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Latvia K1 Fiancee Visa Processing Times

US Embassy in Riga, Latvia

The processing time, from the day our law office files your I-129F Petition with the USCIS, to the day the K1 Visa is issued by the US Embassy in Riga, Latvia is approximately:

5-9 Months

All Latvian Nationals residing in must have their K1 Visa applications processed at the US Embassy located in Riga, Latvia. The application can only be adjudicated after the approved I-129F Petition is forwarded to the post by the National Visa Center in the United States.

If you are a Latvian National residing in a country other than Latvia, you may be eligible to process your k1 visa application in that foreign country. Contact our law firm today to find out if you or your fiancee meet the eligibility requirements.

Embassy Address:

American Embassy
Raina Boulevard 7

Tel: (371) 6703-6200

Fax: (371) 6781-4088

Time it takes for an interview appointment after petition is received by embassy:

0-1 Months

Time for issuance of k1 visa after the interview

1-2 weeks




Our Latvia Overseas Support Staff Speak Fluent English, Russian and
Latvian and have been through the k1 visa process too!


Below, please find more useful information about some of the required documents the K1 Visa Applicant will need prior to going for the interview. Please note that this list is not comprehensive and there are many other items and evidence that must be brought to the interview. Prior to interview, our office and/or your Overseas Support Staff will instruct you on all items and give you a mock interview for preparation.

The information about the documents below was excerpted from the Department of State Website section on Visas

“Apostille” certification must be obtained from the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia (link http://www.am.gov.lv/en/service/legalisation/) for any documents issued by Latvian authorities that will be used in the United States. The apostille is not required for documents submitted for non-immgirant and immigrant visa application purposes.

People residing in other countries may contact the nearest Embassy of the Republic of Latvia for assistance in obtaining documents from Latvia, such as civil records, police, court, and military records, etc.

People permanently residing in Latvia who require documents from abroad should check the applicable reciprocity information. They may choose to contact the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia for assistance in their matters.

Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Certificates

Available. Civil records up to 1910 should be requested from the State History Archive (16 Slokas St., Riga, LV-1048, telephone (371) 676 13118 or (371) 676 12406).

References and duplicates of civil records prepared in Riga City after May 1, 1921 till now should be requested  from the Riga City Civil Registry office (86 Brivibas St., Riga, LV-1010, tel. (371) 673 12 114).

References or duplicates of all other civil records are available through local district or city Civil Registration offices (their location may be specified at the Civil Registration Department of the Ministry of Justice) or the Archive of the Civil Registration Department (38a A.Caka St, Riga, LV-1011, tel. (371) 678 30677, (371) 678 30682). Note: Until 1921 only churches registered birth of a child, therefore a person must know the name of the church when requesting data.

Adoption Certificates

Available at the local court which issued the adoption decree  or the Central State Archive (1 Bezdeligu St., Riga LV-1007, tel. (371) 674 62317).

Police and Prison Records

Available from the Information Center of the Ministry of Interior (72b Bruninieku St., Riga, LV-1009). Non-immigrant and immigrant visa applicants who require a police clearance letter from Latvia may submit the application to the Information Center in person, through an Embassy of the Republic of Latvia abroad or electronically indicating that it is required for U.S. visa application purposes. The letter will be issued in English language in a sealed envelope.

Note: Police Clearance Letters obtained through the Embassies of the Republic of Latvia will be issued on their letterheads instead of letterheads of the Information center.The service is subject to a fee. Processing time for application made in Latvia is 5 days. Expedited service is available at an extra fee.

Under Latvian law, almost all records are routinely “cancelled/expunged” after several years. The length of time depends on the nature and scope of the legal punishment imposed. After the criminal record is officially expunged from a person’s record the ex-offender is not normally obliged to indicate his/her conviction, for example, when applying for a job or when involved in criminal or civil proceedings. Cancelled/expunged records remain in the Punishment Register and are available if the person specifically authorizes disclosure of the entire record. The police clearance letters issued for U.S. visa application purposes contain the entire record (including convictions that are considered expunged). Note: The Punishment Register contains complete information on criminal offences committed in the territory of Latvia both before and after regaining independence of the country in 1991.

Military Records

Available.

12 months military service was obligatory until December 31, 2006 for all men, Latvian citizens, between the age of 19 and 27. The law provided a number of exceptions, for example, for people with health problems, under criminal proceedings, students enrolled in universities, or having families with at least two small children. Latvian non-citizens were not subject to the obligatory military service. They cannot serve in the National Armed Forces of the Republic of Latvia.

During the Soviet era, military service was recorded in military service books. People who are unable to present the book to confirm their military records should attempt to obtain a written reference from the following institutions:

  • records on Latvian citizens if they are 18  to 55 years of age at the time when applying for a reference letter  - the NAF Selection and Reserve Personnel Registration Center (55 Hospitalu St., Riga, LV-1013, tel. (371) 2646-3784);
  • records on Latvian citizens who retired from NAF after January 1, 2007 – the Central Archive of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Latvia (10/12 Kr.Valdemara St., Riga, LV-1473, tel. (371) 6733-5123);
  • any other records – the Central State Archive (1 Bezdeligu St., Riga LV-1007, tel. (371) 674 62317) or regional archives;
  • records about military service in the Soviet armed forces in the territory of Latvia (if unavailable from the previously listed institutions) – the Central Archive of the Ministry of Defense of Russian Federation (74 Kirova St., Podolsk, Moscow Oblast, Russia, 142100). Latvian permanent residents may contact the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia for assistance requesting documents from abroad.

People who served in other countries should check the applicable reciprocity information on obtaining the required references.

Court Records

Court records can be obtained at the corresponding local court archives at the request of participants in the trial. Contact information for courts in Latvia is available at http://www.tiesas.lv.

Residential Records

Information on a person’s prior and present place of residence in Latvia may be obtained at the Population Registry of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs at Ciekurkalna 1.linija 1, K5, Riga, LV-1026, tel. (371) 678 29710, (371) 678 29711, e-mail: ird@pmlp.gov.lv.

Passport and Other Travel Documents

Latvian citizens and non-citizens residing abroad can apply for a Latvian passport or travel document through the nearest Embassy of the Republic of Latvia. In Latvia, passport applications are accepted at any branch of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP). Contact information for the PMLP is on the website: http://www.pmlp.gov.lv/lv/

The Government of Latvia issues Citizen and Non-citizen (Alien) passports. It also issues Diplomatic and Service passports, and travel documents. Both, Latvian Citizen and Non-citizen, passports are valid for issuance of U.S. immigrant and non-immigrant visas. Diplomatic and Service passport are valid for issuance of non-immigrant visas. The Latvian/U.S. reciprocity schedule should be followed when issuing non-immigrant visas to bearers of any these passports.

Validity for Latvian passports issued to people 60 years old and older at the time when the passport application was made was 50 years if the passport was issued as follows:

  • Citizen passport issued between July 1, 2002 and November 19, 2007;
  • Non-citizen (Alien) passport issued between April 10, 1997 and November 19, 2007.

These passports will be valid for travel ONLY in Schengen zone countries after November 1, 2010.

Latvian citizen passports issued before June 30, 2002 are invalid for international travel. All other types of Latvian passports are valid for international travel.

As of November 20, 2007 Latvia issues biometric passports. Validity of the biometric passports:

  • 1 year – issued to minors below the age of 5
  • 5 years – issued to persons from 5 to 60 years of age
  • 10 years – adults over 60 year of age.

Biometric Latvian Citizen passports are valid for applying to travel visa free to the U.S. benefiting from the Visa Waiver Program.

An exit stamp from the Latvian authorities for international travel is not needed. The Latvian passport may also include information about the individual’s children and the passport holder’s ethnic origin. The passport holder may request that in addition to the name spelling in Latvian, his/her name spelling in other languages is also included in the passport.

The Government of Latvia issues a Stateless Person’s Travel Document to those Latvian residents who hold neither Latvian citizenship nor resident alien status, nor have nationality of another state. This document is valid for immigrant and nonimmigrant visa issuance. The document cover is brown with the seal of Latvia and the words ‘Latvijas Republika Celosanas Dokuments’. The Stateless Person’s Travel Documents are valid for up to two years from the date of issuance and can be renewed until the document holder acquires Latvian citizenship or that of another state’s.

Detailed information about different types of Latvian passports and their security features is available at http://www.pmlp.gov.lv/en/pakalpojumi/pases.html .
Law Offices of Michael S. Solomon exclusively practices K1 visa and Marriage-based immigration law. We are expert k1 visa attorneys and spousal visa attorneys with more than 10 years of experience and have assisted thousands of US citizens and foreign nationals with navigating complex immigration laws and successfully immigrating to the united states.

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All public records are issued under the signature and seal of the competent authority, and usually bears stamps in the appropriate amount. Documents must be stamped in order to be valid in Spain, but are not always stamped when intended for use in a foreign country.
Birth Certificates 

Available. Birth certificate “Certificado de Nacimiento” may be obtained from the Juzgado Municipal of the district of birth. In the Madrid area contact the Registro Civil Unico, Calle Pradillo 66, Madrid 28002.
Civil Status Certificates

Available only to persons who are registered in a census (empadronamiento).” Certificado de Fe de Vida y Estado” is requested from the Registro Civil of the applicant’s domicile.
Marriage Certificates

Available. “Certificado de Matrimonio” may be obtained from the Juzgado Municipal of the district of residence. In the Madrid area contact the Registro Civil Unico, Calle Pradrillo 66, Madrid 28002.
Divorce Certificates

Available. “Certificado de Divorcio” may be obtained from the Juzgado Municipal of the district of residence. In the Madrid area contact the Registro Civil Unico, Calle Pradillo 66, Madrid 28002.
Police Records

Available. The Spanish police certificate is known in Spain as “Certificado de Antecedentes Penales.”

If you are a Spanish national residing in Spain, you may apply in person or by mail at the Ministry of Justice, Plaza de Jacinto Benavente 3, 28012 Madrid, Spain.

If you are a Spanish national living outside of Spain, you should apply through the Spanish Consulate in the country where you are currently living.

Third country nationals (TCN) legally living in Spain must apply at the Ministry of Justice, San Bernardo 45, 28071 Madrid.

A TCN illegally living in Spain is unable to obtain a police certificate.

If you are a former legal TCN currently living outside of Spain, contact the consulate of your nationality in Spain. (Example: Italians should contact the Italian Consulate in Madrid). If Spain does not have a reciprocal agreement with this country, a police certificate is not available. A list of countries having reciprocal agreements with Spain is not available. Applicants must check with each individual consulate regarding their country’s reciprocal agreement status.

If you are a former illegal TCN currently living outside of Spain, you cannot obtain a police clearance.

Spanish citizens must contact the Spanish Embassy in their country of residence to request a Spanish Police Certificate. The Spanish Embassy will provide them with more specific information.

Non-Spanish Former Residents of Spain: Non-Spanish former residents of Spain applying outside Spain must contact their respective countries’ embassy in Madrid, Spain. The embassy should then contact the Spanish Ministry of Justice if that country has a reciprocal agreement with Spain for police certification. The address for the Spanish Ministry of Justice is:

Ministerio De Justicia
Registro Central de Penados y Reveldes
C/San Bernardo 45,
28071 Madrid, Spain

Non-Spanish Citizens Living Illegally in Spain: Police certificates are unavailable for non-Spanish citizens living illegally in Spain. There are no alternatives available for visa applicants needing Spanish Police Certificates who live illegally in Spain.
Military Records

Available. Every person who has performed military service should be in possession of a Libreta Militar (Military Booklet), issued by the Alcaldia (Mayor’s Office) of his place of residence. Male applicants who are not in possession of the Libreta Militar may obtain evidence that their military status is in proper order in the form of a certificate from Capitana General of the Jefe de la Zona de Reclutamiento (Chief of the Recruiting Zone) or the Alcaldia of the place of residence of the applicant or from any other competent military authority.
Passport and Other Travel Documents

Beginning April 10, 2000, the Spanish Government began issuing machine readable passports. Previously issued non-machine readable passports will remain valid until their expiration date.