Published: 15.10.2026
A Latvian citizen reported lengthy waits for a consular appointment for his Russian spouse. After the residence permit was approved, it had to be collected in Latvia within 90 days, requiring a separate appointment for a D visa.
Sources illustrate a practical problem for families in which one spouse is Latvian and the other is a Russian citizen: residence-permit approval does not ensure quick entry or document collection. In the reported case, a separate D-visa appointment and limited consular capacity created a risk of missing the 90-day deadline for collecting the permit. This is particularly relevant to families relocating from Russia to Latvia. Applicants should factor possible appointment delays into their timeline and document planning, although the source describes a reported case rather than a new general rule.