International Students' Survival Guide to Life in Latvia

• make an appointment (recommended for non-native speakers to ensure an English-speaking clerk is on hand or otherwise to have a translator present);
• walk into the bank of your choosing. It is generally better to choose a larger bank office for that, as smaller ones may not always have an English speaker available.

Be sure to have all necessary documentation with you when you go to open your account.

Once at the bank, show your documents to the banker and fill out an application form. The banker should be able to open your account within a matter of minutes or hours but be prepared for it to take a few days or even weeks in some cases, especially if you will need to prove your income/deposit source which some banks will require you to do.

• Passport
• Proof of residence/your foreign resident card/residence permit
• Proof of address
• Work Agreement/contract

While you can open most accounts online, it is recommended to go to the bank in person to make the process easier. In nearly all cases, you will need to visit the bank either way, to pick up your card and sign a few last documents.

The most popular banks in Latvia are Swedbank, SEB banka, Citadele, Luminor and others.

Swedbank also offers ISIC (International Student Identity Card) that combines internationally recognized student identity card and Swedbank debit card functions, as well as offers many different discounts in Latvia and abroad. 

Check with your chosen university – it is possible that they may have a special deal with Swedbank ISIC or other.

It is advisable to collect and compare information from several banks to see which bank offers the most competitive rates and desirable services. 

• make an appointment (recommended for non-native speakers to ensure an English-speaking clerk is on hand or otherwise to have a translator present);
• walk into the bank of your choosing. It is generally better to choose a larger bank office for that, as smaller ones may not always have an English speaker available.

Be sure to have all necessary documentation with you when you go to open your account.

Once at the bank, show your documents to the banker and fill out an application form. The banker should be able to open your account within a matter of minutes or hours but be prepared for it to take a few days or even weeks in some cases, especially if you will need to prove your income/deposit source which some banks will require you to do.

• Passport
• Proof of residence/your foreign resident card/residence permit
• Proof of address
• Work Agreement/contract

While you can open most accounts online, it is recommended to go to the bank in person to make the process easier. In nearly all cases, you will need to visit the bank either way, to pick up your card and sign a few last documents.

The most popular banks in Latvia are Swedbank, SEB banka, Citadele, Luminor and others.

Swedbank also offers ISIC (International Student Identity Card) that combines internationally recognized student identity card and Swedbank debit card functions, as well as offers many different discounts in Latvia and abroad. 

Check with your chosen university – it is possible that they may have a special deal with Swedbank ISIC or other.

It is advisable to collect and compare information from several banks to see which bank offers the most competitive rates and desirable services. 

• make an appointment (recommended for non-native speakers to ensure an English-speaking clerk is on hand or otherwise to have a translator present);
• walk into the bank of your choosing. It is generally better to choose a larger bank office for that, as smaller ones may not always have an English speaker available.

Be sure to have all necessary documentation with you when you go to open your account.

Once at the bank, show your documents to the banker and fill out an application form. The banker should be able to open your account within a matter of minutes or hours but be prepared for it to take a few days or even weeks in some cases, especially if you will need to prove your income/deposit source which some banks will require you to do.

• Passport
• Proof of residence/your foreign resident card/residence permit
• Proof of address
• Work Agreement/contract

While you can open most accounts online, it is recommended to go to the bank in person to make the process easier. In nearly all cases, you will need to visit the bank either way, to pick up your card and sign a few last documents.

The most popular banks in Latvia are Swedbank, SEB banka, Citadele, Luminor and others.

Swedbank also offers ISIC (International Student Identity Card) that combines internationally recognized student identity card and Swedbank debit card functions, as well as offers many different discounts in Latvia and abroad. 

Check with your chosen university – it is possible that they may have a special deal with Swedbank ISIC or other.

It is advisable to collect and compare information from several banks to see which bank offers the most competitive rates and desirable services.