The Foreign Ministry urges people not to travel abroad absolutely necessary

In view of the Cabinet decision of 9 March permitting international passenger flights as of 17 March to and from third countries, including flights organised by tour operators for purposes of tourism and recreation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls on all travellers to be aware of risks related to cross-border travel under circumstances of the pandemic, and would like to draw travellers’ attention to the following points.

• The Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs urges everyone to refrain, as much as possible, from travelling abroad unless it is absolutely necessary. This degree of caution is especially relevant for countries with a high or medium incidence of Covid-19 (in Latvian).
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, strongly urges, before going abroad, to consider epidemiological safety measures that are being established by foreign governments, passenger carriers (e.g., airlines), and airports.
• As for holiday trips organised by tour operators, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls on travellers to study quite carefully the terms of the tourism service and the travel insurer and, especially on expenses that are not covered by the insurer and tour operator in the cases where the traveller is unable to return to Latvia as planned, for example, if and when they have been tested positive for Covid-19 or are identified as a contact person for someone else who has tested positive.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls attention to the fact that reception of medical services abroad, including outside Europe, takes place according to local standards. Travellers’ return to Latvia is ensured by tour operators or the travellers themselves through the booking of commercial flights.

The requirement is still in force that all persons must fill in an electronic covidpass.lv form prior to their return to Latvia, and upon boarding be able to present the negative result of a Covid-19 PCR test taken no earlier than 72 hours before travel, as well as going into a 10-day self-isolation upon their arrival back in Latvia.

Persons entering Latvia by direct flights that cross the EU’s external border must take another Covid-19 test immediately upon their arrival in Latvia. If the test result is negative, the person shall go into a 10-day self-isolation at their place of residence. If the test result is positive, or if the person has not been tested, they must isolate themselves in a hotel. The test and hotel costs shall be covered by travellers themselves. Detailed information on the procedure and exceptions from these requirements are laid down in subparagraphs 56.4 - 56.5 of Cabinet Regulation No 360 “Epidemiological Safety Measures for the Containment of the Spread of Covid-19 Infection (in Latvian).

The categories of persons who are permitted to enter Latvia from third countries remain unchanged. A detailed list of such persons is given in Paragraph 37 of Cabinet Regulation No 360.

Likewise, the reasons for entering Latvia from the EU, the EEA, Switzerland and the UK remain unchanged and they are strictly defined. Entry to Latvia from those countries is allowed only for the purposes listed in subparagraph 5.49.1 of Cabinet Order No. 655 of 6 November 2020, Regarding the Declaration of the State of Emergency.