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Prior to your trip abroad, the Embassy of Latvia in London recommends obtaining travel medical insurance with the option of repatriation in case of death. All expenses of medical aid and transportation provided to a person in an emergency situation should be covered by the person him/herself or relatives, since there are no funds for such purposes allocated in Latvia's state budget. 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.
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 UK: - insures his / her health;
- notes the address and phone number of the Embassy of Latvia abroad;
- 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
Material Assistance
Assistance in case of illness or accident
Assistance in case of death
Issue of a temporary travel document
Citizens and non-citizens (aliens) 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 London (address: 45 Nottingham Place, London W1U 5LY), phone: 020 7312 0040) in order to receive a temporary travel document – a return certificate. This document certifies an identity of the person permanently residing in Latvia and allows him / her to return to Latvia crossing its border single time.
A return certificate is a document that allows its holder to return to Latvia.
In order to receive a return certificate in the Embassy of Latvia, a person should: - fill out an application form 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 certificate with a reference number about the fact that the document has been stolen or lost (a person has to report police about the lost or stolen passport);
- submit 2 photos, passport size (3x4 cm);
- make a payment of consular fee 12 pounds for adults and 6 pounds for minors (aged 16 and below);
- if possible – bring the damaged or otherwise invalid for travelling passport or a copy of the lost or stolen passport or other documents that prove his or her identity (for example: driving licence, student card, etc.).
Having received the above mentioned, a consular officer in some cases has to receive a conclusion of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs whether a return certificate can be issued to the person or not.
Although the return certificates usually are issued in 1-3 days, in some cases the issuing procedure can last up to 14 days.
After crossing the state border of the Republic of Latvia a person as soon as possible but in no case later than within 30 days should hand the return certificate to the division of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs corresponding his / her place of residence in order to apply for a new passport.
Material Assistance
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.
1. Citizens or non-citizens (aliens) of Latvia who have lost their means of subsistence and who want to return to Latvia can turn for an assistance at the Consular section of the Embassy of Latvia in London (address: 45 Nottingham Place, London W1U 5LY, tel.: 020 7312 0040) and with its mediation contact his / her friends and / or relatives in Latvia asking them to deposit the necessary amount of money in any Post Office in Latvia or in any branch of Latvijas Krājbanka; then through Western Union system the money can be withdrawn from any Western Union Agent in the UK. 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 GBP (+/- 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 can be found in the web-page: www.westernunion.com . Please see below some of the Western Union Agents' addresses in Central London:
Exchange International Bureau de Change
Victoria British Rail Station
Exchange International
Paddington British Rail Station
London W2
Western Union
Baker Street Underground Station
Marylebone Road, London W1
Exchange International
Kings Cross Station
Main Entrance
London N1 9AP
Exchange International Bureau de Change
237 Oxford Street
London W1D 2LT
Exchange International Bureau de Change
241 Oxford Street
London W1R
International Bureau de Change
339 Oxford Street
London W1R 1HB
Easyeverything
354/358 Oxford Street
London W1N 8AG
Capital News
115 Tottenham Court Road
London W1P 9HL
Skylord Travel
118 Tottenham Court Road
London W1T
2. Citizens or non-citizens (aliens) of Latvia who have lost their means of subsistence and who want to return to Latvia can turn for an assistance in the Consular section of the Embassy of Latvia in London (address: 45 Nottingham Place, London W1U 5LY, tel.: 020 7312 0040) and with its mediation contact his or her friends and / or relatives in Latvia asking them to deposit the necessary amount of money in the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia (Elizabetes Street 57, Riga). Having received confirmation, that the necessary amount of money has been deposited in the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, 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 abroad 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 London (address: 45 Nottingham Place, London W1U 5LY, tel.: 020 7312 0040, fax: 020 7312 0042).
Assistance in case of death
If a citizen or non-citizen (alien) of Latvia is abroad 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 London (address: 45 Nottingham Place, London W1U 5LY, tel.: 020 7312 0040, fax: 020 7312 0042).
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