Ukraine to Latvia
Information for Ukrainians coming to Latvia
Ask for help or Offer resources
If you are a resident of Ukraine:
- When crossing the Latvian border, contact Society Integration Foundation and you will receive all the support (residence permits, accommodation, jobs, food, medicine, schools) call
+371 27380380
(available 24/7) - To get support in Riga call +371 80000800 (available 24/7).
- Telegram: t.me/ukrainelatvia
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The coordination between between organisations offering help and people needing it is managed by the non-profit organization Gribu palīdzēt bēgļiem. Your data will not be made public and will only be used to contact you. |
Welcome to Latvia!
Ukrainian citizens fleeing the war are warmly welcomed by the Republic of Latvia and its citizens in these challenging times. We are ready to provide you with accommodation, food, and other necessary help.
Preparation for arrival
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Please take valid travel documents with you when leaving for Latvia, if able.
However, the lack of travel documents or medical documents (certificate of vaccination, Covid-19 test) will not be an obstacle to entering Latvian territory for Ukrainian citizens. -
If you do not have a place to stay, do not worry.
Please inform the border authorities that you need assistance and accommodation, and they will arrange your stay in Riga. -
Ukrainian citizens (those with biometric passports) do not require a visa for the first 90 days.
You have the right to apply for a long-term visa with the right to employment or asylum in Latvia. Learn more about applications for long-term visa with the right to employment, please call: Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs: +371 67209422 and +371 67209400 (Monday–Thursday, 8.30–16.00; Friday, 9.00–15.00). For more information visit the website of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs. -
Review several resources and connect with state and non-profit organizations in Latvia.
To coordinate kindergarten, schools, co-working spaces, short-term employment opportunities and other needs. -
Possibilities to exchange hryvnias to EUR in cash are limited in Latvia. It is recommended not to withdraw cash from cash machines.
If you have Ukrainian hryvnias in cash, go to a Tavex currency exchange office in Riga. An individual can exchange hryvnias to a maximum of 50 EUR in value. You will have to show your Ukrainian passport with a stamp that proves that you have recently crossed the border or have received refugee status. If you want to transfer hryvnias from your bank account to a Latvian bank account, you have to carry out currency conversion first. More information is available from Latvian banks SEB, Citadele, Swedbank, Luminor. -
VISA and MasterCard payment cards issued by Ukrainian banks are operational in Latvia, but technical problems may occur. These payment cards can also be used to withdraw money from ATMs.
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Ukrainian citizens have the right to open a basic account with Latvian credit and financial institutions.
In order to open an account and issue a payment card, it is necessary to visit the bank's customer service center in person, bringing with you a Ukrainian passport. It should be noted that most banks serve customers in person only upon previous appointments. Thus, please contact the specific bank before visiting. More information is available here and on the websites of the following Latvian banks: SEB, Citadele, Swedbank, Luminor, Industra Bank, Regional Investment Bank.
Arrival and stay in Latvia
On arrival in Latvia via the border crossing points (external border, airport):
A border check will be carried out for persons with biometric passports. Visas will be issued to persons with other travel documents and without a valid Schengen visa.
If a person arrives without travel documents, the identity of the person will be confirmed in cooperation with the competent Ukrainian authorities.
From the Poland-Ukraine border
If you need assistance getting to Latvia from the Poland-Ukraine border, please reach out to the refugee support organization: Gribu palīdzēt bēgļiem.
Aid provided by the City Council of Riga
The current information on the services offered to refugees from Ukraine can be received 24/7 via the toll-free phone number: +371 80000800 (in Latvian, Russian, and/or English) or on-site at the Riga Congress house, K. Valdemara iela 5, on working days from 9:00 - 18:00.
Urgent medical assistance
If you or your family member needs urgent medical assistance on arrival in Latvia, please inform the State Border Guard officials on duty at the border crossing point or call 113.
Healthcare paid for by the Latvian state
All the state funded healthcare services are available for free to every Ukrainian citizen who arrives in Latvia or is already here and cannot return home due to war. More information is available by calling the toll-free information line +371 8000 1234. Communication in English and/or Russian. Working hours from Monday to Thursday: 8:30 - 17:00; on Friday: 8:30 - 15:00). When calling using a foreign number, use: +371 67045005
Pet animals
In case you have a pet with you when traveling from Ukraine, then, after settling in your place of stay, contact the nearest veterinarian to make an appointment. The veterinarian will examine, register, microchip and vaccinate your pet for free. For more information call the Food and Veterinary Service: +371 67095245
Contacts and resources:
Information on crossing the Latvian border is available 24/7 by calling the following phone no. +371 27380380
A 24/7 hotline for services and support for residents of Ukraine in Riga: +371 80000 800
Website of The Ministry of Interior of Latvia: www.iem.gov.lv/en
Asylum and residence permits
No visa is needed for the first 90 days for Ukrainian citizens (only for holders of biometric passports). You have a right to apply for refugee status and a permanent residence permit in Latvia.
You have a right to communicate and receive the responses in language you understand and also to ask for an interpreter. The citizens of Ukraine will also be issued long-term visas to provide rights to employment in Latvia.
To learn more about the application procedure for the long-term visa for Ukrainian citizens, please contact:
Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs Republic of Latvia
- +371 67209400 (Monday - Thursday 8:30 - 16:00; Friday 9:00 - 15:00)
- www.pmlp.gov.lv/en
If you need free legal help or have more questions about applying for asylum, please reach out to:
Latvian Centre for Human Rights which assists asylum seekers
Handbook for asylum seekers (PDF):
DownloadAccommodation
If you do not have a place to stay upon arrival, please contact Society Integration Foundation by calling +371 27380380 (available 24/7)
Help with accommodation
There are many locals ready to offer accommodation to Ukrainian citizens for free or a lower fee, both for short and long term accommodation. Please use the form to ask for accommodation options.
Short-term accommodation
If you wish to look for accommodation on your own, for short term options we recommend using:
Long-term accommodation
For long-term options of apartments we suggest these websites:
- SS.com (Rus, Lat)
- City24.lv (Rus, Eng, Lat)
- CityReal.lv (Rus, Eng, Lat)
- Zip.lv (Rus, Eng, Lat)
- RentInRiga (Rus, Eng, Lat)
Job opportunities
Information on job opportunities as well as practical information is available on the crowdsourced job opportunities platform ukrainetolatvia.teamtailor.com. This platform will regularly collect information only on those vacancies that companies offer to residents of Ukraine for work in Latvia or remotely, both full time and part-time. All the jobs listed in this platform do not require you to speak Latvian. The main communication language will be English or Russian. The state and municipalities are working to speed up and facilitate the process of obtaining a visa for Ukrainian citizens. The visas will include rights to employment in Latvia.
Startup support
The Latvian startup community is ready to warmly welcome techfugees, startups and their families in Latvia. Here are some of the major resources for tech entrepreneurs seeking practical information and assistance with relocation, setting up business in Latvia, as well as integrating into the local startup community.
- While Ukrainians don't need a visa to enter Latvia, a long-term visa or residence permit will be needed in order to stay. The Startup Residence Permit program (aka startup visa) provides non-EU entrepreneurs, their spouses, and their children a temporary residency permit for a maximum period of 3 years. Other visas and residence permit types are also available.
- The Latvian Startup Guide - spotlights benefits and opportunities of the Latvian startup welcome pack. It also contains useful information at a glance regarding moving to Latvia and everyday living.
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Latvian Startup Association Startin.LV - a leading ecosystem in Latvia uniting startups and ecosystem players. Reach us at info@startin.lv.
Services and support Startin.LV provides:- Consultations about the local startup ecosystem and its stakeholders
- Legal services for startup founders
- Integration assistance into the local tech community
- Consultations about government support programs
- Startup Support Division of Investment and Development Agency of Latvia - a state body that provides information, support, and guidance on Startup Visa and Aid programs available to startups. Reach us at startup@liaa.gov.lv.