Road to Latvia by car. Items and products prohibited for import into the Republic of Latvia. Video: guide to the Baltics with the Golden Globe program

There are several routes by which you can get to Latvia from Russia. However, not all trails are of good quality. And at the border it would be nice to know what the fastest checkpoints are.

Moscow-Riga. Which route to choose?

Many people prefer to travel to Latvia by own car. It’s cheaper, more comfortable, and faster, the main thing is that you’ll have time to see more (you’ll be able to plan trips and excursions without being tied to public transport). Practice shows that it is quite convenient to get to Latvia through Belarus, but the busiest and most popular route from Moscow is along the M9 Baltic highway.

Checkpoints at the border. Which points have the least queues?

It houses one of the most popular checkpoints - Burachki - Terekhovo. Quite a lot of transport gathers here. Cars and trucks stand in different queues.

What documents are needed at the border between Russia and Latvia?

When crossing the state border you will need to present the following documents:

Foreign passports with visas, medical policies for each traveler (for the period specified in the visa or the period of first entry if the visa is multiple). Insurance, as a rule, is taken out even before the visa is issued - the main thing is not to leave it at home;

A driver's license issued according to an international model (for Russia this is an international license);

Car registration documents, maintenance and power of attorney (if you are not driving your own car);

When entering Latvia, you also need a Green Card - a green card for a car (for the duration of your stay in Latvia).

What and how much can you import into Latvia?

The list of things that are prohibited for import into Latvia is very strict. You will be checked/questioned especially closely at the border (when entering Latvia).

Auto tourism among Russians is becoming more and more popular every year. Traveling by car has many advantages.

It is not surprising that many tourists prefer to get to the Baltic countries, which are quite close to Russia, by car.

On such a trip, travelers do not depend on other people's schedules and prices - they can stop at any time and enjoy the place they like.

To Riga by car

Trip to Riga with your own transport has obvious advantages:

autotourists do not depend on the schedule of planes, trains and buses;
trip to own car, especially if 4-5 people are traveling in it, it is much cheaper than air travel and even train and bus travel;
the opportunity to travel around the country on your own route, regardless of other tourists.

In order for a trip from Moscow to Riga by car to go well, without any incidents, you need prepare your route in advance travel, familiarize yourself with the rules for crossing borders with Latvia and collect all the necessary documents.

Documents for traveling to Latvia by car

To enter Latvia by car, tourists need the following documents:

foreign passports for each of the tourists. Children under 14 years of age may be included in the foreign passport one (or both) of the parents traveling with the child;
If a child travels without parents, he must have his own passport, regardless of age. Moreover, in this case you need power of attorney from parents, certified by a notary;
children's birth certificates;
a valid Schengen visa affixed to the foreign passport;
valid for the duration of the trip medical insurance, issued in accordance with the requirements of EU countries, with the amount of coverage not less than 30,000 EUR;
for a car driver - a driver's license, which meet international standards(that is, the driver’s data must be written on the license in Latin letters);
car registration certificate;
Green card (motorist liability insurance), valid in Latvia.

The green card is issued by the insurance company no earlier than 30 days before the start of the trip. The minimum validity period of a Green Card is 15 days.

It is useful to read about what it is, because in Latvia they strictly monitor compliance with its rules.

Read here what you need to apply for a visa to Latvia and get all the necessary information if you are going to apply for a visa to this country yourself.

Travel routes

You can enter Latvia by car either through Russia or Belarus. When traveling from Moscow, the difference in mileage between routes is about 90 km. By Russian territory(along the M9 highway) the path is shorter.

Despite this, most motor tourists prefer to travel through Belarus (along the M1 highway). This is due to the fact that usually checkpoints on the Latvian-Russian border are more heavily loaded, and motorists have to wait for several hours stand in lines at customs.

In addition, many drivers were not satisfied with the quality of the road on the M9 highway. Until recently, the road in the Tver region and in the Rzhev area was badly damaged, but last year there was road repairs carried out.

Route along the M9 highway on the map

Distance from Moscow to Riga by federal highway M9 (“Baltic”) is about 950 kilometers. Travel time without stops is 11-12 hours.

The route passes through Volokolamsk, Rzhev, Velikiye Luki to the automobile border checkpoints Burachki (on the Russian border) and Terekhovo (on the Latvian border). Further on the territory of Latvia the route passes through Ludza, Vilany and Ogre.

Road after repair latest reviews motorists, really good. The exception is small areas near Rzhev. In the Tver region, where the worst section of the road was, new asphalt was laid and fresh markings were applied.

The road on Latvian territory is slightly worse from Ludza to Vilana(all in patches), but there are practically no holes. In general, Latvian roads (A6, A12) are of fairly good quality.

The advantages of this route include a small number settlements, where the driver has to reduce speed greatly. Therefore, you can get to Riga quite quickly.

Among the disadvantages of this route, tourists note a small number of cafes and gas stations.

On the Russian-Lithuanian border there are often queues in which you can stand from 2 to 6 hours. Point Burachki-Terekhovo considered the busiest of 4 automobile checkpoints located on the border of Russia and Latvia.

Cars containing small children are allowed to pass without a queue. The customs inspection itself is quick. The main thing is that you have all the necessary documents.

Latvian border guards are only just planning to, following the example of their Estonian colleagues, introduce electronic booking places in line at the border, so queues can rarely be avoided.

The Burachki-Terekhovo point is open around the clock.

Technological checkpoint breaks: 08:45 – 09:00 in the morning and 20:45 – 21:00 in the evening.

Route along the M1 highway on the map

There are two possible options here.

Option one: from Moscow, take the Minsk highway (M1 highway), and then, a little before reaching Smolensk, turn onto the road towards Velizh-Nevel, and in the Pustoshka area take the Baltic highway (M9). Then you can continue moving towards the Russian-Latvian border;
Option two (via Belarus): from Moscow take the M1 highway, after the Smolensk bypass you need to turn onto the road to Vitebsk. Continue on across Belarus along the P21 and P20 highways. Border crossing is carried out at the Urbany-Silene and Grigorovshchina-Paternieki checkpoints.

The distance from Moscow to Riga is just over 1000 kilometers. Travel time is approximately 13-14 hours without stops. And although the route is a little longer than the M9 highway, you can get to Riga faster.

This is due to the lower congestion at vehicle checkpoints on the border of Belarus and Latvia. Therefore, as a rule, there are no such queues as on the Russian-Latvian border.

Works around the clock . The average waiting time in queues at the border with Latvia is approximately 1-2 hours.

The Grigorovshchina-Paternieki checkpoint is also located in the Vitebsk region along the road R-20 Novopolotsk-Verkhnedvinsk-Riga.

The point is open 24 hours a day from technological breaks: from 08:45 to 09:00 and from 20:45 to 21:00.

There are more cafes and gas stations along the M1 than along the M9. However, the last gas station is located in the Polotsk area. The next gas station is in Latvia. Motorists should remember that in Gasoline is much more expensive in Latvia, so it’s better to fill the tank full before crossing the border.

Duty free to the Republic of Latvia allowed to import:

one full tank of gasoline plus one 10 liter canister;
40 cigarettes or 10 cigars;
1 liter of strong alcohol or 2 liters of weak alcohol, or 4 liters of wine.

It is prohibited to import dairy products and meat, including sausages, into Schengen countries.

Motorists should also take into account that in Latvia You can't use a radar detector, so it is better to remove it before the border. Studded tires are allowed only in the autumn-winter period (from October 1 to May 1).

Your car must have a warning triangle and a reflective vest.

Updated 2019! Many thanks to everyone who writes in the comments about the current state of the track!

Information about the M9 highway as of August 2018 has been added to the comments.

Travel date: 04/29/2015

Distance Moscow - Riga (via Belarus): 1020 km

We decided to go to Latvia by car, having no previous experience of such long trips behind the wheel. Therefore, our route Moscow - Riga and back had overnight stays, in order, firstly, not to drive along the night highway, and secondly, to break long way behind the wheel.

I will indicate the places where we stayed, maybe it will be useful to someone.

Let me tell you that we were driving through Belarus along the Minsk Highway, because... Having read the reviews about the direct Riga route, we realized that it was better not to risk it. A couple of years ago it was in disrepair, but we couldn’t find any information about how things are now, so we decided to take the route through Belarus, which was praised by drivers.

Route

Moscow (Route M1) - Smolensk (Route P-120) - Vitebsk - Novopolotsk (Route P-20) - Grigorovshchina (border) - Daugavpils - Jekabpils - Riga

Navigator

We used a free offline navigator Maps.me and in principle they were satisfied. It works without the Internet, the route is laid out correctly, except for a couple of times when he decided to take a shorter path and took it along the gravel road. It also correctly indicates all the necessary points - gas stations, hotels, cafes, etc.

GPS coordinates for the route Moscow - Vitebsk - Daugavpils - Riga

Vitebsk 55.163437, 30.344174
Daugavpils 55.954601, 26.555401
Riga 56.931758, 24.194587

We left on April 29 in the evening after work, so we decided to stop for the night before reaching Belarus and continue our journey in the morning. We looked for a hotel on Booking, there was not much choice, based on reviews we chose (Orange) in Yartsevo (Smolensk region), it is located almost on the highway. Late check-in is no problem here. The hotel has a restaurant open 24 hours a day, where you can eat something tasty and not expensive. Good breakfast included (from 7.00 am). The room is not noisy, quite normal renovation. Everything was great, except for the mattresses, which prevented us from getting much sleep. They are very soft and you just sag in the bed. Apart from this convenience, the hotel can be safely recommended for those who need to spend the night on the road. A room for two cost 2100 rubles. on Booking and 2200 rub. the price is in their hotel.

Gas stations on Belarusian highways

This needs to be highlighted as a separate point, because gas stations in Belarus are only in larger settlements; after Vitebsk to the border there are only three of them: in Shumilino, Novopolotsk and Verkhnedvinsk. Please pay attention to this so that there is a supply of gasoline.

By the way, just before the Russia-Belarus border there are two Lukoil gas stations indicated, but only one of them is working, which is located on the opposite side, so you will have to turn around to refuel.

Border Belarus - Latvia

At about 8.00 am we drove towards the border along the P-120 highway. The Russia-Belarus border is conditional, basically no one is stopped. Then we went to Vitebsk along R-21, and along it we left Vitebsk and reached borders Grigorovshchina - Paternieki. Because we left before May holidays, having read what was going on at the border on such days, they planned to pass border control few hours. But to our surprise, we arrived at an empty border; there was only a separate line of trucks. A little later, 2 more cars pulled up behind us.

We passed the border without a queue in 40 minutes. This is despite the fact that we did not declare anything. Sandwiches that remained uneaten were thrown out before the border, because... valid hard limit for the import of meat and dairy products.

It is best to familiarize yourself with the rules for importing goods on the official website of the Latvian Embassy.

Documentation, which are required when crossing the border:

A green card for a car (we applied for it from RESO) costs 2,060 rubles.
Medical insurance
All documents for the car - license, technical passport, diagnostic card
Foreign passports with valid Schengen visas

There were no interrogations at the border; everything went well.

Traffic police on Latvian roads

Latvia greeted us with all courtesy - 20 kilometers from the border a surprise awaited us - traffic police stopped us for speeding in a populated area. In general, we have heard a lot about the number of traffic cops on Latvian roads. Anti-radars are prohibited in Latvia, so you have to obey the speed limit. In populated areas - max 50 km/h, on highways - up to 100 km/h. After the conversation, the traffic cops issued us a “warning”, i.e. without a fine. You can’t relax further along the road, traffic cops are around almost every corner.

It’s better to familiarize yourself with it first.

Route around Latvia

Now about the road, that is. route around Latvia. When we were preparing for the trip, we found a review from one traveler on the Internet about the best way to travel around Latvia by car. He advised driving along the bottom and then going up, because there are practically no populated areas along the lower highway near the border and you can get there faster this way. So we went, although the navigator stubbornly built a route for us only along the top. As a result, this road took us longer than the usual route, firstly because of the quality of the road (it is not very bad, but one-lane, a little broken and wobbling), and secondly, the mileage is longer. We drove back along the E-22 highway, so we can definitely say it is better.

Riga and Jurmala by car

It is not very convenient to travel to Riga by car - in Old Riga you will most likely have problems with parking or it will be quite expensive. But driving around Jurmala is a pleasure - the roads are good, there are no traffic jams, there is a lot of parking, both paid and free. Even near the Dzintari concert hall there is a large paid parking lot and free parking nearby along the road, the main thing is that there is a place.

A little bit of Riga in May 2015:)

Riga — Moscow: the way back

On the way back, as mentioned above, we drove along the E-22 highway Riga - Jekabpils - Daugavpils. We left at 16.00 and arrived in Vitebsk at 22.00. Even though we were driving 100-140 km/h, the journey still took 5 hours, we thought we’d get there faster.

Route from Riga to Moscow by car through Belarus

Border Latvia - Belarus

We left Latvia without any problems; at the border there was 1 car in front of us in line. But the Belarusians are conducting an inspection. When entering Belarus, you need to declare everything, even one bottle of beer. We didn’t bring anything from Latvia to avoid unnecessary hassle. But our travel bag was inspected in a way that was not inspected when entering the Schengen zone. So be prepared for some serious border trouble. control.

Stop in Vitebsk

In Vitebsk we decided to stop for the night, because driving along an unlit highway was not at all impressive. We didn’t book the hotel in advance, although we tried. For some reason, hotels in Belarus are practically not represented on Booking.com. And as we understand, there is simply no other site where you can book a hotel in Vitebsk. Therefore, we decided to look locally. Local taxi driver recommended hotel“Dvina” (it is on the Maps.me navigator). This is the oldest state hotel with janitors and all the delights of life under the USSR. Located in the very center of the city, on the river. The rooms are normal, the renovation is not a year old, but everything is clean. Price per Double Room 1900 rub. There is a restaurant at the hotel, but it is open until 23.00. We didn’t have time to get there, because... I also had to go to the railway station to change money, by the way there is only one currency exchange point at a late time. The hotel staff suggested that have dinner after 23.00 You can only cross the bridge to the Teatralnoe cafe, next to the theater. This is a kind of “club”, of course very different from clubs in large modern cities. But despite all the sad appearance of this establishment and its contingent, they have a dress code and are not allowed in sportswear.

View from the window of the Dvina Hotel room in Vitebsk

The next morning we decided to have breakfast, take a walk and go home. We walked around the center in search of a “national cafe” and finally found it. In the very center of the city, turning onto Gogol Street, there is a pancake shop called “Lida Pancakes”. Everything is very modest inside, but the potato pancake pizza we ordered was simply delicious! If you're in Vitebsk, be sure to try it.
“Lida pancakes” are here:

There is probably the main one nearby shopping mall city - "Pyramid". There are clothing and shoe stores here, both local and well-known brands. And on the ground floor there is a large grocery supermarket “Euroopt”. You can buy Belarusian products there. We took something with us, fortunately we passed the border :)

We left Vitebsk at 13.00 along the P-21 - P-120 - M1 highway. The entire journey to the Moscow region took us 4 hours. Then we got stuck in a traffic jam for almost an hour - road work on the Minsk highway + an accident. Because of the traffic jam, the whole journey was delayed and we arrived home at the beginning of eight in the evening.

Gasoline expenses: 8000 rub. for the entire route

This was our road along the Moscow-Riga route and back. We will be glad if this information is useful to someone. And if you have questions, you can ask them in the comments.

Latvia joined the European Union back in 2004, so it is not possible for Russians to get to the Baltic coast without a visa. However, Latvia is one of the most attractive countries for domestic tourists, and this is not only due to a similar mentality, magnificent nature and architecture and the almost complete absence of a language barrier. In Latvia you can have enough easy to obtain a residence permit and open own business

. It is worth noting that those who have a permanent or temporary residence permit in a given country do not need a visa. In other cases, obtaining a visa to Latvia is the only way to enter this state. Attention!

In addition, it is most convenient to “get into” any other EU country through Latvia, since Latvia has been a member of the Schengen Agreement since 2007. Thus, having received a visa to Latvia in 2019, you have the right to freely travel throughout the Schengen area. To do this, you must first enter the territory of Latvia itself. Whether you apply for a visa yourself or with the participation of an intermediary is up to you. However, it is worth considering that by contacting an agency, you will have to pay more than if you apply on your own.

Types of visas and their costs

First of all, we note that there are three main types of visas to Latvia:

Transit;
National;

What is their difference? Thus, transit is designated by category A. It allows a tourist to stay at a Latvian airport for 24 hours without the right to leave it.

The national visa has category D and is issued for a sufficient period of time long term- 6 months. During this time, the tourist has the right to stay in Latvia for more than 90 days. If this visa does not indicate that its validity is territorially limited, you can, in addition to Latvia, visit other countries in the Schengen area.

However, most tourists prefer to apply for a category C visa - the same Schengen. Single and double entry visas in this category are valid for up to 90 days; A multiple entry visa is valid for 180 days.

The cost of a visa directly depends on how it will be issued. If you decide to tackle this issue yourself, the visa will cost you about 75 euros. You only pay the state fee. Here are the prices you can expect:

A Schengen visa (category C) for a short stay in the country will cost 35 euros;
Urgent visa category C, the processing time of which is up to 3 days – 70 euros;
National one- or two-entry long-term visa (category D) – 65 euros;
National long-term multiple-entry visa – 90 euros.
Children under 6 years of age receive a visa to Latvia free of charge.

A visa request is processed within ten calendar days. In urgent cases, you can apply to reduce this time to three days.

Now you know how much a visa to Latvia costs, but if you don’t have time to bother with it yourself, and you want to entrust its processing to an intermediary (travel company), then you will have to additionally fork out at least another 100 euros (for the company’s work), but this is not the limit. If you want this money to be spent for its intended purpose, choose your intermediary responsibly. You should check the level of accreditation of the company you have chosen, and you can do this on the official website of the Latvian Embassy (//www.am.gov.lv/ru/moscow/consul-info/entry-into-Latvia/tourism-companies/).

If there is no Latvian embassy or consulate in your city, and you do not trust travel agencies, contact the official Latvian visa center - Freight Link. In this case, you pay everything as usual, plus the center service fee. It is: in Moscow - 25 euros for one passport; by region – 30 euros per passport. Payment can be made in euros or rubles at the Central Bank exchange rate (including 18% VAT) on the day of payment. The addresses of Russian visa center branches can be found on the website of this organization (//latvia.pony-visa.ru/ru/contacts).

Payment is accepted both in cash and using payment cards (VISA, VISA Electron, MasterCard, Maestro).

Attention: If your visa is denied, the money paid for its processing will not be returned.

Package of documents for obtaining a Schengen visa to Latvia

If you need to apply for a visa to Latvia, take care of the package of documents that will need to be provided at the embassy. The package must contain:

Application form , which must be filled out completely and contain only truthful information. False or incomplete information is unacceptable, as it may result in refusal to obtain a visa or cancellation of an already issued one. A sample of the completed application form looks like this, and you can download and print the official form for later filling out. After this, you need to sign the paper, stick a photo on it and take it with you along with other documents;

Adviсe:

Write your name in the application form in both Russian and English language(copy from your passport).
Dashes, “crosses”, “pluses”, “ticks” are not placed in the form unless the conditions for filling it out require it. Each item must contain a specific answer, even if it is “yes” or “no”.

A Latvia visa application form filled out online can reduce the time allotted for the embassy to review your documents. You can fill it out and submit it for preliminary consideration on the website of the Latvian representative office (//epak.pmlp.gov.lv/NVIS.EService001.WebSite/ApplicationInquiry.aspx). But, of course, this does not save you from filling out the paper version;

international passport , issued no more than ten years ago, with at least two blank pages and a validity period of at least 90 days from the date of return from Latvia or another Schengen country to your homeland;
Russian citizen passport;
Photos in the amount of 2 (two) pieces.

The photo requirements are as follows:

Size - 35x45 mm (1 mm error allowed), without white corner;
Photos are in color only;
Background - white or light gray. Photos with a dark or colored background are not valid;
The gap from the top edge of the photo to the head is 6 mm (± 2 mm);
Photo paper – matte or glossy, but always smooth, without raster or embossed texture;
The position of the head is strictly full face;
Facial expression is extremely natural; a slight smile is allowed;
Lighting is even on both sides of the face. Lighting and other artistic “special effects” are unacceptable;
Photos in outerwear (jackets, coats, etc.), hats, and bare shoulders are not valid;
The photo should not contain dominant colors;
If you wear glasses, they can be present in the photo, but on the condition that their reflection will not darken your eyes. Sunglasses pulled down over the nose are not allowed;
The image in the photo is clear and clear, without scratches or other damage;
The age of the photo is no more than 6 months before the date of submission of documents;

Medical insurance , valid throughout Schengen, issued for the entire period of your trip and able to compensate for any possible medical expenses. The minimum insurance amount is 30 thousand euros;
Voucher (more precisely, its fax or printed copy), confirming a hotel reservation in Riga or another city in Latvia;
Purchased airplane tickets or other transport both ways. If traveling in your own car, you will need to provide license, title for the car, as well as an insurance policy (“Green Card”) civil liability on Latvian territory;
Certificate from the place of work indicating the amount of your salary, or other documents confirming your solvency.

To easily obtain a visa to Latvia, you must have the funds necessary for your stay in the country in the following amount:

From 10 lats (about 20 dollars) for each day of your stay in the Republic of Latvia, if the party that invited you provides your accommodation;
From 30 lats (about 60 dollars) per day, if you pay for your accommodation yourself.

Document confirming payment of state duty . Remember that if a visa is needed urgently, the state fee increases to 70 euros.

A tourist visa requires the same documents.

Applying for a visa by invitation

If you are traveling to Latvia by invitation, then, in addition to the above documents, you need to provide the number of the invitation letter, which the receiving party must issue at the embassy or consulate, or with a notary. The invitation, in addition to data concerning the party being received, must contain information about the invitee, that is, about you, namely:

FULL NAME.;
Date of Birth;
Place of Birth;
Place (address) of residence;
Citizenship;
Purpose of your visit;
Your place of residence at the time of your stay in Latvia;
Length of stay in Latvia;
Place to submit your visa application package.

Therefore, in order for the person who is going to invite you to formalize everything correctly, you will need to discuss all these points with him in advance. Please note that the purpose of your visit must be realistic. This will reduce the possibility of visa refusal to a minimum. The invitation itself is not sent by mail or in any other way. When the inviting party draws up this document, all data is entered into the system to which your embassy has direct access. You just need to indicate the invitation number, and the guest visa will be in your hands.

Advice: issue an invitation in advance, as it is valid only for 6 months. The visa itself is issued for the period specified in the invitation.

How to get a work visa to Latvia?

Since Russia is not a member of the European Union and is not part of the Schengen area, a work visa is required for Russians who want to work in Latvia. It is advisable to obtain this visa before you are required to start work. To ensure you can work safely, you will need a multiple-entry visa. To obtain it, you will need to collect the following documents:

Passport (civil and foreign);
Two photos;
Two completed forms specifically for a work visa (you can obtain the forms at the embassy);
A medical certificate confirming that your health is fine;
Medical insurance (policy);
Any proof that you have sufficient financial resources to stay in the country (a bank statement will do);
Original labor contract which you entered into with a company registered in Latvia;
A letter from your employer confirming their intentions towards you as a future employee.

If you are planning to move with your entire family, you will additionally need to provide a marriage certificate, as well as birth certificates of all family members who will be moving with you. If you are divorced but want to take your child with you, you will need a divorce certificate and documented consent from the other parent or legal guardian to take the child abroad.

If all parental rights belong exclusively to you (the other parent is either deceased or deprived of parental rights), then you will need to provide (depending on the situation) a death certificate or a court order confirming your exclusive right of custody.

The terms of the contract may provide for a so-called residence permit, thanks to which you will receive the right to stay in the country permanently, and not be interrupted every 90 days to extend your visa. If the contract does not provide for permanent residence, you will be issued an annual visa to Latvia, short-term or long-term;

Obtaining a visa that allows you to stay in a given country for 12 months without leaving is not possible for Russians. Only citizens of New Zealand and Canada can obtain such a visa, since Latvia has a bilateral agreement with these countries under the Working Holiday program.

You may be exempt from obtaining a Latvian work visa if you:

Company manager representing a foreign company;
Shareholder of any company registered in Latvia;
A current holder of a permanent residence permit in a given country.

Applying for a visa for a child

Those who need to obtain a visa to Latvia for a minor child should take care of the following documents:

An application form with a photograph of the child, which is filled out and signed by parents or guardians (in the 10th paragraph of the form you should indicate the details of one of the parents or guardians);
Birth certificate;
Civil and foreign passports, if the child is already 14 years old. If the child has not yet reached this age and will travel using the parent’s international passport, information about the child must be entered into this document and his photo must be pasted in;
Two photographs taken maximum six months before the paperwork;
Medical insurance policy for an amount of at least 30 thousand euros;
Document indicating the availability of an acceptable quantity Money. A bank statement for three is enough last month or a certificate from the place of work of one of the parents or guardian, indicating the amount of salary;
A document confirming payment of the state fee. Regardless of what age a child is issued with a visa to Latvia, the price remains the same. The exception is children under 6 years of age, for whom a visa is issued free of charge.

If a minor child is traveling unaccompanied by adults, it is necessary, in addition to the above documents, to provide:

both parents. It must contain information about the person who will be responsible for the child on Latvian territory;
In this case, the child must have his own passport. This means that only children over 14 years old can travel unaccompanied by adults;
Notarized permission from both parents allowing the child to cross the border independently.

If the child is accompanied by one parent, provide a notarized permission from the other parent to take the child abroad. If there is no second parent, then, depending on the situation, you will need either a death certificate of the 2nd parent, a court decision on guardianship, or a certificate of guardianship from the Orphan's court. The processing time for a child visa is from 7 to 10 days.

Will they be allowed into Latvia with a Finnish visa?

For many, the relevant question is whether it is possible to enter the territory of Latvia by. Yes, you can, since Finland is part of the Schengen Union. However, if you already have a Finnish visa, but have not been to Finland yet, we recommend making at least one trip to this country, even for one or two days. Latvian border guards treat those who have already crossed the Finnish border with great confidence.

If you have not yet visited Finland, this, of course, is not a reason not to let you into Latvia, but, most likely, you will have to answer several questions at the border, for example: “Why have you never been to Finland?” or “Why was the visa obtained in Finland, but you are going to Latvia?” and so on. If you are not sure that you will not be turned back at the border, then you can make your first visit to Latvia through Finland. Thus, you will comply with the clause in the Schengen rules, according to which the first country of entry into Schengen is the country that issued the visa, and you will freely enter Latvia.

Visa procedure

Don’t be afraid to apply for a visa yourself, because it’s your fear that companies that promise to help you with the application can take advantage of, thereby “ripping off” a tidy sum for their services. If for any reason the office fails to issue a visa, then no one will return the money you paid. Therefore, collect the documents yourself and bring them to the embassy yourself. The algorithm of your actions is as follows:

Book a hotel in Latvia, get any in a convenient way a copy of the voucher confirming the reservation and print it out;
Prepare all necessary documents;
Purchase round-trip tickets in advance;
Fill out the online form, and also be sure to print, fill out and sign its paper version;
Make copies of all documents from the list (including tickets);
Go to the embassy or consulate, where you pay the state fee and submit documents;
After 10 days you go to the embassy again to get a visa to Latvia. If the visa is ready earlier, you will be called and notified.

Address of the Latvian Embassy in Russia: 105062, Moscow, st. Chaplygina, 3.

As a rule, documents are submitted for consideration on weekdays from 9:00 to 13:00, and receipt of a passport with a visa is also on weekdays, but from 15:00 to 16:00.

Customs regulations

When crossing the Latvian border, you must adhere to certain rules for the import of goods and personal luggage. Let's name the main points.

1. The cost of personal consumption goods should not exceed:

300 euros if entry is by land;
420 euros if entry into the country is made by water or air transport.

Moreover, this price does not include:

the cost of medicines that the foreigner plans to use for his own needs;
the cost of alcohol and tobacco products carried by the traveler;
the cost of transported personal luggage.

2. It is allowed to import tobacco products in the following quantities:

200 cigarettes or 250 g of tobacco when traveling by plane;
40 cigarettes and 50 g of tobacco when crossing the border by other means of transport.

3. The import of alcoholic beverages is also limited. The traveler can take with him:

1 liter of drinks with an alcohol content of more than 22%;
4 liters of drinks with alcohol content up to 22%;
4 liters of wine and 16 liters of beer.

If the quantity of tobacco products and alcohol transported by a foreigner exceeds the specified standards, then a declaration is filled out and excise tax is paid.

Video: guide to the Baltics with the Golden Globe program

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German said:

Hello!
But what if I’m going to go to the Baltics by bicycle and plan to spend the night in a tent the whole time. What documents are needed in this case, because I don’t book hotels.

Anna said:

Hello! I’m traveling with a friend by car to Riga, except for a foreign passport with a valid visa and insurance, do I need anything else from documents? (I’m going for the first time, I don’t want to get into trouble right at the border)

Pushkin Mountains, Pskov, Pechory, Izborsk, Riga, Jurmala, monasteries, estates, beauty.

In August 2016, my friend and I made an exciting trip by car to Latvia, to the Riga seaside. Initially, we had a different idea: I had long dreamed of visiting the Pskov-Pechora Monastery, which is located on the border with Estonia in the city of Pechory. The proximity to the Baltic countries inspired us to extend our trip to Riga and further to Jurmala, on the Baltic coast.

We had a Schengen visa. Departure from Moscow on August 15. We have planned the following route:

My first run was before Pushkin Mountains. We covered the distance to our destination in 8 hours in a German reliable car.

Pushkin Mountains

Since we arrived in the village of the poet Pushkin in the evening, we had to look for an overnight stay in a sanatorium, of which there are a large number in this place, and all of them are happy to take tourists for one night.

We spent the entire next day in three estates of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, which I advise all travelers to do. All the attractions of these places are definitely worth spending the whole day on. We visited all three estates where our great poet lived, as well as the Holy Dormition Monastery, where he was buried.

Holy Dormition Monastery

The Mikhailovskoye estate was donated by Empress Elizaveta Petrovna to Pushkin’s great-grandfather Abram Hannibal, and was considered family estate Pushkin. The great poet spent a lot of time here and especially loved it. There are many on the estate memorable places: Pushkin’s bench, stone, Pushkin’s bridge and, finally, a residential building where there is an excellent museum, and where you can see how Alexander Sergeevich lived in reality.

Bridge over a stream in the poet's estate

Stone "To the poet's house"

Inside the Mikhailovskoye estate

Interior of the Mikhailovskoye estate

Courtyard of the Mikhailovskoye estate

Just benches

Unusual sculpture

This estate was also the family property of the Pushkin family, is located not far from Mikhailovsky and undoubtedly deserves a tour. In the main building of the estate, a museum dedicated to the life and everyday life of A.S.’s ancestors was founded. Pushkin.

The estate itself

Estate "Petrovskoe", courtyard

Beautiful view!

This estate belonged to close friends of Alexander Sergeevich. He visited her often and loved her very much. They say that one of the three daughters of the owners of the estate loved Pushkin unrequitedly, remaining lonely for the rest of her life. There is also a belief that it was in Trigorsky that Pushkin saw “a fleeting vision, a genius of pure beauty” - young Anna Kern.

The estate is also located next to Mikhailovsky and Petrovsky, and is part of the Pushkinsky Nature Reserve.

The city itself didn't make much of an impression on us. The only attraction worthy of attention for the discerning tourist - the ancient Pskov fortress, the center of which is the Kremlin (or Pskov Krom).

The Pskov fortress arose back in the 9th-10th century and took on its modern shape closer to the 17th century. It is a magnificent sight, worthy of a professional photographer's camera. We did not stay long in Pskov and headed to the city of Pechory, which is only 50 km from Pskov.

Pskovsky Krom

We spent the night in Pechora. In the center of the city there is one of the most famous holy monasteries in Russia - the Pskov-Pechora Lavra. This one monastery is the main attraction of Pechory and the main goal of many pilgrimage routes.

Our purpose for visiting Pechory was also related to pilgrimage. Therefore, that same evening we visited the monastery, where we were offered overnight accommodation in a specialized pilgrimage center. Payment was according to conscience - “as much as you want.”

Much about the history of the monastery, as well as from the life of the monks, can be read in the famous book by Archimandrite Tikhon (and now Bishop) “Unholy Saints,” which will be of interest not only to believers, but also to any interested person.

Officially, it is called the Holy Dormition Pskov-Pechora Monastery; the year of its foundation is 1473. This monastery never stopped its activities, including during the Soviet era. This was partly facilitated by the fact that at the beginning of the 20th century until 1945 it was located on the territory of Estonia.

The so-called “God-created caves” gave the monastery great fame. These caves were the burial places of priests and noble laymen. One feature made these caves famous and holy - there is no smell of decay here, despite the fact that all burials were made in coffins, without covering them with earth. Constant, year-round temperature in the caves is +10 degrees Celsius.

Also one of the main attractions of the monastery is the Assumption cave church. It was dug out of sandstone, has only the front part - the facade, the rest of the building went uphill. The value of this holy monastery rests on the great monks who lived their lives here. One of them is Archimandrite John (Krestyankin), revered by Orthodox Christians.

View of the Pskov-Pechora Lavra

Pskov-Pechora Lavra

Izborsk

On one of the few days we were in Pechory, we made a trip to Izborsk, which is only 20 km from Pechory. This small town is located on the shore of the beautiful Gorodishchenskoye Lake. There is an ancient belief that Izborsk once belonged to one of the Rurik brothers.

One of the significant attractions of Izborsk is the ancient Izborsk Fortress, built back in the 14th century. The fortress is very picturesque. I am glad that it is being restored little by little. I recommend visiting it, as well as the beautiful shores of Gorodishchenskoye Lake.

In Izborsk there are the so-called keys of the 12 apostles, which are also a must-see.

The mighty wall of the Izborsk fortress

View from the Izborsk fortress

Courtyard of the Izborsk Fortress

Blue sky

Borders

Having visited the Pechersk shrines, we headed to the Russian-Estonian border along. There are some important details for travelers here. As many people know, to travel around Europe by car you need not only a Schengen visa, but also a so-called “Green Card”, essentially insurance for the car.

Such insurance can be purchased in any city in Russia. We purchased it on the way to the border - along the entire extension of the A212 highway there are small kiosks for selling the Green Card. It costs 2600 rubles. (at summer 2016 prices). You can also purchase it directly at the border, but it’s twice as expensive.

Important! Do not forget to fill your tank with gasoline, as well as all available cans and other containers. Remember that in Latvia, as elsewhere in the European Union, gasoline is twice as expensive!

Euro pointer to Latvia

We crossed the border between Russia and Estonia without any problems, standing in a small queue for a short amount of time. Then, after driving a little through Estonia, we entered Latvia. The distance from Pechory to the first stop in the town of Sigulda is about 200 km.

Sigulda is located 50 km from Riga. This city was founded in the 13th century by the knights of the Order of the Sword. Ancient history The city left a legacy of the picturesque Turaida Fortress and Castle, which have recently been restored. Thus, the Town is more than 800 years old, and about 10,000 people live in it.

Not far from the town there is the only bobsleigh and luge track in Latvia, which we did not visit due to the summer. We also did not stay here for long, but headed to the capital of Latvia - Riga.

Sigulda, Latvia

Riga

The road to Riga took me less than an hour along outdated roads built back in Soviet times and clearly in need of updating. We entered the city in the evening, all that remained was to find accommodation for the night. The city has a large number of hostels and inexpensive hotels, which can be found using a navigator or applications such as “Booking”.

Important: there is paid parking in the center of Riga, so I recommend not driving into old part cities by car.

We settled in a modest hotel costing 30 euros per night per person on the outskirts of the city with free parking. We got to the city center by public transport or on foot. The city as a whole is small.

Walking around old Riga left indelible impression. The city is very beautiful, well-kept and quiet. Locals friendly to tourists, and we have never noticed any negativity. Riga residents over 35 years old speak Russian perfectly, but young people hardly know Russian.

The sights of Riga have long been known. I really liked:

The Dome Cathedral
House of the Blackheads
I highly recommend all these buildings for excursions.

The Dome Cathedral

House of the Blackheads

In fact, Jurmala is a suburb of Riga; electric trains go there. The journey will take no more than 10-15 minutes.

Important: public transport in Latvia is expensive. Tickets for buses and trains from 5 euros.

All parking in Jurmala is free, but during the season, housing is more expensive. It lasts from mid-summer to mid-September. The weather in the Baltics is cool even in mid-August, air +20-25, water +18-20.

Jurmala is a great place to relax and restore your health. In addition to the fact that the town is located on the Baltic Sea coast, it is all planted with coniferous trees. There are especially a lot of pine trees. The combination of iodine sea air with the aromas of pine and spruce gives the feeling that every inhalation and exhalation is a beneficial inhalation for the body.

Jurmala is a town of private buildings. Personal cottages, villas and simpler dachas predominate here. There are a lot of interesting buildings from the point of view of architecture and art. There is a lot to admire while walking around the town. Excellent in Jurmala sand beach. The sand there is so compacted that it serves as a comfortable surface for cycling.

For this reason, cycling is very popular here. There are bike rental points all along the coast. On one of these walks we even met Konstantin Ernst.

Incredible sand sculpture

Beautiful house

Those same sprats!

our car

And finally some goodies!

Jurmala is a city of Russian celebrities, so meeting some pop or media star here is not uncommon. One of the main attractions of Jurmala is concert hall“Dzintari”, where the pop song competition “New Wave” is held annually.

We ate in local cafes and also bought food in supermarkets. Prices for food here are similar to those in Moscow. Among the local products, we were pleased with the real Latvian sprats. As it turned out, they are very different from those that we buy in Russia. It was also interesting to try local Latvian beer. Of course, there was nothing supernatural about it.

Advice: for those who want to repeat our route, we advise you to take a bicycle with you (if a car allows). Given the high cost of gasoline and public transport, this is the most convenient and cheap way movement!

End of the journey

On the morning of August 20, we drove towards Moscow, highway A212. Having left Jurmala at 6 am, we drove 960 km in one daylight. We made short stops for refueling and snacks.

Some features of the route:

At the border towards Russia there is a decent queue of Europeans who are coming to us for cheap gasoline.
The border guards, knowing this, give preferences to their compatriots and let our brother skip the line.
The road is quite deserted. Sometimes you drive 200 km without known gas stations or cafes. It is better to stock up on gasoline in full.
We didn’t encounter any traffic jams anywhere, including the usually cramped Moscow region. The holiday season played into our hands.
We entered the city late in the evening.
Drivers without experience would not recommend such a long drive. Fortunately, we have more than 10 years of driving experience and a reliable German car.

We got one of the most bright travels, which we would be happy to repeat. Along the entire route we did not encounter any serious problems that would be worth warning about. People in the west and north-west of our country are friendly and calm. We have never seen conflicts, swearing or fights on the streets or cafes.

I will say the same about the Baltic states. Our fear that Russians are not liked there and are demonstrating this was not justified. The Balts are calm and friendly, they understand perfectly well that Russian tourist another source of income for them.

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