A reinstatement of citizenship of Lithuania is a process of a obtaining of citizenship of Lithuania for a person in one of the available ways.

A citizenship of Lithuania may be reinstated for a person, if such a person was a citizen of Lithuania prior to 15 June 1940. In addition, a citizenship of Lithuania may be reinstated for descendants of persons who were citizens of Lithuania prior to 15 June 1940. This provision is applicable to three generations of descendants, i.e. to children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

If a person wishes to reinstate his/her citizenship of Lithuania, he/she can renounce a citizenship of the other state or choose a double (dual) citizenship. A dual citizenship may be provided in Lithuania in exceptional cases only, for example, to a person having left Lithuania prior to 11 March 1990 or was exiled as well as to descendants of such a persons, in marriage cases, adoption and otherwise. 

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:

1. gained Lithuanian citizenship and citizenship a different state by birth;

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

3. 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;

4. 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;

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

6. is a person who has retained Lithuanian citizenship or to whom Lithuanian citizenship has been returned due to the fact that he or she has special merits for the State of Lithuania;

7. acquired Lithuanian citizenship while having a refugee status in Lithuania;

8. is a person, who acquired Lithuanian citizenship by birth, and acquired the citizenship of another state before the age of 18 not by birth.

The process of preparation of documents for a reinstatement of citizenship of Lithuania starts from collection of the required data and documents. In case of lack of any data and documents, a search for them shall be carried out at Lithuanian archives and other state institutions as well as other sources. If a search is arranged according to the established procedure, it continues for about a month; in urgent cases, it may be completed within 5 workdays or within 10 workdays.

After collection of the required documents, any documents executed in a language other than Lithuanian shall be translated into Lithuanian; copies of the documents shall be notarized. Documents issued in foreign states shall be certified by Apostille or legalized, unless otherwise is provided by international treaties of Lithuania or legal norms of the European Union.

The documents shall be submitted personally to the Migration Department of Lithuania or to a diplomatic mission or a consular institution of Lithuania in a foreign state.

A person shall submit the following documents:

1. The application for reinstatement of citizenship of Lithuania completed in Lithuanian;
2. The person’s identification document;
3. The document certifying that the person was a citizen of Lithuania prior to 15 June 1940 or is a descendant of a person who was a citizen of Lithuania prior to 15 June 1940;
4. A document evidencing the change of name or surname where such personal data have been changed;
5. The document certifying that the person is not a citizen of another state, except of cases when the person may be simultaneously a citizen of another state;
6. The documents certifying that at least one of the provisions specified in the Subparagraphs 2, 3 and 4 of the Article 7 of the Law of Republic of Lithuania is satisfied, if the person is a citizen of another state.
According to the relevant norms of Lithuania, a decision on reinstatement of citizenship of Lithuania shall be passed no later than within 6 months; in practice, the process may last for about 9-12 months and even longer in certain cases.

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:  

Dual Citizenship in Lithuania
Granting the citizenship of Lithuania according to the simplified procedure
Certificate of Lithuanian descents
A certificate certifying a right for reinstatement of the citizenship of Lithuania
A citizenship of children
Dual children citizenship
The citizen of a spouse (a husband or a wife)
Lithuanian citizenship through the ethnic descent
Lithuanian Citizenship for Persons Having Lithuanian Ancestry. Lithuanian Citizenship for Descendants of Lithuanians
Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania for those exiled from Lithuania. Dual citizenship in Lithuania
Lithuanian citizenship. Reinstatement of Lithuanian Citizenship without renouncing existing one (Dual Citizenship)
Lithuanian passport. Order of issuing and deadlines
Retention of dual citizenship in the case of the departure from Lithuania after 11 March 1990
Oath of Allegiance to the Republic of Lithuania
Reinstatement of Lithuanian citizenship and service in Lithuanian armed forces. Military service in Lithuania
For reinstatement of citizenship of Lithuania, it is necessary to retain citizenship of Lithuania on 1940 06 15
The Jews (Litvaks) and other emigrants who left Lithuania during the interwar period and their descendants will be able to reinstate Lithuanian citizenship or acquire double citizenship without bureaucratic obstacles

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.