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Student visa for Latvia
Money to show for the visa: €780 a month. Work while you study: Bachelor's: 20 hours a week in term, 40 in holidays. Master's and doctoral: no limit. Checked against the official pages on 24 September 2026.
The numbers
- Money you must show
- €780 a month
- Visa fee
- €70 residence permit review for students (30 days), plus €60 D visa if you need one to enter
- Work while you study
- Bachelor's: 20 hours a week in term, 40 in holidays. Master's and doctoral: no limit
- Stay after you graduate
- 4 months, plus a possible 9-month job-search extension for master's and doctoral graduates
Not less than the Latvian minimum monthly wage for stays over 30 days. It was €740 in 2025.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, checked 2026-09-24
Faster review costs €200 (10 working days) or €400 (5 working days). Embassies may add consular fees.
Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP), checked 2026-09-24
Study in Latvia (State Education Development Agency), checked 2026-09-24
Study in Latvia, checked 2026-09-24
Worth knowing: Graduates get only four months to stay on, with a possible nine-month extension for master's and doctoral graduates.
The visa
Latvia issues a residence permit for studies, not a student visa. Your university files an invitation with the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP). You then submit your application, usually at a Latvian embassy. If you are a visa-required national, once the permit is approved you collect a D visa to travel to Latvia and pick up your residence card.
Fees. PMLP's schedule sets a reduced review fee for students at accredited institutions: €70 for a decision within 30 days, €200 within 10 working days, €400 within 5 working days. The D visa is €60. Embassies may add their own consular charges: the embassy in Cairo, for example, quotes a €100 consular fee on top. Check the embassy you will use.
Processing. The Cairo embassy tells applicants PMLP review may take up to eight weeks, and the D visa a few days to two weeks after that. Allow three months in total.
The money. For a stay over 30 days you must show means of not less than the Latvian minimum monthly wage: €780 (the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' figure, updated 2026). It was €740 in 2025, and embassy pages still quoting €740 are out of date. Embassies read this as a monthly figure; the Cairo embassy states it as "per month".
Insurance. You need travel medical insurance valid across Schengen for the initial entry; the Cairo embassy states a minimum cover of €42,600 for that. Ask your university what cover it expects for the rest of your permit.
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
No student visa is needed: citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland may live and study in Latvia. For more than three months you normally register your residence after you arrive, and show that you are enrolled, insured and can support yourself.
Where to apply
At the embassy or consulate of Latvia that covers your country, or through the visa application centre it names. Book early: in the busiest months appointments can be weeks away. Apply only through the official website; nobody can sell you a faster place in the queue.
Official pages: mfa.gov.lv · pmlp.gov.lv · studyinlatvia.lv · studyinlatvia.lv · pmlp.gov.lv · pmlp.gov.lv. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you apply.
Government scholarships to study in Latvia
- Latvian State Scholarships closed for this round
Which of these are open to your nationality
By nationality
From Algeria
From Armenia
From Azerbaijan
From Bangladesh
From Brazil
From Cameroon
From Canada
From China
From Colombia
From Egypt
From Ethiopia
From Georgia
From Ghana
From India
From Indonesia
From Iran
From Iraq
From Japan
From Jordan
From Kazakhstan
From Kenya
From Lebanon
From Malaysia
From Mexico
From Morocco
From Nepal
From Nigeria
From Pakistan
From Philippines
From Russia
From Saudi Arabia
From Senegal
From South Africa
From South Korea
From Sri Lanka
From Syria
From Tanzania
From Tunisia
From Türkiye
From Uganda
From Ukraine
From United Arab Emirates
From United States
From Uzbekistan
From Vietnam
From ZimbabweQuestions students ask
How much money do I need to show for a Latvia student visa?
€780 a month. Not less than the Latvian minimum monthly wage for stays over 30 days. It was €740 in 2025. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, checked 2026-09-24).
How much is the student visa fee for Latvia?
€70 residence permit review for students (30 days), plus €60 D visa if you need one to enter.
Can international students work in Latvia?
Bachelor's: 20 hours a week in term, 40 in holidays. Master's and doctoral: no limit.
Can I stay in Latvia after I graduate?
4 months, plus a possible 9-month job-search extension for master's and doctoral graduates.
Do EU citizens need a student visa for Latvia?
No. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens may live and study in Latvia without a student visa. For a stay of more than three months they normally register their residence after arriving.
This page is general information from official sources, not immigration advice. For a decision about your own case, the official source or a regulated adviser is where that belongs.