Lithuanian citizenship

Lithuanian citizenship is a permanent legal relationship of a person with The Republic of Lithuania, based on mutual rights and obligations.

Lithuanian Citizenship is acquired by:

1. birth;

2. citizenship restoration;

3. being granted Lithuanian citizenship.

Reinstatement of Lithuanian Citizenship While Renouncing the Current Citizenship

The persons who held Lithuanian citizenship prior to 15 June 1940 and their descendants shall be able to reinstate Lithuanian citizenship if they are not citizens of a different state or they want to renounce their current citizenship.

Reinstatement of Lithuanian Citizenship While Retaining the Current Citizenship (Dual Citizenship)

The requirement to renounce citizenship of a different state is not applied to persons who can be citizens of both the Lithuania and a different state, in accordance with the Law on Lithuanian Citizenship article 7 subsections 2, 3, and 4, i.e.:

1. the person who was exiled from the occupied Republic of Lithuania prior to 11 March 1990 and has acquired citizenship of a different state;

2. the person who left Lithuania prior to 11 March 1990 and acquired citizenship of a different state;

3. the person who is a descendant of a person mentioned above.

Dual Citizenship in Lithuania can be Acquired by persons who: 

gained Lithuanian citizenship and citizenship a different state by birth and are under 21 years of age;

gained a foreign citizenship by virtue of marriage to a citizen of a different state;

are under 21 years of age, provided they were adopted by a citizen (-s) of Lithuania before reaching 18 years of age and, as a result of the adoption, acquired Lithuanian citizenship;

are under 21 years of age, provided they, being citizens of Lithuania, were adopted by a citizen (-s) of a different state before reaching 18 years of age and, as a result of the adoption, acquired citizenship of that state;

acquired Lithuanian citizenship by way of exception while being a citizen of a different state;

acquired Lithuanian citizenship while having a refugee status in Lithuania.

FREE analysis of your options for obtaining Lithuanian citizenship

The lawyers of MIGRATION LAW CENTER offer a free legal analysis of your options for obtaining Lithuanian citizenship. To receive a detailed analysis, please complete an application form by clicking this link – FORM.

Following a thorough legal analysis of your options that would allow to obtain Lithuanian citizenship, our lawyers will provide you with a written response (analytical results) regarding your options of obtaining Lithuanian citizenship and further requirements as well as procedure processes.

Read more:

Lithuanian Citizenship. Reinstatement of Lithuanian citizenship while retaining the current citizenship (Dual citizenship).

Lithuanian citizenship for exiled citizens. Dual citizenship in Lithuania.

Lithuanian citizenship can be acquired: by birth, by naturalization, by way of exception, by restoration of Lithuanian citizenship.

Acquisition of Lithuanian Citizenship of by Birth.

A child, both of whose parents are Lithuanian citizens, shall be a citizen of Lithuania regardless of whether he was born in the territory of Lithuania or beyond its borders.

A child adopted by a Lithuanian citizen (-s) shall become a Lithuanian citizen.

A child who is a Lithuanian citizen and who is adopted by a citizen (-s) of a different state retains the Lithuanian citizenship regardless if he acquired citizenship of a different state due to adoption.

A child born in the territory of Lithuania, whose parents are stateless persons habitually resident in Lithuania, shall acquire citizenship of Lithuania.

A child found in the territory of Lithuania, both of whose parents are unknown, shall be considered born in the territory of Lithuania and shall be a Lithuanian citizen, unless circumstances are disclosed whereupon the child would acquire a different status.

Naturalisation

A person can be granted Lithuanian citizenship if he:

1. Has been residing in the territory of Lithuania for the last 10 years;

2. Has the right to habitually reside in the territory of Lithuania;

3. Has passed the examination in the state language;

4. Has passed the examination in the basic provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania;

5. Has a legal source of income;

6. Is a stateless person or notifies in writing of his will to renounce citizenship of another state held by him;

7. Meets other requirements laid down in the Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania.

Acquisition of Lithuanian Citizenship by Way of Exception

The citizenship is granted by the president of the Republic of Lithuania.

Restoration of Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania

A person who has lost Lithuanian citizenship may have it restored to him upon his application. The request for restoration of Lithuanian citizenship shall be submitted to the president of Lithuania through competent authorities.

The application is a certain type of form that must be completed in Lithuanian language. Other foreign language documents supporting the application must be translated into Lithuanian and certified by a translator. Copies of those documents must be certified by a notary. Documents issued by foreign countries must be legalized or come with an Apostille certificate, unless international agreements of the Republic of Lithuania and European Union law do not provide otherwise.

Renunciation of Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania

The right of a Lithuanian citizen to renounce citizenship may not be restricted.

A person's application for renunciation of Lithuanian citizenship shall be submitted to the Minister of the Interior or the institution authorised by him. 

The application for renunciation of citizenship needs to be completed in Lithuanian language. Other foreign language documents supporting the application must be translated into Lithuanian and certified by a translator. Copies of those documents must be certified by a notary. Documents issued by foreign countries must be legalized or come with an Apostille certificate, unless international agreements of the Republic of Lithuania and European Union law do not provide otherwise.

Documents that support the application for renunciation of citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania:

1. Documents certifying Lithuanian citizenship;

2. Personal identification document issued by a foreign body (if such was issued);

3. Documents issued by competent foreign authorities stating that the person is a national of that state or shall acquire citizenship of that state after losing Lithuanian citizenship.

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 tel.: + 370 6 1861886. We will gladly help you.

Lithuanian citizenship

The citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania is the permanent legal relationship of a person with the Republic of Lithuania based on mutual rights and responsibilities.

Who are citizens of the Republic of Lithuania?

The following persons are citizens of the Republic of Lithuania:

• persons who are citizens of the Republic of Lithuania on the date of the entry into force of the Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania;
• persons who have reinstated citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania;
• persons who have acquired citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania;
• persons who have retained citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania.

Reinstatement of citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania by renouncing the current citizenship

A person who held Lithuanian citizenship before 15 June 1940 or a person whose parents, grandparents or great-grandparents had Lithuanian citizenship before 15 June 1940, has a right to reinstate citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania, provided he is not a citizen of another state or renounces his present citizenship.

Reinstatement of citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania without renouncing the current citizenship

With the growing extent of emigration, the question of whether a Lithuanian citizen can hold dual (multiple) citizenship is recurring. In fact, dual citizenship is not a common case in Lithuania, as in our country dual citizenship is possible only in exceptionally rare cases.

The requirement to renounce citizenship of another state is not applicable to an individual who according to Clause 2, 3 or 4 of Article 7 of the Republic of Lithuania Law on Citizenship may be a citizen of both the Republic of Lithuania and another state at the same time:

• is a person who was exiled from the occupied Lithuania before 11 March 1990 and who acquired citizenship of another state;
• is a person who fled Lithuania before 11 March 1990 and who acquired citizenship of another state;
• is a descendant of the foregoing persons.

Other cases when a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania may be a citizen of another state at the same time:

• he has acquired citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania and citizenship of another state at birth;
• by virtue of marriage to a citizen of another state he has ipso facto acquired citizenship of that state;
• he is a person adopted by citizen (citizens) of the Republic of Lithuania before he turned 18 and therefore acquired citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania;
• he is a person – a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania, who was adopted by citizen (citizens) of another state before he turned 18 and therefore acquired citizenship of that state;
• he has acquired Lithuanian citizenship by way of exception while being a citizen of another state;
• he is a person who has retained Lithuanian citizenship or who has citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania restored for his outstanding merits to the Republic of Lithuania;
• he has acquired citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania while having refugee status in the Republic of Lithuania;
• he is a person who acquired Lithuanian citizenship by birth and acquired citizenship of another state until he turned 18 in other way than by birth.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

How to obtain Lithuanian citizenship?

There are a few options how to acquire citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania: Lithuanian citizenship is acquired by birth; Lithuanian citizenship is granted through naturalisation; Lithuanian citizenship is acquired by way of exception; Lithuanian citizenship is granted under the simplified procedure; citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania is reinstated; Lithuanian citizenship is restored.

Can a Lithuanian citizen have dual (multiple) citizenship?

Yes, but such cases are rare enough. There are several exceptions, when a dual citizenship is allowed in Lithuania: a person was exiled from the occupied Lithuania before 11 March 1990 or is a descendant of such person (child, grandchild or great-grandchild); a person fled or departed from Lithuania before 11 March 1990 or is a descendant of such person (child, grandchild or great-grandchild); a child has acquired dual (multiple) citizenship by birth; cases of adoption and marriage, as well as by way of exception or while holding refugee status.

Can Lithuanian citizenship be restored?

In such cases when a person has lost citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania, a person may have it restored, but it is vitally important that a citizenship may be restored only once. If the held Lithuanian citizenship was granted by way of exception, then it cannot be restored. A person who has filed an application to restore his Lithuanian citizenship must meet certain conditions.

Is it possible to lose Lithuanian citizenship?

There are certain cases when the Lithuanian citizenship can be lost. Such cases are as follows: when a person himself renounces Lithuanian citizenship; when a person acquires citizenship of another state, subject to certain exceptions; where citizenship is lost on the grounds established by international treaties to which the Republic of Lithuania is a party; where a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania is in the service of another state without authorisation of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania; if the Lithuanian citizenship was acquired in illegal ways; when circumstances are discovered, by reason of which citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania could not have been granted; when it transpires that a decision on citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania in respect of the person concerned has been taken in breach of laws; where a person concerned fails to provide evidence that he renounces citizenship of another state.

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 tel.: + 370 6 1861886. We will gladly help you.