Government bans non-essential travel to Latvia

RIGA - From February 10 to 24, travelers from the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland and the UK will be allowed to enter Latvia only for urgent and important purposes, the government decided on Friday. 

Travel from non-EU countries to the EU, including Latvia, has already been significantly restricted, and permission to enter Latvia from these countries will be granted only in exceptional cases. 

That means that during the aforementioned time period all non-essential travel to Latvia is prohibited. 

The important and urgent purposes for entering Latvia from abroad include work, studies, family reunions, medical treatment, travel in transit or accompanying traveling minors, as well as return to the permanent place of residence or attending a funeral. 

A temporary ban has also been imposed on passenger transportation via airports, ports and by buses from or to the UK, Ireland and Portugal, which according to the Foreign Ministry, are countries with the most extensive spread of the new Covid-19 variants. 

The Foreign Ministry indicated that transportation of passengers is allowed with state aircraft and military transport, as well as on repatriation flights arranged by the Foreign Ministry. 

Persons who want to enter Latvia and who meet the aforementioned criteria for entering Latvia, will have to confirm the information by filling out Covidpass.lv questionnaire. They also have to have documents on them to prove the validity of the information provided in the questionnaire. 

The travelers allowed into Latvia will still be required to take a Covid-19 test and self-isolate upon arrival.