The Seimas of Lithuania to Decide Not to Apply Restrictions on Lithuanian Citizenship to Russian and Belarusian Nationals

On 04 April 2023, the Seimas of Lithuania adopted the Republic of Lithuania Law on Imposing Restrictive Measures Regarding the Military Aggression Against Ukraine No XIV-1868, which is aimed at ensuring the national security and foreign policy interests of the Republic of Lithuania.

The members of the Seimas have decided that a possibility to acquire citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania will not be restricted both to Russian and Belarusian nationals.

After voting, the Seimas relinquished one of the substantive provisions of the aforementioned draft law, which establishes a restriction to suspend the acceptance of applications and decisions concerning Lithuanian citizenship from Russian and Belarusian nationals. After consideration of the draft law, the Committee of National Security and Defence planned to suspend the acceptance of applications and decisions regarding Lithuanian citizenship from Russian nationals, except for cases where citizenship is acquired through naturalization, or a person has a right to reinstate citizenship, or the person’s application for granting citizenship under the simplified procedure has already been accepted. Finally, the Seimas of Lithuania has decided not to apply any restriction at all as to acquisition of citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania.

Restrictions on Russian and Belarusian nationals have been entrenched in Article 3 of the Republic of Lithuania Law on Imposing Restrictive Measures Regarding the Military Aggression Against Ukraine No XIV-1868 dated 04 April 2023, wherein the following restrictive measures are provided for:

1. The acceptance of visa applications from Russian and Belarusian nationals at the Lithuanian visa services abroad shall be suspended, except for cases where the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuanian acts as an intermediary in the process of submitting visa applications.

2. The acceptance of the applications from Russian and Belarusian nationals for the issue of national visas through a foreign external service provider shall be suspended.

3. The acceptance of the applications from Russian nationals for the issue of a temporary residence permit in Lithuania through a foreign external service provider abroad shall be suspended, except for Russians where the issuance process is mediated by an institution authorized by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania in the cases laid down by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, and in Lithuania, unless Russian nationals hold a valid national or Schengen visa issued by the Lithuanian visa service abroad or in Lithuania, or a residence permit in Lithuania, or a residence permit issued by another EU Member State.

4. Movement of Russian nationals across the external border of the European Union to the territory of the Republic of Lithuania shall be subject to individual additional detailed inspection due to a threat posed by their entry to Lithuania’s national security, public order, public policy, domestic security, public health or international relationship, except for cases provided for by law.

5. The receipt of applications of Russian and Belarusian nationals for the status of an e-resident of Lithuania shall be suspended; and the validity of valid electronic identification certificates and qualified certificates for electronic signature entered in the e-resident’s electronic identification and electronic signature means issued to Russian and Belarusian nationals shall be suspended, unless Russian and Belarusian nationals hold a permanent or temporary residence permit in Lithuania.

6. The right of Russian nationals and legal entities established or controlled by them, as defined in the Republic of Lithuania Law on Competition, to acquire, by the right of ownership, an immovable property located in the territory of Lithuania shall be suspended, except for cases where a Russian national holds a temporary or permanent residence permit in Lithuania, or where a Russian national acquires the right of ownership to immovable property by inheritance.

7. The right of Russian and Belarusian nationals to import/export cash in the Ukrainian Hryvnia to/from the territory of Lithuania shall be suspended.

MIGRATION LAW CENTER