Latvia resumes issuing visas to Russians after Wagner mutiny
Latvia on Tuesday resumed the limited acceptance of visa applications from Russian citizens, which had been halted after an attempted mutiny by the Wagner Group, local media Delfi reports.
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The Latvian foreign ministry announced that, after assessing the security situation and consulting with the neighbouring countries, it would resume issuing visas for Russians with some restrictions.
Visa applications are eligible from family members of Latvian citizens and non-citizens and family members of citizens of other EU countries, as well as people whose entry is related to humanitarian considerations – including in case of a serious illness of a family member or participation in a funeral.
Latvia’s foreign ministry stressed the applicant will have to prove that they belong to one of those categories.
Latvia stopped accepting all types of visa applications from Russian citizens on 26 June "due to the unpredictable development of internal political events in Russia", which coincided with the abortive mutiny staged by the Wagner Group.
Last September, European Union member states halted issuing visas for most Russian citizens as part of sanctions packages aimed to deter Moscow’s aggression against Ukraine.
