2015 11 19 Dual children citizenship. At the age of 21 they do not need to choose one of the citizenships anymore

In Lithuania, new adoptions of the Citizenship Law have been adopted according to which the persons who had acquired Lithuanian citizenship and a citizenship of another state by birth will not have to choose one of those citizenships at the age of 21.

Provisions of the Citizenship Law of the Republic of Lithuania which had been valid until now provided exceptional cases when the dual citizenship had been possible in Lithuania, including the possibility of a child’s dual citizenship by determining that a child acquired Lithuanian citizenship and a citizenship of another state by birth. In such a case, a child could be a citizen of Lithuania and another state until the age of 21. Beyond that age, a person had to choose one of those citizenships. Provisions of the Citizenship Law of the Republic of Lithuania provided requirements for a person to refuse one of the citizenships he/she had.

On the 19 11 2015 the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania adopted amendments to the Citizenship Law of the Republic of Lithuania which abolished the requirement for persons who had acquired Lithuanian citizenship and a citizenship of another state by birth, to choose one of the citizenships at the age of 21. These persons will be entitled to have a dual citizenship indefinitely. By these legal amendments, the Parliament revised the cases of dual citizenship and established wider possibilities to retain Lithuanian citizenship.

The discussed regulation is particularly relevant to the children of the emigrated Lithuanians who were not born in Lithuania and have acquired a foreign citizenship by birth, at the same time acquiring Lithuanian citizenship. Citizenship Law of the Republic of Lithuania establishes that a child born to Lithuanian citizens or Lithuanian citizen will acquire Lithuanian citizenship regardless of his/her place of birth, i. e. in Lithuania or abroad.

Parents of children who had acquired Lithuanian citizenship and a citizenship of another state by birth between 11 03 1990 and 22 07 2008 should apply to competent authorities to state the fact of a child’s Lithuanian citizenship. Application and other necessary documents should be submitted to Lithuanian diplomatic mission or consular posts abroad or the Migration Department in Lithuania, if a person resides abroad. If a person resides in Lithuania, she/she shall apply to Migration Service, according to person’s place of residence.

Applying to state the fact of a child’s citizenship, it is necessary to submit the following documents:
1. Request to consider the child as Lithuanian citizen (in Lithuanian);
2. The child’s birth certificate;
3. Documents proving that at the moment of the child’s birth both his/her parents or one parent were Lithuanian citizens;
4. Documents proving that the child has acquired a citizenship of another state by birth.

The enclosed documents should be translated into Lithuanian, if they were concluded in another language. The copies of the documents should be confirmed according to the laws. Documents issued in foreign states must be legalized or approved by Apostille, if Lithuanian international treaties or European Union legislation does not provide otherwise.

Parents of children who have acquired Lithuanian citizenship and a citizenship of another state by birth after 22 07 2008 may apply to issue a passport of a Lithuanian citizen to a child. Before this, the birth fact of a child who was born abroad must be recorded in Lithuania.

MIGRATION LAW CENTER