🇱🇻Latvia visas, built right for Indian applicants.

Latvia is a compact Baltic EU member that has become a quietly popular choice for Indian students — especially for affordable, English-taught degrees, including in medicine and the health sciences.

Latvia is an EU member and part of the Schengen Area, so a Latvian study visa also gives you short-stay mobility across the wider Schengen zone. After graduation, students can apply for a period to stay and look for skilled work.

For Indian students, the appeal is value: a recognised EU degree at a moderate cost, taught in English, in a safe, walkable country. Riga, the capital, is the largest city in the Baltics and the centre of student life.

The honest counterweights: Latvia is a small country with a small job market, daily life runs in Latvian, and Baltic winters are long and cold. It suits a budget-conscious student who wants a recognised, English-taught EU degree — and who chooses a properly recognised institution.

What a study visa for Latvia involves

Indian students apply for a long-stay (type D) visa or a residence permit for study once they hold an admission from a recognised Latvian institution. You must show proof of funds for your living costs, alongside your admission, accommodation and health cover. Because Latvia is in the Schengen Area, your study visa also allows short visits across the other Schengen countries while you study.

Verified from Study in Latvia — official guide · checked 2026-05-16

Latvia visa costs — what to budget

| Route | Government fee (approx, EUR) | Also budget for | |---|---|---| | Long-stay study visa / residence permit | A defined fee | Proof of funds, tuition, health insurance | | Schengen short-stay visa | Around €90 | Trip funds, travel insurance |

Latvia visa processing times

| Route | Typical processing | Note | |---|---|---| | Long-stay study visa / residence permit | Several weeks to a couple of months | Apply well before your course start date | | Schengen short-stay visa | Around 15 days | Slower in peak travel seasons |

Where Indian students go in Latvia

Latvia's universities are respected and internationally open. The University of Latvia is the broad national flagship; Riga Technical University is strong for engineering and IT; and Rīga Stradiņš University is well known for English-taught medicine and the health sciences. Riga is the capital and the dominant student hub. English-taught programmes are concentrated there, so confirm the institution and programme are properly recognised before applying.

The Indian community in Latvia

Latvia's Indian community is small and recent, driven mainly by students — many in medicine — and concentrated in Riga. Indian groceries and a student community exist in the capital, though the network is modest. The climate is Baltic — long, cold winters and mild summers — a real change from Punjab.

Why Lifeset Overseas for your Latvia visa

We are a licensed visa consultancy in Patiala, Punjab. You get one consultant from your first call to the visa decision, an honest assessment of whether Latvia and your chosen institution fit your goals, and fixed, disclosed fees. We prepare the study visa file correctly and in good time.

Latvia visa FAQs

Why do Indian students choose Latvia? For affordable, recognised, English-taught EU degrees — including medicine and the health sciences — at a far lower cost than Western Europe.

Are courses in Latvia taught in English? Yes — English-taught programmes are available, with Rīga Stradiņš University well known for English-taught medicine.

How much money do I need for a Latvia study visa? Latvia requires proof you can cover your living costs for the period of study, on top of tuition. See our proof of funds guide.

Can I work while studying in Latvia? Students can work alongside their studies within the rules for student permits. Treat it as support, not funding.

Can I stay in Latvia after my degree? Yes — graduates can apply for a period to stay and look for skilled work.

Does a Latvian visa let me travel in Schengen? Yes. A Latvian study visa allows short visits across the other Schengen countries while you study.

Do I need IELTS for Latvia? For English-taught programmes, yes — usually IELTS or TOEFL to the level your programme sets.

My Schengen visa was refused — what now? Identify the exact reason, then appeal within the deadline or reapply with a stronger file. See our Schengen visa rejection guide.

Further reading

• Study visa hub — compare Latvia with other destinations
• Proof of funds for a study visa — how much to show and how
• Schengen visa rejection from India — reasons and recovery