Latvia customs rules & duty-free allowances
Latvia is the EU's frontline customs border with Russia and Belarus, and its officers enforce sanctions with unusual intensity — Russian-registered cars, Russian banknotes and many Russian-origin goods are seized at the border, and arrivals from the east can expect a full vehicle search. Riga Airport itself is straightforward: one EU customs clearance, then you move freely through Schengen.
Duty-free allowances
Prohibited — banned from import
- Narcotics and psychoactive substances, including cannabis in any form — even if legally purchased in the Netherlands or Canada
- Meat, dairy, and animal products from outside the EU (including sandwiches, sausages, and cheese)
- Russian and Belarusian banknotes, and goods originating in Russia or Belarus that fall under EU sanctions (including Russian-registered vehicles)
- Counterfeit branded goods and pirated media
- Endangered species products (ivory, coral, some traditional medicines) without a CITES permit
- Pepper spray and other self-defence sprays classified as weapons
Restricted — allowed with a permit or declaration
- Firearms and ammunition — require a prior permit from the Latvian State Police
- Drones over 250g — must be registered with the Civil Aviation Agency before flying
- Satellite phones and encrypted radio equipment — require a licence from the Electronic Communications Office
- Cultural goods and antiques over 50 years old — need an export/import licence
- Pets — must have an EU pet passport, microchip, and valid rabies vaccination at least 21 days old
Arriving: red vs green channel
Riga Airport uses the standard EU two-channel system: green channel if you have nothing to declare and are under all limits, red channel if you are over any allowance or carrying cash over EUR 10,000. There is no paper customs card handed out on the plane — you declare verbally or with a written form at the red channel. If you are connecting to another Schengen country, you clear customs at Riga and then walk through as a domestic passenger at your final destination.
Tax-free shopping & VAT refunds
Latvia runs the standard EU tax-free scheme. Minimum purchase is EUR 44 in a single store on the same day, and the store must be a registered Tax Free Shopping or Global Blue retailer. Get the refund form stamped by Latvian customs at Riga Airport before check-in, then claim at the refund desk airside or by mail. The refund is typically 10–15% of the purchase price after fees.
Bringing medication
Bring personal medication in its original pharmacy packaging with the prescription or a doctor's letter. Up to 30 days' supply is fine for personal use. Narcotics and strong psychotropics (including some ADHD stimulants and strong painkillers) require a prior import permit from the Latvian State Agency of Medicines — without it they are treated as illegal drugs. Codeine is prescription-only in Latvia and cannot be brought in as an OTC product.
Food, plants & animal products
Meat, dairy, and their products from outside the EU are banned outright — even a ham sandwich from a non-EU flight gets confiscated. Plants, seeds, cut flowers, and soil require a phytosanitary certificate. Honey, eggs, and fish have small personal allowances (up to 2kg of fish, 2kg of honey) but must be declared. Pet food containing animal products is banned unless it is a commercial brand in its original sealed packaging under 2kg.
Rules worth knowing
Russian and Belarusian goods are confiscated
Since 2024 Latvia has enforced EU sanctions at the border. Russian-registered cars, Russian banknotes, and many Russian-origin goods (even personal items like a Russian SIM card or a bottle of Russian vodka) can be seized. If you are arriving from Russia or Belarus, expect a full vehicle search.
Cash under EUR 10,000 can still be questioned
The legal threshold is EUR 10,000, but Latvian customs routinely ask for proof of origin for amounts over EUR 3,000–5,000 if you are arriving from a high-risk route. Bank statements or a sale contract are enough — without them the money can be held while they investigate.
Alcohol and tobacco limits are per person, not per family
A couple driving in from Belarus cannot combine their allowances into one 2L bottle of spirits. Each adult gets their own 1L/200-cigarette allowance, and children get none. Customs at the Terehova and Paternieki border crossings check this closely.
Schengen entry means one customs clearance
If you fly Riga–Frankfurt–Paris, you clear EU customs at Riga. Anything you buy duty-free in Riga after customs is fine, but anything you buy in Frankfurt is a domestic purchase and cannot be claimed as duty-free on arrival in Paris.