Referendum on the Retention of Lithuanian Citizenship (Dual, Multiple Citizenship) to Be Held in 2024. Voting Procedure

On 12 May 2024, a referendum on the retention of Lithuanian Citizenship acquired by birth upon acquisition of citizenship of another country friendly to Lithuania will be held.

If the citizens of Lithuania vote in favour thereof, the following statement to be excluded from the Lithuanian Constitution: “With the exception of individual cases provided for by law, no one may be a citizen of both the Republic of Lithuania and another state at the same time.” Such an amendment would enable the present Lithuanian citizens to enjoy the right to retain Lithuanian citizenship after acquiring a citizenship of another state friendly to Lithuania. In this case, dual (multiple) citizenship would be available.

Countries amicable to Lithuania:

1. Member States of the European Union;
2. Member States of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO);
3. Member States of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD);
4. Contracting parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area.

Currently, 47 countries meet the criteria of European and transatlantic integration.

Regardless of membership in the aforesaid countries, citizens of certain countries would not be able to hold Lithuanian citizenship even after the amendment of the Lithuanian Constitution. These are the states that participate in unions or commonwealths established on the basis of the former Soviet Union, for instance, Russia, Belarus. Among those are also the countries that do not meet the criteria of European and transatlantic integration, for example, Argentina, Republic of South Africa, and others.

A list of countries upon acquisition of citizenship whereof the Lithuanian citizens may preserve the Lithuanian citizenship:

Ireland

Austria

Albania

Belgium

Bulgaria

Czech Republic

Denmark

Estonia

Greece

Spain

Italy

Cyprus

Croatia

Latvia

Poland

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

The Netherlands

Portugal

France

Romania

Slovakia

Slovenia

Finland

Sweden

Hungary

Germany

United Kingdom

United States of America

Montenegro

Canada

Norway

North Macedonia

Turkey

Australia

Chile

Israel

Japan

Colombia

Costa Rica

Mexico

New Zealand

South Korea

Switzerland

Liechtenstein

The referendum on the retention of Lithuanian citizenship (dual, multiple citizenship) would be deemed conducted, if more than a half of all Lithuanian citizens eligible to vote support the amendment to the Constitution.

Voting procedure:

On 12 May 2024, during the referendum on the retention of Lithuanian Citizenship acquired by birth which will be held in tandem with the first round of presidential election, the voters will be given the ballot papers, in which they will be invited to reject a sentence in Article 12 of the Lithuanian Constitution: “With the exception of individual cases provided for by law, no one may be a citizen of both the Republic of Lithuania and another state at the same time”, which currently prevents from retaining the Lithuanian citizenship in case of acquiring a citizenship of another state.

Voters in favour of such an amendment to the Constitution shall vote by marking the YES box on the ballot paper, those against shall vote by marking NO box on the ballot paper.

Voting abroad:

Lithuanian citizens who reside abroad or will stay abroad during the time of referendum shall file a voter registration application by signing in to the electronic registration system at address www.rinkejopuslapis.lt 

The voters shall have to specify in a voter registration application a method in which they prefer to vote in the mandatory referendum on the retention of Lithuanian citizenship to be held on 12 May 2024:

1. By post, indicating a residential address in a foreign state;
2. In person, arriving to vote at a particular diplomatic mission or consular post of the Republic of Lithuania on the appointed days and time.

MIGRATION LAW CENTER