Reinstatement of Lithuanian Citizenship to Lithuanian Citizens living in Israel and their Descendants. Lithuanian Citizenship for Lithuanian Jews (Litvaks) and their Descendants

During the period of Independence of Lithuania (1918-1940), Lithuania experienced the second huge wave of emigration. The causes of such emigration were mostly economic, but in certain cases historical and political ones. In 1918-1940, the vast majority of Jewish emigrants from Lithuania left to Palestine and the current territory of the Republic of South Africa. According to official data, 5,000 Jews departed to Palestine during the interwar period.

Within the World War II, the Holocaust in Lithuania resulted in the near-total destruction of the Lithuanian Jewish community. Lithuania lost more than 90 percent of its Jewish community due to the Holocaust of the Jews during the World War II.

In 1948 after the establishment of the state of Israel, the greater part of Lithuanian Jews emigrated from Lithuania to Israel. The emigration of Lithuanian Jews to Israel was predominantly determined by the anti-Jewish policy carried out at that time and by the consequences of the World War II.

Currently, Lithuanian Jews and their descendants residing in Israel may enjoy the opportunity of reinstating Lithuanian citizenship which is laid down by the Lithuanian legislation.

It should be noted that pursuant to legislation of the Republic of Lithuania, Lithuanian citizenship may be reinstated without renouncing the present citizenship of a foreign state (dual citizenship) for persons, who emigrated from Lithuania before 11 March 1990 and held Lithuanian citizenship before 15 June 1940 and, as well as for descendants of such persons (children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren). In this case, in order to reinstate Lithuanian citizenship without renouncing the present citizenship of another state, the following main circumstances must be proved:

1. Lithuanian citizenship before 15 June 1940;
2. Departure from Lithuania before 11 March 1990 (1918-1990);
3. Other circumstances (family relationship, change of name, surname, etc.).

The Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania establishes that persons who had Lithuanian citizenship before 15 June 1940, and their descendants, who have not acquired Lithuanian citizenship before the entry into force of this law, shall enjoy an indefinite right to reinstate Lithuanian citizenship, irrespective of whether the country of their permanent residence is Lithuania or another state.

Article 7 of the Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania provides for the cases when the Lithuanian citizenship may be reinstated without renouncing the present citizenship of a foreign state. This Article stipulates that a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania may be a citizen of another state at the same time, provided he/she is a person who departed from the Republic of Lithuania before 11 March 1990, or is a descendant of such person.

MIGRATION LAW CENTER

If you have any questions regarding Lithuanian citizenship or should you require more information or help, please contact us by e-mail: info@migration.lt or phone: + 370 6 1861886. We will gladly help you.