- Latvia’s Interior Ministry proposed a temporary visa suspension for Uzbek citizens, but the Cabinet has not adopted it.
- Coalition partners did not support adding the proposal to the Cabinet agenda on September twenty-ninth, twenty twenty-six.
- The ministry says the proposed pause would allow stronger screening and cooperation with Uzbekistan; it expected Cabinet consideration at its next meeting.
Latvia’s Interior Ministry proposed a temporary suspension of visa issuance to Uzbek nationals on September 29, 2026. The measure remained unadopted as of October 5.
Coalition partners did not back placing the proposal on the Cabinet agenda that day. The Cabinet therefore did not consider it.
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Interior Minister Jānis Dombrava tied the plan to reports that several Uzbek nationals allegedly committed crimes soon after arriving, including offenses against minors. The ministry described the proposed pause as a way to improve information exchange and screening with the Uzbek side.
Dombrava said:
“We are forced to take action. Therefore, we propose to suspend the issuance of visas to Uzbek citizens for a certain period of time and use this time to cooperate with the Uzbek side to prevent the possibility of persons arriving in Latvia who may pose risks to public order and security.”
The law allows a temporary restriction, but the proposal is not in force
The Interior Ministry cited Part 2 of Article 8 of Latvia’s Immigration Law. It allows the Cabinet of Ministers to restrict visa applications and entry temporarily for citizens of a specific third country when internal security or public order requires it.
That provision is the legal basis the ministry points to. It does not itself put the proposed restriction into effect. Since the Cabinet has not adopted the measure, visa issuance has not been suspended under this proposal.
The ministry presented the plan as time-limited, rather than a permanent ban. Its stated purpose is to use the period to cooperate with Uzbekistan, strengthen information exchange and improve screening of people seeking to enter.
The proposal follows other recent migration measures. A new immigration law took effect on September 15, 2026, tightening security requirements for visas and residence permits and expanding checks before entry.
The government also approved a comprehensive migration-limitation plan on September 22, 2026. Those steps form the wider policy context, while the proposed visa measure still awaits consideration by the Cabinet.
Border records show separate cases involving Uzbek nationals
State Border Guard records list enforcement cases on September 25 and 26. The records describe refusals of entry, Schengen stay violations and actions in vehicle and vessel operations.
| Date | Border enforcement recorded |
|---|---|
| September 25, 2026 | One citizen of Uzbekistan was refused entry at the Terehova, Grebņeva, Pāternieki and Riga Airport border points because the purpose of entry and grounds for stay were not credible. Four citizens of Uzbekistan were detected for Schengen residence-rule violations. Two citizens of Uzbekistan were among people subjected to administrative liability or refused entry in vehicle and vessel operations. |
| September 26, 2026 | One citizen of Uzbekistan was refused entry at Riga Airport because the purpose of entry and grounds for stay were not credible. Two citizens of Uzbekistan were detected for Schengen stay violations. |
The entries document border enforcement on those dates. They do not identify the cases as the crimes Dombrava cited when explaining the proposal, and the incidents should not be treated as a tally of the allegations behind it.
The ministry’s stated focus is cooperation and stronger screening, not a permanent exclusion. As of October 5, 2026, it expected the issue to come before the next Cabinet meeting.
