Since mid-July, all persons entering Latvia have had to complete written questionnaires about their movements and COVID-19 status. In order to track the spread of COVID-19, arrivals complete questionnaires distributed by international passenger carriers. Then via the border guard, the stack of paperwork comes either to the State Police (if the persons in question have to comply with self-isolation) or to the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (SPKC) for other statistical use.
Passenger carriers have long been complaining about the mounds of paperwork, and have constantly been reassured that an electronic system would be coming soon. As of now, it has taken the shape of website covidpass.lv, which will be active in about a month.
In this system, the person will enter the information requested a day before crossing the border. It will be centralized at the disposal of the State Border Guard and the State Police.
“The statement must be completed before the border is crossed, 24 hours to avoid a situation where the traveler fills out the questionnaire longer in advance, forgetting that some epidemiological situation has changed,” said Janis Dreimanis, representative of the Information Centre of the Ministry of Interior.
After completing the questionnaire, the traveler will receive an approval message or email that will have to be presented before boarding the bus, train or aircraft. Following changes to the regulatory enactments, this approval will have to be completed and, at the request of border guards or policemen, also presented by those who enter Latvia with their personal means of transport.
In electronic form, the questionnaire will have to be completed by all travelers. If the police find that a person has not completed it in time or violated the self-isolation requirements, he or she could get administrative penalty.
