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International students applying to study in Latvia must know about Lativa student visa processing time. The processing time is the time taken to decide on a student visa application. Latvia is a country that is part of the Schengen zone. Therefore to apply for long-term studies in the country you need to apply for a D visa or a national visa. The processing time of a D visa is different from a short-stay application. This blog covers everything you need to know about the student visa and the Lativa student visa processing time.
This Blog Includes:
- Latvia Student Visa Processing Time
- Latvia Student Visa: An Overview
- Latvia Student Visa Requirements
- Application Process for Obtaining a Lativa Student Visa
- Tuition Fees to Study at a Latvian University
- Latvia Student Visa Application Fees
- Lativa Residence Permit Documentation Requirements
- Can I work in Latvia with a student visa?
- What to Do if the Lativa Student Visa Application is Rejected?
- FAQs
Latvia Student Visa Processing Time
Lativa offers two types of visas for international students. The short-stay visa is for studies of less than 90 days and the long-stay visa which is the student visa is for studies of more than 90 days. The processing time for these visas differs.
| Visa Type | Processing Time |
| Lativa short-stay visa processing time | 15 working days. The processing can be extended up to 45 days. |
| Lativa long-stay visa (D visa) processing time | Not officially provided |
The Latvian government has not provided the processing time of the D visa application. However, the general understanding is that the Latvia student visa processing time can take around 8 weeks to process this visa. However, the processing time can be extended due to several reasons such as the additional documentation requirement, or a huge number of applications for study.
Latvia Student Visa: An Overview
As mentioned before, Latvia has two types of visas. The first type of visa is the Short-term Schengen visa. You can get this visa to undertake short-term studies in the country. That is less than 90 days in 180 days. This visa is given for other purposes as well. For example, tourism, and visiting family members and friends in Latvia. This is essentially a type of visit visa.
The second type of visa is the Long term visa or D visa or the National visa. This visa is given to students who want to undertake long-term studies in the country. That is longer than 90 days. This is the visa you need to apply to study a Bachelor’s program, Master’s program, or PhD program in Latvia. The latvia student visa processing time is not officially provided.
Aside from obtaining a D visa, full-time students must apply for a residence permit. A non-Eu student registered with the Register of Education Institutions of the Republic of Latvia can apply for a residence permit based on student status. However, for part-time studies, you need to 1st obtain a residence permit in a Schengen country.
Read this all-inclusive guide for studying in Latvia
Latvia Student Visa Requirements
Non-EU students need to apply for a Lativa student visa. Similarly, nationals from a country that has a visa-free agreement with Lativa also need to obtain a student visa. That is if their studies exceed 90 days. To apply for a student visa you must know about the requirements for the visa and the Latvia student visa processing time. Below we have provided the details regarding the documentation requirements.
- Filled in the Long-stay visa application form. You can get the form from the VFS Global website.
- Attach 2 passport-size photographs, and ensure that your passport is valid for at least 3 months beyond the course duration.
- You must also provide an offer letter from a Lativan educational institution. For example, the University of Lativa
- Reserve a flight ticket to Latvia. Ensure that you are only purchasing a ticket that is cancellable. So that if the visa is not approved you do not need to lose your money.
- Aside from that you need to get travel insurance for the duration of your studies
- It is also important to pay your Lativa visa application fee.
Application Process for Obtaining a Lativa Student Visa
As per the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Republic of Latvia, you can apply for the visa at a Lativan Embassy or Consulate (if there is one in your country).In the case of India, you can apply to the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia in the Republic of India. The visa applications can be lodged through an external service provider: VFS Global. For the application process, you can follow the steps below:
- Complete a Lativa student visa application form. You will get the visa application form at the official website.
- Next, start your long-term visa application, and schedule your appointment.
- You need to choose a visa application centre for the visa appointment
- Next, Pay the visa application fees. The visa payment can be done at the visa application centre
- Attend your scheduled visa appointment at a visa application centre. You need to bring in your documents for the same.
- You may have to give a student visa interview
- At this stage, your visa application will be processed. Therefore, you need to wait for the Latvia student visa processing time to complete
- Once, the visa application has been processed. You will be informed of the same. You can pick up your passport from the visa application centre or have your documents returned to you by courier.
To learn about visa appointment booking at VFS Global watch the video below:
Tuition Fees to Study at a Latvian University
The tuition fees depend on the university you have enrolled in and the program. The average tuition fees are provided below:
| Popular study areas | Approximate tuition fees per year |
| Business Administration & Management | €2,000 – 6,000 |
| Health Care & Medicine | €8,000 – 15,000 |
| Computer Science | €1,800 – 3,800 |
| Engineering | €2,700 – 3,500 |
| Executive MBA degree | €25,600 |
| Degree in Dentistry (5 years) | €15,000 |
| Certain bachelors programmes (3-4 years of study) | less than €1,600 per year |
Latvia Student Visa Application Fees
Apart from the Latvia student visa processing time, you need to know about the application fee. The application fees for the student visa are as follows:
| Long Term – National Visas (More than 90 days) | Visa Fees |
| Fees for adults | €75.68 |
| Fees for children above the age of 12 | €75.68 (Above 12 Years). |
| Fees for children between the age of 0-7 | €37.84 |
To learn about the Cost of living in different countries use our cost of living calculator
Lativa Residence Permit Documentation Requirements
The Office of Citizenship Migration Affairs Republic of Latvia states the requirement of the following documents to obtain a Lativa residence permit. The original Long stay visa is only valid for 6 months. Therefore, you need to obtain a residence permit after reaching the country. The documents required are as follows:
- Copy of passport, and your photograph
- a definite sample form for a residence permit request
- A document certifying that you need to present
- Proof of funds. You need at least 620 euros per month for yourself. If your family members are joining you, then you need at least 620 euros per month (for adults), and 150 euros per month for minors.
- Additionally, you need to submit a statement of punishability (given by a competent institution of the citizenship or the home country) if you are more than 14 years old or have resided in the country for more than a year.
- You need to present proof of payment, and your offer letter from the university
You need to call the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs before submitting your documents. The Latvia student visa processing time- for a residence permit is not available.
Can I work in Latvia with a student visa?
Yes. You can work with a Lativa student visa. However, you can only work for specific hours as a student. The hours per week you can work as a student are as follows:
| Level of Education | Working Hours |
| Bachelor’s | 20 hours per week (part-time) |
| Master’s | No restrictions (can work full time 40 hours per week) |
| Doctoral studies | No restrictions (can work full time 40 hours per week) |
Read this guide to learn about popular part-time jobs in Latvia
What to Do if the Lativa Student Visa Application is Rejected?
If your Lativa student visa application is rejected you are left with two choices: These are:
- Reapplication; You can check the reasons for the visa refusal in the visa application rejection letter, and apply again for the Lativa student visa. However, this time ensure that you are submitting a strong visa application. Correct the mistakes and apply again.
- Request for an appeal: You can submit an appeal against the visa application decision by post, in person or by electronic means ( after signing the appeal). You can submit the appeal at the the diplomatic/consular mission of Latvia which has refused your visa application. Once an appeal is made, a decision is made within 30 days.
FAQs
Latvia is a part of the Schengen area. Therefore, its visa requirements and the application process are similar to those of countries in the Schengen area. For example, Germany. Those who meet the Lativa student visa requirements and submit accurate information will have no trouble in getting the visa.
The Lativa student visa success rate is above 90%. This means as long as you meet the requirements you are likely to get your visa application approved.
It can take around 8 weeks to process a Lativa long-stay visa application. On the other hand, a short-stay Lativa visa is processed within 15-45 days.
We hope you now understand the Latvia student visa processing time in detail. Want to apply for a Visa for your study abroad journey? Drop us a comment in the section below, or you can connect with a visa expert at Leverage Edu, and we will guide you on your dream journey!
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