Dual (Multiple) Citizenship for Minors in Lithuania Took Effect

As of 01 January 2021, amendments to the Republic of Lithuania Law on Citizenship have entered into force, which vested the right to dual (multiple) citizenship for all minors who acquired citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania by birth. In accordance with the new provisions of the Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania, all minors until 18 years old, who acquired citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania by birth, have the right to multiple citizenship, i.e. the right to hold both Lithuanian and other country citizenship, regardless of when they acquired citizenship of other country – by birth or later, until they reached 18 years old.

Subparagraph 11 of Article 7 of the Republic of Lithuania Law on Citizenship, which regulates the cases when a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania may be a citizen of another state at the same time, establishes that a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania may be a citizen of another state at the same time, provided he is a person who acquired citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania by birth and acquired citizenship of another state until he reached 18 years old by means other than by birth.

Persons who acquired dual or multiple citizenship before 18 years old will be entitled to retain it after they reach the age of majority.
If the minors, who acquired citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania by birth, have subsequently lost it, they may have citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania reinstated.

It should be noted that a person must notify on the acquired citizenship of another state to the Migration Department or a diplomatic mission or consular post of the Republic of Lithuania, within 2 months from the date of the acquisition of citizenship of another state. The notice shall be submitted through the Lithuanian Migration Information System (MIGRIS).

Under the provisions of the Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania, regulating the matters of dual citizenship of the minors, which were effective until now, the right to multiple citizenship could only be claimed by minors who acquired citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania and of another state by birth.

MIGRATION LAW CENTER