Embassy of the United States Riga, Latvia

ESTA

Citizens of Latvia and 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. VWP applies for all territories of the United States of America, including Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US-Virgin Islands.

If you already have a valid tourist/business visa, continue travelling with that visa until it expires. No new requirements for travelers with visas apply. 

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 to travel without a visa:

1. You hold a Latvian citizen passport issued after November 20, 2007 (citizens of other VWP countries, please refer to website http://travel.state.gov/ for information on passport requirements);
2. You have NOT been refused a U.S. visa or admission to the U.S. in the past;
3. You have NOT violated the conditions of the VWP on your previous visits or been deported from the U.S. in the past;
4. You have NO criminal record;
5. You do NOT possess a valid or expired U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551;
6. Your purpose of travel is tourism, visiting friends/relatives, or business meetings (PDF - 136 kB);
7. You plan a short term trip that does not exceed 90 days (a return ticket should be presented upon arrival);
8. You will enter the US aboard an approved carrier (usually you will need a visa if travelling on a private aircraft or vessels).

The VWP permits arrivals by car from Mexico and Canada at land border ports-of-entry (POEs): http://www.cbp.gov/.

Apply for your travel authorisation: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/

If you meet the basic requirements, please apply for your travel authorization through ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization): https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/.

• All new ESTA applications are subject to an ESTA application fee of 14 USD payable by a credit card.
• 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.
• Please PRINT the page that shows your ESTA number and the approval notification, if your application is approved. Airline representatives may require you to present it prior to the registration for boarding.
• Unless revoked, ESTA authorizations are valid for repeat use for two years from the date of authorization, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. Update your travel information and check the expiration date every time you plan a trip.

In all other cases, please apply for a 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/.

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. Use of a private service to apply for travel authorization via ESTA™ will not expedite the granting of approval.