Visas to the U.S.
Travel without a Visa
Latvian citizens and citizens of other U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries may apply for travelling to the U.S. without a visa if they plan a short term leisure or business trip.
Currently, 35 countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program, as shown below:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, New Zealand
Citizens of the VWP countries who already have a valid tourist/business visa continue travelling with that visa until it expires. No new requirements for travelers with visas apply. Please see section “Visas” for more information.
All individuals having a different purpose of travel, for example, studies, temporary work, work on ships, immigration etc., are required to obtain an appropriate U.S. visa.
Latvian non-citizens cannot travel without a visa and must obtain a U.S. visa for any purpose of travel.
Basic requirements for applying for travelling under the VWP:
- You hold a Latvian citizen passport issued after November 20, 2007 (citizens of other VWP countries, please refer to website http://travel.state.gov/visa
/temp/without/without_1990.html for information on passport requirements);
- You have NOT been refused a U.S. visa or admission to the U.S. in the past;
- You have NOT violated the conditions of the VWP on your previous visits or been deported from the U.S. in the past;
- You have NO criminal record;
- Your purpose of travel is tourism, visiting friends/relatives, or business meetings;
- You plan a short term trip that does not exceed 90 days (a return ticket should be presented upon arrival);
- You will enter the US aboard an approved carrier (you will need a visa if travelling on a private or official aircraft or vessels). The VWP permits arrivals by car from Mexico and Canada at land border ports-of-entry (POEs). The documentary requirements are the same, except there is no requirement for round-trip tickets and signatory carriers, as there are no carriers involved. You must satisfy the inspecting officer at the POE that you have funds to support yourself during your stay and you intend to depart the United States.
If you meet the basic requirements, please apply for your travel authorization through ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). All answers provided on your ESTA application have to be true and correct to the best of your knowledge. When misrepresentation is discovered (for example, about prior criminal records, previous visa denials, deportation from the U.S.), an ESTA approval received may be overridden and denied. That could result in denial of admission to the U.S. at the port of entry.
In all other cases, please apply for a visa. The visa application procedure is described in the section “How to apply for a U.S. visa?”.
More information on the U.S. VWP, as well as other information about travelling to the U.S. can be found on the U.S. Department of State website for travelers at http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without
/without_1990.html.
WARNING!
VWP travelers should be aware that unauthorized third-parties have established Web sites, which charge visitors seeking to travel to the United States under the VWP, for information about ESTA™ and for submitting ESTA™ applications to DHS on behalf of the traveler. These businesses and Web sites are not endorsed by, associated with, or affiliated in any way with DHS or the United States Government. Again, the United States Government does not charge a fee to obtain information about, apply for, or obtain a travel authorization through the ESTA™ Web site. Use of a private service to apply for travel authorization via ESTA™ will not expedite the granting of approval.
