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.

Lithuanian citizenship by Lithuanian descent

Persons whose ancestors (parents, grandparents and great-grandparents or one of them) were Lithuanian citizens before 15 June 1940 have the right to reinstate Lithuanian citizenship.

Lithuanian citizenship can be reinstated by renouncing the current citizenship or without renouncing the current citizenship (dual or multiple 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.

Conditions for reinstatement Lithuanian citizenship with renunciation of current citizenship:

• Lithuanian citizenship before 15 June 1940. 

Eligibility for reinstatement Lithuanian citizenship with renunciation of current citizenship

The person was a Lithuanian citizen before 15 June 1940 or the person is a descendant (child, grandchild, great-grandchild) of a person who had Lithuanian citizenship before 15 June 1940.

Lithuanian citizenship to descendants of Lithuanian citizens with renunciation of existing citizenship

A person has the right to acquire Lithuanian citizenship if he/she is a descendant of a person who was a citizen of Lithuania before 15 June 1940, i.e. the person's ancestors: father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, great-grandfather and/or great-grandmother, or one of them was a citizen of Lithuania before 15 June 1940 or the person himself/herself was a citizen of Lithuania before 15 June 1940.

If there is evidence that the person or his/her ancestors were citizens of Lithuania before 15 June 1940, the person has the right to apply for the reinstatement of Lithuanian citizenship with the renunciation of the 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.:

• the person who was exiled from the occupied Republic of Lithuania prior to 11 March 1990 and has acquired citizenship of a different state;
• the person who left Lithuania prior to 11 March 1990 and acquired citizenship of a different state;
• the person who is a descendant of a person mentioned above.

Conditions for reinstatement Lithuanian citizenship without renunciation of current citizenship (Dual, multiple citizenship):

• Lithuanian citizenship before 15 June 1940;
• departure from Lithuania before 11 March 1990; or
• exile from Lithuania before 11 March 1990.

Eligibility for Lithuanian citizenship (Dual, multiple citizenship)

The person was a Lithuanian citizen before 15 June 1940 or the person is a descendant (child, grandchild, great-grandchild) of a person who had Lithuanian citizenship before 15 June 1940 and the person or his/her ancestors (parents, grandparents or great-grandparents) left Lithuania before 11 March 1990 or were exiled.

Dual, multiple citizenship for descendants of Lithuanian citizens

Dual citizenship is possible for descendants of Lithuanian citizens if they are descendants of a person who was a citizen of Lithuania before 15 June 1940, i.e. the person's ancestors: father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, great-grandfather and (or) great-grandmother, or one of them was a citizen of Lithuania before 15 June 1940 or the person was a citizen of Lithuania before 15 June 1940 and left Lithuania before 11 March 1990, except for leaving for the former territory of the Soviet Union after 15 June 1940, or the person and (or) his ancestors were exiled from Lithuania before 11 March 1990.

If there is evidence that the person or his ancestors were citizens of Lithuania before 15 June 1940, and the person or his ancestors left Lithuania before 11 March 1990, except for leaving for the former territory of the Soviet Union after 15 June 1940, or the person and (or) his ancestors were exiled from Lithuania before 11 March 1990, a person has the right to apply for the reinstatement of Lithuanian citizenship without renouncing their current citizenship. In this case, dual or multiple citizenship is possible, when a person can become a Lithuanian citizen and retain the citizenship of his country or countries of which he is a citizen.

In other cases, Dual Citizenship in Lithuania can be Acquired by persons who: 

• gained Lithuanian citizenship and citizenship a different state by birth;
• gained a foreign citizenship by virtue of marriage to a citizen of a different state;
• 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;
• 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;
• retained Lithuanian citizenship or who has citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania restored for his outstanding merits to the Republic of Lithuania;
• acquired citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania while having refugee status in the Republic of Lithuania;
• acquired Lithuanian citizenship by birth and acquired citizenship of another state until he turned 18 in other way than by birth.

Lithuanian citizenship to persons of Lithuanian origin

A person has the right to be granted Lithuanian citizenship as a person of Lithuanian origin if the person's father, mother, grandfather or grandmother, or one of them is Lithuanian (nationality, national affiliation, not Lithuanian citizenship) and the person considers himself/herself to be Lithuanian. In this case, the simplified procedure for Lithuanian citizenship is applied, during which the citizenship of a foreign country is required to be renounced. Dual citizenship or multiple citizenship is not possible in this case.

Conditions for granting Lithuanian citizenship under a simplified procedure 

• a person is of Lithuanian origin (the person's parents, grandparents or one of them are Lithuanians).

Eligibility for Lithuanian citizenship on the basis of Lithuanian origin

A person is a person of Lithuanian origin - a person whose parents, grandparents or one of them are Lithuanians and who considers himself Lithuanian and declares this in a written statement.

Can I get a free legal assessment of my chances of acquiring Lithuanian citizenship?

FREE analysis of your options for obtaining Lithuanian citizenship

Yes, 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.

Other cases of acquisition of Lithuanian citizenship:

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

Acquisition of Lithuanian Citizenship by Birth. Child's citizenship

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.

Lithuanian citizenship based on marriage

The spouse, husband or wife of a Lithuanian citizen has the right to apply for a residence permit in Lithuania or an EU citizen's family member card in Lithuania and, after at least 7 years of living with the Lithuanian citizen in Lithuania, for the granting of Lithuanian citizenship through naturalization.

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.

The main stages of acquiring Lithuanian citizenship

The stages of the process of acquiring Lithuanian citizenship depend on the procedure for acquiring Lithuanian citizenship applied. The main stages of acquiring Lithuanian citizenship are:

• Collection of documents;
• Preparation of documents;
• Submission of documents to the Migration department;
• Making a decision;
• Issuance of a Lithuanian passport.

How long does it take to get Lithuanian citizenship?

The term of acquisition of Lithuanian citizenship depends on the applicable process of acquisition of Lithuanian citizenship. Basically, the process of Lithuanian citizenship takes about 4-12 months, in some cases longer.

Can I get free legal advice on Lithuanian citizenship?

Yes, to learn more about Lithuanian citizenship, the process of preparing and submitting documents to competent state institutions, or to order legal assistance, please contact us:

• Email: info@migration.lt 

• Phone: +37068563053

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.