Latvia Has Made It More Difficult To Apply For Visas In Belarus
- 20.08.2026, 9:15
Applicants will initially be placed on a verified waiting list.
The visa centers in Minsk and Vitebsk, Latvia, have changed their appointment system for submitting documents. Applicants will now first be added to a verified waiting list, and once slots become available, they will be offered the opportunity to select a visit time, according to the visa center VFS Global.
The new system has been in effect since August 17 and applies to all existing categories of applicants and types of visas. First, you must create and activate a VFS Global account, select a visa center, and choose the visa category and subcategory. The system will then ask you to upload a photo of the personal information page of your valid passport and complete digital facial verification.
Once verified, applicants will be automatically added to the verified waiting list. A confirmation and a unique registration number will be sent to your email.
When the consulate allocates available slots, VFS Global will send notifications to the corresponding number of applicants. After that, the applicant will have 72 hours to select a date and time to submit their documents. If an appointment is not scheduled within this time, the applicant’s information will be removed from the queue, and they will have to register again. Once selected, the appointment time cannot be changed.
However, previously confirmed appointments for August 17–31 remain valid. Those who were on the old waiting list as of midnight on August 17 have been automatically removed from it—they must register in the new system again.
It should be noted that opportunities for Belarusian citizens to obtain a Latvian visa are currently significantly limited. Applications are being accepted for long-term visas, while applications for short-term Schengen visas are accepted only from certain categories.
Specifically, this includes close relatives of citizens of Latvia and other EU countries, the EEA, and Switzerland; relatives of Belarusians with the right of residence in Latvia; individuals traveling on humanitarian grounds; as well as certain transportation workers and seafarers. A standard tourist trip is not included in this list.