United States
Canada
Australia
Netherlands
Ireland
Japan
Cyprus
Student visa for Latvia, for students from Sri Lanka
As a citizen of Sri Lanka you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for Latvia before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter Latvia without a visa and apply for the residence permit there instead; check the official page below for the rule that applies to your passport.
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
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 It was €740 in 2025, and embassy pages still quoting €740 are out of date.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.
Where to apply
At the embassy or consulate of Latvia that covers Sri Lanka, 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. Checked 2026-09-24. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you apply.
Questions students ask
Do students from Sri Lanka need a visa to study in Latvia?
As a citizen of Sri Lanka you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for Latvia before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter Latvia without a visa and apply for the residence permit there instead; check the official page below for the rule that applies to your passport.
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. (source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, checked 2026-09-24).
Can I work while I study in Latvia?
Bachelor's: 20 hours a week in term, 40 in holidays. Master's and doctoral: no limit.
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.