Latvia has decided to keep its ban on Russian tourists visiting the nation in place until March 4, 2025. Citing security concerns, the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers has confirmed that Russians will continue to be prohibited from entering for leisure and tourism.

In September 2022, the first limits on Russian entrance went into effect. Latvia has been strictly enforcing these regulations ever since, and it has now decided to extend the current measures for a further year. The Cabinet of Ministers stressed that Russia’s continuous military aggression against Ukraine is the reason for the extension and that it poses a continuous threat to Latvia’s internal security. It is said that the immigration ban’s prolongation is a safety measure implemented within the nation’s borders.

However, some Russian ethnic groups are not prohibited from entering. The authorities in Latvia have made it clear that people with a residence permit from Latvia or any other EU/EEA nation, as well as those with a long-term Schengen visa and family members of Latvian and EU citizens with a short-term visa, are allowed entry, even though the ban for tourism and leisure purposes is set to last until March 2025. The entry ban is additionally exempt from some professions and humanitarian grounds, such as those of employees of freight and passenger transport services.

However, some Russian ethnic groups are not prohibited from entering. The authorities in Latvia have made it clear that people with a residence permit from Latvia or any other EU/EEA nation, as well as those with a long-term Schengen visa and family members of Latvian and EU citizens with a short-term visa, are allowed entry, even though the ban for tourism and leisure purposes is set to last until March 2025. The entry ban is additionally exempt from some professions and humanitarian grounds, such as those of employees of freight and passenger transport services.