Consular

The embassy’s Consular Department is available for guidance and assistance to Danish citizens and foreign residents of Denmark.

The Embassy can provide consular assistance in serious cases such as death, illness, imprisonment in Latvia etc. The embassy in Riga represents the Baltic countries in issuing Danish passports, visas and residence permits to Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland.

The Consular Department cannot help citizens who encounter financial problems during their stay in Latvia. This also applies in relation to loan of money for a ticket back to Denmark, payment of hospital stays, legal aid etc. but we are happy to provide advice and guidance.

For further information, please see the menus under Travel and Residence.
You can read more about the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Citizen Service here.

Politics and economy

The embassy closely monitors the economic and political development in Latvia and Latvian foreign policy. We follow the general political debate, keep abreast of the news flow, national political affairs, and the economic situation in Latvia.

As part of this work, the embassy meets with many different partners such as ministers, members of parliament, authorities, independent researchers, NGOs and think tanks, etc.

Through continuous contact with relevant Latvian stakeholders and insight into Latvian matters, the Embassy reports to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other parts of the Danish Central Administration on Latvia's positions prior to meetings in international forums in which both countries participate. In addition, the Embassy provides analyses and assessments of Latvia's interests and views to Danish policy makers and authorities.

The embassy works to promote Danish interests and Denmark's cooperation with Latvia, both bilaterally and internationally. We present and explain the Danish government's position on many different foreign policy issues, including the EU, NATO, global security, anti-terrorism, globalization, cooperation in international organizations, the fight against poverty, human rights and several other areas.

Culture, media and public diplomacy

Promotion of Denmark, Danish culture and Danish strongholds is one of the embassy's most important tasks. The embassy is working to promote awareness of Denmark and maintain as well as develop a good relationship with Latvia.

Through general dissemination of information to the public, Latvian media, and on social media, the embassy helps to promote Danish attitudes, values, strongholds, and culture. In these activities, it is also sought to find a common ground between Latvia and Denmark on various topics. The Embassy organises Danish cultural events in Latvia, with both Danish and Latvian stakeholders, and works to promote Danish participation in cultural events in Latvia.

The embassy cooperates closely with the Danish Cultural Institute in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on cultural activities. The Cultural Institute has it´s head office in Riga www.dki.lv. Cultural activities in Latvia are prepared in close cooperation between government organizations in Denmark and Latvia, cultural institutions, and independent producers.

The embassy also collaborates with the other Nordic countries and the Nordic Council of Ministers with focus on culture, for example, through joint events. The Nordic ambassadors also have a permanent column in Latvija's Avize, which is one of Latvia's largest newspapers. Here, the ambassador writes about current topics with an interesting Danish cultural point of view. The columns have previously covered topics such as food waste and Latvian-Danish cooperation with a focus on the green agenda.

Publications of ambassador Morten Jespersen

Quantum technology: shaping our future, Latvijas Avize, 24.11.2023

Publications of ambassador Flemming Stender

See you soon again, Latvia!, Latvijas Avīze, 26.05.2023

Denmark for the UN Security Council, Latvijas Avize, 30.09.2022

A world of architecture, Latvijas Avize, 27.01.2023

Speeding up European green transition, Latvijas Avize, 29.04.2022

Jubilees, green transition and covid-19, Latvijas Avize, 17.12.2021

Towards a circular economy, Latvijas Avize, 27.08.2021

Wind works, Latvijas Avize, 26.03.2021

Culture unites people across borders, Latvijas Avize, 27.11.2020

A green recovery, Latvijas Avize, 31.07.2020

A common effort against food waste, Latvijas Avize, 27.03.2020.

Hello, Latvia!, Latvijas Avize, 29.11.2019.

Danish-Latvian defence cooperation

Denmark has actively cooperated with Latvia in the field of military defence since the beginning of the 1990´s.

Defence Attaché
The Danish Defence Attaché is accredited to all three Baltic States. The Defence Attaché is working towards maintaining as well as promoting the extensive bilateral cooperation between Denmark and the Baltic States within the area of military defence. The first Danish Defence Attaché was accredited to Latvia in 1992. Contact information to the Defence Attaché can be found here.

NATO Multinational Division North
Previously, Denmark has had extensive bilateral cooperation with the Baltic States through the so-called brigade project, where the Danish Advisory and Training Staff (DATS), stationed in Riga from 2004-2010, contributed to military capacity building in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. In 2010, the training staff retuned to Denmark but cooperation continued through the Danish Division. The purely national Danish Division was transformed in March 2019 to the NATO Multinational Division North with Denmark, Estonia and Latvia as Framework Nations. The divisional headquarters is part of NATO Force Structure and part of NATO´s deterrence profile in the Baltic Sea Region. The Headquarters is split in two: one part in Slagelse, Denmark and one part in Adazi, Latvia. During peacetime, the Headquarters facilitates the defence planning of the Baltic States, train Baltic soldiers and coordinates military activities in the region e.g. the enhanced Forward Presence. During crises and war, the task is to enable the deployment of e.g. NATO´s Rapid Reaction Forces and Follow-up Forces and to command and control military operations in the region. During peacetime, the staffing of the Headquarters is approximately 170 soldiers, which during wartime is increased up to 600 soldiers.

NATO Reaction Forces
Denmark has deployed a reinforced mechanised infantry battlegroup to Adazi in Latvia as part of the NATO Reaction Force in order to secure NATO´s Eastern Flank. The mechanised battlegroup has been deployed since May 2022 and will stay for at least one year. The approx. 750 Danish soldiers is part of the overall NATO deterrence but are capable – if needed – to defend the Baltic States against any aggression. The deployment of Danish soldiers to Latvia is a logical consequence of the long-lasting cooperation between Danish and Baltic soldiers not only during training and exercises but also during international operations abroad.

NATO enhanced Forward Presence 
At the NATO Warsaw Summit in June 2016, the member states decided to strengthen NATO´s presence in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. A “permanent rotational enhanced Forward Presence (eFP)” of NATO troops was agreed upon. The agreement led to the establishment of four multinational battlegroups, one stationed in each country. Germany and Canada are lead-nations of the eFP battlegroup in Lithuania and Latvia respectively whereas United Kingdom is lead-nation in Estonia. From 2018 onwards in even years, Denmark is generally contributing with a unit of 200 of the 1.000 soldiers in the eFP battlegroup stationed in Tapa, Estonia. Specifically from March 2022, the Danish Army have contributed with a reinforced mechanised infantry company. The company has been released medio September by a reinforced tank company. In uneven years, Denmark is contributing with staff officers, primarily to the staff of the UK-led Battlegroup.

NATO Baltic Air Policing
Because the Baltic States does not have the full capability themselves, NATO has since 2004 enforced the aerial sovereignty of the Baltic States through the Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission. Denmark has actively contributed to the BAP mission by participating in nine rotations so far: in 2004, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022. In 2014, the Ämari Air Base in Estonia hosted the Danish fighter jets, while the remaining eight BAP missions have been conducted from Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania.

NATO’s Standing Maritime Groups
Navies from Denmark and the Baltic States participate regularly in NATO Standing Maritime Group 1 and NATO Standing Mine Counter Measures Group 1. The primarily operational areas of the two maritime groups are in the Baltic Sea as well as northern and eastern parts of the Atlantic Ocean. The maritime groups strengthen NATO’s presence in the region and participate in training and exercises. 

NATO’s Force Integration Units
As part of NATO’s adaptation to security challenges from the east and the south, NATO decided in 2014 to open eight NATO’s Force Integration Units (NFIU) in Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary. These small units represent a visible and persistent NATO presence in these member countries. The primary mission of NFIUs is to foster collaboration between national forces and the NATO High Readiness Forces in times of military-political crises. Specifically, these small units provide broad planning support to facilitate the rapid deployment of Allied forces to the Eastern part of the Alliance and support collective defence planning. They also work with host nations to identify logistical networks, transportation routes and supporting infrastructure. Each NFIU is manned by approximately 40 staff members on a rotational basis. Denmark is contributing to the Latvian and Lithuanian NFIU with one officer in each country.

NATO Centres of Excellence
NATO Centres of Excellence (CoE) are international military organisations that train and educate leaders and specialists from NATO member and partner countries. They assist in doctrine development, identify lessons learned, improve interoperability and capabilities, and test and validate concepts through experimentation. Although, the present 25 NATO CoEs are not part of the NATO command structure, they are important supporters to the NATO Command Arrangements. Denmark has been member of the Estonian-led NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence CoE in Tallinn since June 2019 and the Latvian-led NATO Strategic Communication CoE in Riga since 2020. Both places, Denmark contributes with one Senior Advisor.

Joint Expeditionary Force
On 30 November 2015, the Baltic States and Denmark signed an agreement on the formation of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF). JEF is a multinational joint military force, which quickly can be deployed globally to the full spectrum of operations. This includes evacuation, greater humanitarian crisis, capacity building, and peacekeeping missions to regular warfare. Besides the Baltic States and Denmark, the force consists of the UK, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland. The JEF should be perceived as a supplement to NATO and the principles for cooperation and potential dispatch are based on NATO standards, which allows the JEF to be integrated into a more comprehensive NATO force. The JEF became fully operational in 2017 as part of NATO’s quick response force (VJTF) and have since than conducted extensive exercises in the Baltic Sea including amphibious landings at the shores of the Baltic States.

Nordic Defence Cooperation
In the framework of Nordic Defence Cooperation, Denmark and the other Nordic countries have undertaken a close cooperation with regard to supporting the Baltic States in conducting defence reforms. In 2016, the Nordic Countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which will strengthen the security in the Baltic region by making it easier to access each other’s air, sea and land territories with military capabilities.
 
Home Guard Cooperation
The Danish Home Guard has cooperated extensively with the national defence volunteer forces of the three Baltic States since the 1990s. The Policy Guidance signed between Denmark, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in 2015 sets the priorities for this cooperation, highlighting areas such as capacity building, organisational development, education, training and exercises in both Denmark and the Baltic States.


Useful links:
Danish Ministry of Defence
Latvian Ministry of Defence
NATO enhanced Forward Presence
NATO Baltic Air Policing
NATO Centres of Excellence

Connect with us on social media

There are several platforms to follow the Danish representation in Latvia and the Danish Cultural Institute. Please see below for ways to engage with us!

The Embassy of Denmark in Riga
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram

The Ambassador 
Twitter

The Danish Culture Institute in the Baltics
Facebook
Instagram
Website

Media resources
For news from Denmark, see the official website of Denmark, Denmark.dk.
For news and press releases from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, click here to see our News section.