Latvia Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in latvia, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Latvians observe most national holidays recognized in western Europe, including Christmas and Easter.  The most important national celebration, in addition to Christmas, is Ligo/Jani (Summer Solstice) on June 23 and 24.  Latvians also celebrate name days in addition to their birthdays.  No gifts are expected during initial business contacts.

For additional information, please visit the website of the Latvian Institute:  Latvia.eu as well as Commisceo Global.

Travel Advisory

For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet site at Travel.state.gov, where current worldwide cautions, public announcements, and travel warnings can be found.  Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1(888) 407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and from overseas: +1(202)-501-4444.

Latvia specific information is available on the Department of State website at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Latvia.html

Additional travel information can be found on the U.S. Embassy in Latvia website.

Visa requirements

U.S. citizens do not need a visa to travel to Latvia if they plan to stay no longer than 90 days in a half year, counting from the first day of entry.  To remain in Latvia for more than 90 days, or to work, study, or reside in Latvia, a U.S. citizen must obtain a temporary residence permit.  The 90-day period begins with entry to any of the Schengen group countries.  Multiple visits to Schengen countries may not exceed 90 days in any 6-month period.  More information on traveling to the Schengen area is available at https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/go/schengen-fact-sheet.html.

To travel to Latvia, U.S. citizens must hold a valid U.S. citizen passport with a term of validity that exceeds the intended period of stay in Latvia by at least three months and a valid health insurance policy for international travel, which covers all costs relating to emergency medical care during the stay in Latvia, including the transportation costs from Latvia to the place of permanent residence of the individual in case of his/her severe medical condition or death.

Information regarding extensions of stay or how to receive an entry visa for the purpose of work, education, training, or other professional activity may be obtained from the Embassy of Latvia in the United States.
 
U.S. companies that require travel of foreign businesspersons to the United States should be advised that security evaluations are handled via an interagency process. Visa applicants should go to the following link(s):  State Department Visa Website.   

The U.S. Embassy in Latvia can provide a list of English-speaking physicians and lawyers.  More information is available on the Embassy in Riga website and select citizen services.  
 
Travelers are advised to purchase travel medical insurance coverage prior to visiting Latvia.

Currency

The currency of Latvia is the euro.  There are no restrictions on exchanging currencies or capital movement and foreign investors are allowed to extract their profits in any currency without constraints.

Telecommunications/Electronics

The Latvian telecommunications market is completely liberalized.  The main market players are Tet for fixed telephone and mobile operators LMT, Tele2, and Bite.  In addition, there are many licensed companies that provide specialized services such as broadband or international pre-paid phone cards, etc.
 
Latvia has one of the fastest broadband Internet in the world.  WI-FI is widely available in office buildings, hotels, near public phone booths, and at the airport.
 
The following mobile phone standards are operational in Latvia: GSM 900, GSM 1800 UMTS 900, UMTS 2100 LTE 800 (Band 20), LTE 1800 (Band 3), LTE 2100 (1) and LTE 2600 (Band 7).

Transportation

Riga International Airport is the main airport in the country.  American Airlines, Delta, and United Airlines all offer code-share flights run by their partners in the region.  The most popular air routes connecting Latvia with the United States lead through Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Helsinki, London, and Stockholm.
 
Many internationally recognized car rental companies, such as National, Avis, Sixt, and Budget, provide service for travel within the Baltic states.
 
The local public transportation system, including commuter trains, trolleys, and buses, is well developed and inexpensive.  Travel is safe so long as one uses precautions similar to elsewhere in Europe.  Tickets for public transport can be obtained from special ticket offices or directly on the transport, depending on the city and type of transport.
 
For more info visit:  https://www.latvia.travel/en/article/public-transport.

Language

In Latvia, the state language is Latvian.  The Latvian language belongs to the Baltic group of the Indo-European family of languages.  Its closest and only living relative is Lithuanian.  In large cities and the eastern region of the country, Russian is also widely spoken.  English is generally accepted as a business language.

 Health

The latest updates on COVID-19 in Latvia can be found on U.S. Embassy Website.  There are both private and state medical systems in Latvia.  Medical education is at a high standard.  Some services and skills that one may expect in the United States are less available.  There are no recorded notable health risks, and public tap water is safe to drink.  However, travelers must be alert to the risk of tick-borne encephalitis, especially when going to the countryside.
The U.S. Embassy in Latvia can provide a list of English-speaking physicians and lawyers.  More information is available at the U.S. Embassy website (citizen services).

Travelers are advised to purchase travel medical insurance coverage prior to visiting Latvia.

Local time, business hours, and holidays:

The local time in Latvia is Universal Time (Greenwich Mean Time) + 2 hours.

Daylight Savings Time or Summer Time is observed in Latvia.  It begins at 2 a.m. local time on the last Sunday in March, and it ends at 2 a.m. local time on the last Sunday in October.

Latvia observes a five-day workweek, with eight working hours per day and 40 working hours per week.  The workday typically lasts from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for manufacturing-related industries, or from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. for service institutions, including a one-hour lunch.  A list of national holidays in Latvia is available here: https://www.latvia.eu/history/national-holidays.

Temporary Entry of Materials and Personal Belongings:

Goods are accepted for temporary entry if they stay for no more than 24 months in the customs zone and then leave the country. Find additional information concerning temporary entry customs procedure.

Locate information on the ATA Carnet customs procedure  used for temporary importation, transit and temporary admission of goods designed for specific purposes, duty-free and tax-free (such as professional equipment for presentations or trade fairs).

Additional information is available at the EU Export Helpdesk.

For Latvia-specific information please consult the website of the Latvian Investment and Development Agency.  

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Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

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