Consular assistance in emergency situations
Many emergency situations abroad can be solved more easily if precautionary steps are taken before leaving the country. It is highly recommended that a person prior a trip to other country:
- insures his / her life and health. The Embassy of Latvia in Belgium recommends obtaining travel medical insurance and life insurance with the option of repatriation in case of death. The person him/herself or relatives should cover all expenses of medical aid and transportation provided to a person in an emergency situation. Therefore, insurance is highly necessary in case of person's illness, death and other emergency. If a person has been insured, the expenses mentioned above are covered by the insurance company according to the terms of the insurance policy.
- notes the address and phone number of the nearest Embassy of Latvia abroad (Embassy of Latvia in Belgium: 23 avenue des Arts, 1000 Brussels; +32 (0) 2 2383 236; e-mail - embassy.belgium@mfa.gov.lv);
- makes a photocopy of the travel document (passport).
These measures ensure that more prompt and effective assistance can be received in case of an emergency as well as help mitigate or even avoid moral and financial damage.
Issue of a temporary travel document
Citizens and other nationals of the Republic of Latvia, who have lost their travel document (passport), or it has been stolen or rendered invalid, should appear in the Consular section of the Embassy of Latvia in Belgium (address: 23 avenue des Arts, 1000 Brussels; +32 (0) 2 2383 236; e-mail: embassy.belgium@mfa.gov.lv) in order to receive temporary travel document - a return certificate. This document certifies an identity of the national of Latvia and it allows him / her to return to Latvia.
In order to receive a return certificate in the Embassy of Latvia, a person should:
- fill out an application form at the Embassy indicating the personal data, place of residence in Latvia, relatives and the document a person was bearing when leaving Latvia as well as other information (application form is available at the Embassy);
- submit a police report about the fact that the document has been stolen or lost;
- if possible - bring the damaged or otherwise invalid for traveling passport or a copy of the lost or stolen passport, or other documents that may prove his / her identity (for example: driving licence, student card, etc.).
- submit 2 photos, passport size (3x4 cm);
- make a payment of state fee: 15,-EUR for adults or 10,-EUR for minors (aged 15 and below);
We practice, where possible, to issue return certificate at the same day, although in some cases the issuing procedure may last longer - maximally up to 14 days.
After crossing border of Latvia a holder of return certificate should as soon as possible hand the return certificate to the division of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs corresponding his / her place of residence and apply for a new passport.
In the Latvian state budget there are no financial resources allotted for a non-refundable assistance rendered to the persons who have lost their means of subsistence abroad. Subsequently there are two main procedures in order to provide a person with a necessary sum of money to return to Latvia - through the Western Union system and through the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Elizabetes street 57, Riga, telephone +371 67016364).
1. Citizens and other nationals of the Republic of Latvia who are staying in Belgium or Luxembourg, have lost their means of subsistence and want to return to Latvia, can turn for an assistance at the Consular section of the Embassy of Latvia in Belgium (address: 23 avenue des Arts, 1000 Brussels; +32 (0) 2 2383 236; e-mail: embassy.belgium@mfa.gov.lv) and with its mediation contact his / her friends and / or relatives in Latvia asking them to transfer necessary amount of money through Western Union system. It is possible to receive transferred money within few minutes.
The necessary amount of money can be deposited at any Post Office in Latvia (http://www.pasts.lv) or at any branch of Latvijas Krājbanka (http://www.krajbanka.lv/). Then the money can be withdrawn from any Western Union Agent in Belgium / Luxembourg.
To send and to receive the money transfer a person should fill-out the Western Union form.
To send the Western Union money transfer a person should indicate following:
- the sum of transferred money;
- the country and city where the money will be received;
- receiver's name and surname;
- receiver's address;
- sender's name and last name;
- sender's address and phone number.
When submitting the application form for money transfer a sender should present to the officer the identity document (for example, passport).
After the processing of the Western Union application form, the official will give to the sender the copy of the form with the transfer control number indicated (10 signs). A sender then, if possible, can announce the transfer control number to the receiver.
To receive the Western Union money transfer a person should indicate following:
- receiver's name and surname;
- receiver's address;
- possibly the phone number;
- sender's name and surname;
- sender's country and city, possibly full address;
- possibly the transfer control number;
- approximate sum of money transfer in LVL or EUR (+/- 10%).
When submitting the application form for money transfer a receiver should present to the Western Union agent the identity document (in most cases - passport).
The addresses of the Western Union Agents in Belgium / Luxembourg can be found in the web-page: http://www.westernunion.com.
2. Citizens and other nationals of the Republic of Latvia who are staying in Belgium or Luxembourg, have lost their means of subsistence and want to return to Latvia, can turn for an assistance at the Consular section of the Embassy of Latvia in Belgium (address: 23 avenue des Arts, 1000 Brussels; +32 (0) 2 2383 236; e-mail: embassy.belgium@mfa.gov.lv) and with its mediation contact his or her friends and / or relatives in Latvia asking them to deposit the necessary amount of money at the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia (Elizabetes Street 57, Riga; telephone: +371 67016364; http://www.am.gov.lv/en/service/). Having received confirmation, that the necessary amount of money has been deposited in the Consular Department, a consular officer provides a person, who has lost its means of assistance, with an equivalent sum of money from the resources of the Embassy.
Assistance in case of an illness or an accident
If a citizen or non-citizen (alien) of Latvia in Belgium / Luxembourg has an accident or his / her relatives and / or friends have an emergency situation, it is necessary to contact a local police office and the Consular section of the Embassy of Latvia in Belgium (address: 23 avenue des Arts, 1000 Brussels; +32 (0) 2 2383 236; e-mail: embassy.belgium@mfa.gov.lv).
If a citizen or non-citizen (alien) of Latvia is in Belgium / Luxembourg with his relatives or friends and one of them dies, it is necessary to inform immediately a local police office and the Consular section of the Embassy of Latvia in Belgium (address: 23 avenue des Arts, 1000 Brussels; +32 (0) 2 2383 236; e-mail: embassy.belgium@mfa.gov.lv).