Latvia to reintroduce visa fees for Belarusians this month

• 20.11.2007, 12:57

The Latvian embassy will start charging visa fees from Belarusians on December 21 as the Baltic country joins the Schengen zone, a representative of the diplomatic mission told BelaPAN.

Riga scrapped all visa fees for Belarusian applicants in June 2006 but will reintroduce the fees this month. Belarusians will be now charged €60 for a Latvian visa.

Children under six years of age, as well as teachers and students planning to visit Latvia under an academic program will be entitled to a free visa even after the Baltic country joins the Schengen zone.

All visas issued before December 21 will be valid only on the Latvian territory and will not allow the holder to enter other Schengen states.

The European Parliament approved the accession of nine new countries, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia, to the Schengen zone on November 15. The countries have already been connected to the Schengen Information System, a secure governmental database system used by the signatories to the agreement for the purpose of maintaining and distributing information related to border security and law enforcement.

The European Union’s countries will scrap passport checks with the newest members at land and sea borders on December 21 and at airports next March.