held by one or his or her relative;
- Election candidacy;
- The status of an existing or former official of the State or local government;
- Service in the Armed Forces, Special Service, border Guard, Customs or Interior, Justice or Foreign Affairs (also Diplomatic) Service.
Once the form has been submitted, a confirmation of receipt will be sent by email. This is not an entry permit, but a mandatory declaration: any omission or misrepresentation may result in refusal of entry to the territory.
The decree, approved by the Saeima last April, also provides for administrative penalties of up to €2,000 for travelers who fail to comply with this obligation or make false declarations.
ETA today, ETIAS tomorrow: two distinct systems
The advance collection of this data will enable the Latvian authorities to more easily identify high-risk profiles and, where appropriate, refuse entry to the country even before the traveler arrives. Border police, security services, and government agencies will have direct access to this information, in accordance with the adopted decree.
The introduction of the Latvian ETA comes a few months before the implementation of the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System), which is scheduled to come into force at the end of 2026. These two procedures are different in both their scope and purpose.
The ETA will only apply to entry into Latvia. It is a mandatory declaration that allows the authorities to collect certain personal data and travel information. This purely national system does not issue an entry authorization but is an essential preliminary step.
The ETIAS, for its part, will be a European electronic authorization covering all 30 countries in the Schengen area. Intended for visa-exempt travelers, it will require online registration, at a cost of €20, and will be valid for up to three years or until the passport expires.
The entry into force of ETIAS does not, for the time being, call into question the implementation of the Latvian ETA. No official details have been provided as to how these two systems might work together in the future. It is therefore possible that there will be a period of temporary coexistence, but the precise terms (requirements, exemptions, or possible integrations) remain unknown at this time.
