For one semester, students from Azerbaijan come on a national (D) visa, which needs an invitation your host university files with the migration office (PMLP) before you can book an appointment in Baku. Riga runs on contactless cards and apps, but a D visa gives you no Latvian personal code, so local bank accounts and some discounts are hard to get; plan to live on your home card and an app account.
Money
Euro (€)
Language
Latvian
Time
UTC+2, UTC+3 from the last Sunday of March
Plugs
Type C and F; 230 V
Tipping
Not required; leaving about 10% in restaurants is common
112 is free from any phone, even without a SIM, and Riga’s tourism office says operators answer in Latvian, Russian and English. The old police number 110 is put through to 112. For a doctor’s advice outside surgery hours, call the family doctor line 66016001.
Set these up before you fly
The essentials that take days to arrange or have to work the moment you land.
Places, programmes and the minimum cGPA are from ADA’s list. Confirm them with the Office of Global Outreach and Partners before you apply: exchange@ada.edu.az
Payments & banking3
Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere in Riga, but a Latvian bank account needs a residence permit and a tie to Latvia, so most one-semester students live on their home card.
YH
Your home Visa or MastercardEssential
Contactless payment for shops, transport and rent deposits
Before departure
Why you need it: Without a residence permit a Latvian account is hard to open, so your Azerbaijani card is likely to be your main way to pay for the whole semester.
Ask your bank in Baku to enable payments abroad, contactless and online (3-D Secure)
Check the fee for card payments and cash withdrawals in euro
Carry a second card from another bank in case one is blocked
Add the card to Apple Pay or Google Pay if your bank supports it
Before you rely on itTickets sold by the driver on airport bus 22 are paid by bank card only, so the card must work the moment you land. Some landlords want rent by bank transfer to a Latvian or SEPA account; agree on card or cash before you sign.
Source: livelatvia.lv · the provider or a government body · Checked
Sw
Swedbank
Latvia’s largest bank, for those who can show a tie to Latvia
Optional
Why you need it: A Latvian IBAN makes rent and transfers easy, but for a one-semester student on a D visa the cost and paperwork rarely pay off.
Paid · Non-resident document check €300 the first time, non-refundable (2026)Varies by residence status
Bring your passport, your Latvian residence permit and a document showing your link to Latvia
Expect the documents to be checked within five working days and a decision within ten
Before you rely on itSwedbank asks non-residents for a residence permit issued in Latvia and proof of a link to Latvia, and the €300 is kept if it refuses you; on a D visa alone, expect a no. SEB, Citadele and Luminor set their own rules; ask before paying any fee.
Source: swedbank.lv · the provider or a government body · Checked
Re
Revolut
App account with a euro IBAN and card, once you live in the EU
Optional
Why you need it: It can give you a euro IBAN for rent and splitting bills without a branch visit, which suits a student who cannot open a Latvian bank account.
Free, paid extrasVaries by nationalityVaries by residence status
Sign up in the app with your passport and a selfie
Upload your visa and proof of address if asked
Before you rely on itFor citizens of Azerbaijan: Revolut opens accounts by country of residence, and Azerbaijan is not on its list while Latvia is, so apply only once you live in Riga; approval on a D visa is not guaranteed. Bring a working home card regardless.
Source: help.revolut.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
Essential apps4
Riga’s everyday apps are Baltic ones: Bolt for rides and scooters, Wolt for food, Mobilly for tickets and parking.
Bo
Bolt
Rides, scooters and food delivery in one app
Before departure
Why you need it: Bolt is the usual way to get a car in Riga, including from the airport late at night, with the price shown before you book.
Install Bolt and register with your phone number before you fly
Add your home card as the payment method
Check the pickup point at the airport in the app on arrival
Before you rely on itBolt says products vary by country; scooters are seasonal and may not run in February. Wear a helmet and do not ride on pavements.
Source: bolt.eu · the provider or a government body · Checked
Wo
Wolt
Food and grocery delivery across Riga
Optional
Why you need it: In the first days, before you know the shops, it delivers groceries and meals to a dorm or flat, paid by your home card.
On board, scan the QR code in the vehicle to activate it
Show the QR code the app then gives you if an inspector asks
Before you rely on itThe 90 minutes run from first activation. The student-price monthly ticket goes on a personalised e-talons card instead, so this is for the first days or occasional trips.
Source: mobilly.lv · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
VL
Vivi Latvija
Timetables and e-tickets for Vivi, Latvia’s passenger trains
Optional
Why you need it: Weekend trips to Jūrmala, Sigulda or Jelgava are a cheap train ride from Riga Central Station, and an app ticket avoids the €1 surcharge for buying on board.
Paid · Single rides €1.30–3.80 by zone (from 15 January 2026)
Before you rely on itRegister the ticket on the validator as soon as you board, or with the conductor if you cannot. Buying on board when the station ticket office is open costs €1 more, and some diesel and express services add €1.
Source: vivi.lv · the provider or a government body · Checked
Transport3
Buses, trams and trolleybuses cost €1.50 for 90 minutes (2026), and every ticket must be registered on each vehicle; Vivi trains run to the coast and Sigulda.
RS
Rīgas satiksmeEssential
Riga buses, trams and trolleybuses, including airport bus 22
On arrival
Why you need it: It is how you get from RIX to the centre and to any of the three partner campuses. Only bus 22 sells tickets on board, so on trams and other buses you need a ticket before you get on.
Paid · 90 minutes €1.50, 3 days €8, 5 days €10, a month €30 (2026); a ticket from the driver on bus 22 a little under €2, by cardVaries by city
From the airport take bus 22: buy a ticket from the driver by bank card, or a cheaper 90-minute ticket at the airport machine or Narvesen
Afterwards buy 90-minute tickets in Mobilly, at kiosks or machines
Register the ticket on every vehicle you board
For daily travel, get a personalised e-talons with the student discount
Before you rely on itEvery ticket must be registered on each vehicle, even within its 90 minutes; the fine for riding without a valid ticket is €15–30. Services run about 05:30–23:30.
Source: livelatvia.lv · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
PE
Personalised e-talons with student discount
Discounted monthly travel for students of Riga universities
On arrival
Why you need it: A full-price monthly ticket is €30; the student discount cuts it sharply, which adds up over five months of daily trips to campus.
Paid · Student monthly ticket €12, against €30 full price (2026)Varies by cityVaries by university
Ask your host’s student service for a reference addressed to Rīgas satiksme, in Latvian, with your passport number
Take it with your passport and student card to a Rīgas satiksme customer service centre
Get the personalised e-talons and load the student monthly ticket
Before you rely on itWithout a Latvian personal code the reference must carry your passport number, and Rīga Stradiņš University says Rīgas satiksme accepts it only within 30 days of issue. The discount is granted for six months and renewed in March and October, so ask whether you will need to renew in March. Ask your host whether exchange students qualify.
Source: rsu.lv · the provider or a government body · Checked
LE
Lux Express
Coaches from Riga to Tallinn, Vilnius and other Baltic cities
Optional
Why you need it: Coaches run between Riga and Tallinn many times a day, and on to Vilnius: the usual weekend trips for exchange students in Riga.
Before you rely on itFares differ by departure, so check several dates in the trip search. FlixBus runs some of the same routes, so compare. On a D visa you can travel within Schengen, but carry your passport and visa across borders.
Source: luxexpress.eu · the provider or a government body · Checked
SIM, eSIM & internet3
Three networks, LMT, Tele2 and Bite, sell cheap prepaid SIMs and eSIMs; Latvia is ending anonymous prepaid cards, so expect to show your passport.
LK
LMT KarteEssential
Prepaid SIM or eSIM on Latvia’s largest network
On arrival
Why you need it: You need a Latvian number for landlords, Bolt, couriers and university messages; a prepaid card has no contract to cancel when you leave in June.
Paid · Starter €1.50; unlimited data in Latvia from €3.50 for 7 days (2026)
Buy a SIM at an LMT customer centre, kiosk or shop, or an eSIM online
Show your passport if asked to register it in your name
Activate it in Latvia and add a data package
Top up before the balance or package runs out
Before you rely on itLMT says to activate it in Latvia, as activation abroad may not work. In March 2026 the government backed ending anonymous prepaid SIMs from 1 October 2026, so expect to register the card in your name with your passport. From 15 October 2026 texts within Latvia on the basic tariff cost €0.04 each.
Source: lmt.lv · the provider or a government body · Checked
ZZ
Zelta Zivtiņa
Tele2’s prepaid brand, with cheap unlimited data packs
Optional
Why you need it: If you mostly need data, its prepaid unlimited internet packs are among the cheapest in Latvia.
Paid · Unlimited internet pack €3.99 a month (2026)
Before you rely on itThe site is mostly in Latvian; check a pack’s length and fair-use limits in the shop. Bite is the third network, with its own prepaid offers.
Source: zeltazivtina.lv · the provider or a government body · Checked
Ed
eduroam
Campus wi-fi at Riga universities
Before departure
Why you need it: SSE Riga runs eduroam, and other Latvian universities do too, so libraries and lecture halls are online without using mobile data.
Ask ADA IT whether your account works on eduroam abroad
Install the eduroam CAT profile for your institution before leaving
Otherwise log in with your host email and password once issued
Before you rely on itAt SSE Riga you sign in with your SSE Riga email address and password. Whether ADA accounts work abroad was not confirmed; ask ADA IT.
Source: itdep.sseriga.edu · the provider or a government body · Checked
Visa, registration & legal4
Invitation from the host, D visa in Baku, then nothing to register on arrival unless you take a residence permit.
IA
Invitation approved by PMLPEssential
The host’s invitation number every D visa application needs
Before departure
Why you need it: The embassy will not accept your visa application without an invitation from your Riga host that the migration office (PMLP) has approved, so ask for it as soon as you are accepted.
Paid · PMLP state fee €17, or €10 if the host files it through latvija.gov.lv (2026); some hosts ask you to pay itVaries by nationalityVaries by university
Send the host’s international office your passport copy, birth date, home address and Riga address
Pay the state fee if the host asks you to, and send them proof
Wait for the host to file it and send you the invitation number
Book the visa appointment within six months of the approval
Before you rely on itOnly the inviter can file it, electronically; PMLP decides within two working days, or up to ten if it needs to check more. The University of Latvia’s exchange coordinator issues the invitation number once you prove your student status; RISEBA and SSE Riga set their own process, so ask their international offices who pays the fee.
Source: pmlp.gov.lv · the provider or a government body · Checked
ND
National (D) visa for studyEssential
Long-stay visa for a study stay of more than 90 days
Before departure
Why you need it: A spring semester runs past 90 days, so citizens of Azerbaijan need a Latvian long-stay (D) visa, applied for in Baku before departure.
Paid · Visa fee €90, paid in euro cash at the centre, plus a 49 AZN VFS Global service fee by card or cash (2026)Varies by nationalityVaries by university
Get the PMLP-approved invitation number from your host
Fill in, print and sign the long-stay application form on epak.pmlp.gov.lv
Book through the Latvian Embassy’s appointment system and submit at VFS Global, Neftchiler ave 64, Baku
Bring the full VFS student checklist; the photo is taken there
Before you rely on itFor citizens of Azerbaijan: the Baku checklist asks for a passport valid three months beyond departure with two blank pages, insurance of at least €42,600 for the whole Schengen area, the host’s confirmation of enrolment, the study agreement, proof of accommodation, a flight booking and bank statements for the last three months. It is written for degree students (it also lists diplomas, a tuition receipt and €8,880 for a first year), so ask the embassy what an exchange student must bring. The University of Latvia asks for at least €780 a month of stay (2026); its exchange page still shows an older €740. The visa fee is not refunded if the visa is refused.
Source: vfsglobal.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
TM
Travel medical insuranceEssential
Health cover of at least €42,600 for the visa and the stay
Before departure
Why you need it: Visitors on a D visa are not in the Latvian state health system, so a private policy is what pays for a doctor or hospital, and the embassy will not issue the visa without one.
Buy a policy valid in the whole Schengen area for every day of the stay
Check it covers at least €42,600, emergency hospital care and repatriation
Carry the policy number and the insurer’s emergency line on your phone
Before you rely on itThe €42,600 minimum is the Baku embassy’s; ask your host whether it expects more. A policy bought only for the visa dates will not cover you if you stay on.
Source: vfsglobal.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
TR
Temporary residence permit and personal code
The permit that brings a Latvian personal code (personas kods)
Optional
Why you need it: A D visa covers a semester, but it gives no personal code, which banks, some phone contracts and city discounts ask for; a residence permit does, at a price.
Paid · PMLP examination fee €160 for a decision within 30 days, €280 within 10 working days, plus €45 for the card (2026)Varies by nationalityVaries by residence status
Ask the host whether a permit is worth it for one semester (usually not)
If yes, ask the host how and when to apply to PMLP, and what it will provide
Collect the card, then declare your Riga address on latvija.gov.lv
Before you rely on itPMLP is plain that a visa gives no right to a personal code; only a residence permit does. Permit holders can then declare their Riga address; D visa holders cannot. Check PMLP’s fee list for any lower rate for students.
Source: pmlp.gov.lv · the provider or a government body · Checked
Housing & daily life4
University dorms are cheap but basic; private rooms are found on ss.com, and the visa asks for proof of where you will live.
UO
University of Latvia dormitories
Cheap rooms in Prima and Krišjāņa Valdemāra 161
Before departure
Why you need it: Exchange students can book these, and a confirmation from the dorm is the simplest proof of accommodation for the visa.
Paid · Prima: single €291, double €202 a month; Valdemāra 161: €152–272 a month by room (from July 2026)Varies by universityVaries by city
Apply when booking opens for spring exchange students (28 December)
Ask for a booking confirmation for the visa file
Pay on arrival at the dorm, by card only: cash is not accepted
Before you rely on itMinimum stay two months. Booking opens after many visa appointments, so ask exchange@lu.lv early how to show accommodation for the visa.
Source: lu.lv · the provider or a government body · Checked
SR
SSE Riga Student Dormitories
SSE Riga’s own dorm at Patversmes iela 22
Before departure
Why you need it: Bills are included and the contract runs exactly one semester, which fits an exchange.
Paid · Double €240–280, single €360 a month, utilities included; deposit €100 (2026/27)Varies by university
Apply through the form on the SSE Riga campus page as soon as you are nominated
Wait for confirmation: places go first come, first served
Sign a contract for the semester and pay the deposit
Before you rely on itAbout 20 minutes by bus from the school. SSE Riga students have priority; students from other universities can ask the facilities manager. No month-to-month contracts.
Source: sseriga.edu · the provider or a government body · Checked
RP
RISEBA partner accommodation
Student hotels and apartments RISEBA works with in Riga
Before departure
Why you need it: RISEBA has no dorm of its own; its list of partner student hotels is the quickest way to a room with a contract the visa will accept.
Paid · About €160–550 a month depending on room and building (2026)Varies by university
Before you rely on itPrices and availability are set by each hotel, not RISEBA; ask for a written contract for the whole semester.
Source: riseba.lv · the provider or a government body · Checked
PR
Private rooms and flats (ss.com)
Riga’s main classifieds site, in English, Latvian and Russian
Before departure
Why you need it: Most private rooms in Riga are advertised on ss.com, but a private rental for the visa needs extra notarised paperwork from the owner.
See the flat in person or by live video before paying anything
For the visa, ask the owner for a notarised consent and a land registry extract
Sign a written contract in your name
Before you rely on itThe Baku visa checklist says a private flat needs the owner’s notarised consent to your stay and a land registry statement; many landlords will not do this. Booking a dorm or student hotel for the visa and moving later is simpler. Never pay a deposit for a flat you have not seen.
Source: vfsglobal.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
Student life2
Student discounts in Riga run through your host’s student card, ISIC and the ESN sections that run the welcome weeks.
Why you need it: ESN Riga runs welcome events and trips for exchange students at Riga’s universities, and it is the quickest way to meet people in a cold February.
Ask your host whether its student card is already an ISIC
If not, order one online at isic.lv once enrolled
Collect it at Kr. Barona iela 24/26 or have it posted
Before you rely on itAn ISIC issued in Latvia runs from September to December of the following year, so a spring card covers the whole stay. The price is not shown on the main page; check when ordering.
Source: isic.lv · the provider or a government body · Checked
Communication & language4
Latvian is the only official language; English is common among young people, and Russian is widely understood but best not used first.
WA
WhatsAppEssential
The messaging app most people in Latvia use
Before departure
Why you need it: Landlords, classmates and ESN groups are on WhatsApp; Telegram is used too, especially by Russian speakers.
Save +371 6714 2889 and the consular line +371 6714 2892
Save consul_riga@mission.mfa.gov.az for appointments
Keep a scan of your passport and visa in your email
Before you rely on itNot from Azerbaijan? Your own embassy’s page is the one to save. The embassy is at Raiņa bulvāris 2-5, Riga, and the consular section sees visitors by appointment only.
Source: riga.mfa.gov.az · the provider or a government body · Checked
1L
112 Latvija
The official 112 app: call, text and safety alerts
Before departure
Why you need it: Its text function reaches 112 even without a Latvian SIM, which helps if you cannot speak or be understood.
Before you rely on itRun by the State Fire and Rescue Service. The app is free, but it uses mobile data at your operator’s rate, and alerts need notification permission.
Source: vugd.gov.lv · the provider or a government body · Checked
EM
Emergency medical care (113)
Ambulance on 113 and a doctor’s advice line out of hours
Optional
Why you need it: Knowing that 113 is the ambulance and 66016001 is the out-of-hours doctor line saves time when you are ill at night and unsure whether it is an emergency.
Before you rely on itThe advice line works 17:00–08:00 on weekdays and round the clock at weekends and holidays. Keep your insurance details on you: the hospital will ask how the care is paid for.
Source: vmnvd.gov.lv · the provider or a government body · Checked
SP
State Police (Valsts policija)
Report a theft, a lost passport or an online scam
Optional
Why you need it: A stolen phone or passport needs a police report for insurance and for the embassy, and rental scams aimed at students are reported here too.
Before you rely on itIn an emergency call 110 or 112. For anything else, report in person at any police station: the online route through latvija.lv needs a Latvian eID, which exchange students do not have.
Source: vp.gov.lv · the provider or a government body · Checked
Culture & practical tips
Latvians are reserved and punctual, language carries history, and midsummer is the biggest holiday of the year.
01Try Latvian or English before Russian
Many people in Riga speak Russian, but Latvian is the only state language and the choice carries history. Open with “Labdien” or in English; switch to Russian only if the other person does.
02Register the ticket on every vehicle
In Riga a ticket counts only once it is registered on the reader of the bus, tram or trolleybus you are on, even inside its 90 minutes. Inspectors fine on the spot.
03Reserved is not unfriendly
Latvians keep small talk short, give strangers space in queues and on transport, and rarely smile at people they do not know. Warmth comes later, once you are introduced.
04Be on time
Lectures, appointments and meetings start on time. Arriving ten minutes late without a message is noticed, at university and with landlords alike.
05Flowers in odd numbers
Flowers are given often, for birthdays, name days and thanks, always in odd numbers. Even numbers are for funerals.
06Name days count
Every day of the calendar carries names, and people mark their vārda diena (name day) almost like a birthday. A classmate may bring sweets; a “Daudz laimes!” is enough in return.
07Dress for ice in February
Spring term starts in deep winter: short days, temperatures below zero and icy pavements. Bring boots with a good grip, and watch for icicles and roped-off pavements under roofs.
08Shoes off at the door
In Latvian homes guests usually take their shoes off at the entrance. Watch what your host does, or ask.
09Midsummer empties the city
Jāņi, on 23–24 June, is the biggest holiday of the year: most people leave Riga for the countryside and many shops close. Plan exams and departure around it.
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