Lithuania

Last Updated: 2026-03-31

Official Portal: Migration Department under the Ministry of the Interior

Embassy Finder: Lithuanian Diplomatic Missions

Quick Facts

Category	Details
Residency for naturalization	10 years of permanent residence in Lithuania (reduced to 7 years for persons who completed Lithuanian higher education)
Language requirement	Lithuanian language proficiency at B1 level (state examination)
Civics test	Yes — knowledge of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania and basics of Lithuanian history and civic institutions
Processing time	6—12 months
Naturalization fee	EUR 41 (application processing fee)
Dual citizenship	Conditional — prohibited by the Constitution with narrow exceptions (exiles, descendants, minors, automatic acquisition cases)
Citizenship by birth in Lithuania	Limited — children born to stateless parents or parents whose citizenship cannot be determined
Citizenship by descent	Automatic for children of Lithuanian citizens; restoration available for descendants of pre-1940 citizens
Governing law	Lietuvos Respublikos pilietybes istatymas (Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania, 2010, as amended)

Dual Citizenship

Lithuania has one of the most restrictive dual citizenship policies in the EU, rooted in Article 12 of the Constitution, which states that no person may be a citizen of both Lithuania and another state simultaneously, “except in individual cases provided for by law.”

A 2019 referendum to amend the Constitution to allow broader dual citizenship failed to reach the required voter turnout threshold (though 73% of those who voted were in favor).

Current exceptions (Law on Citizenship, Article 7):

Persons who left Lithuania before 11 March 1990 (independence restoration) due to occupation, and their descendants up to the third generation — may retain or restore Lithuanian citizenship alongside another.
Persons who acquired another citizenship automatically (e.g., by birth in a jus soli country) — may retain both.
Minors who are citizens of Lithuania and acquired another citizenship through parents — may hold both until age 21, at which point they must choose (in practice, enforcement is limited).
Persons who acquired Lithuanian citizenship by exceptional merit granted by presidential decree.

For all other cases: A person who voluntarily naturalizes in another country loses Lithuanian citizenship, and a foreign national naturalizing in Lithuania must renounce their prior citizenship.

This remains one of the most debated aspects of Lithuanian law, particularly given the large Lithuanian diaspora (estimated 1+ million abroad, primarily in the UK, Ireland, United States, and Germany).

Acquisition of Nationality

By Birth (Jus Soli)

Lithuania follows a strictly jus sanguinis system. Birth on Lithuanian territory alone does not confer citizenship. However, limited jus soli applies in the following cases:

A child born in Lithuania to stateless parents or parents whose nationality cannot be determined acquires Lithuanian citizenship at birth.
A child born in Lithuania to parents who are permanent residents and whose child does not acquire the nationality of either parent acquires Lithuanian citizenship.

By Descent (Jus Sanguinis)

A child acquires Lithuanian citizenship at birth if at least one parent is a Lithuanian citizen (Article 8), regardless of place of birth.

Key provisions:

Both mothers and fathers transmit citizenship equally.
There is no generational limit for descent, though second and subsequent generations born abroad should register with Lithuanian diplomatic missions.
Restoration of citizenship is available for persons who can prove they or their ancestors were Lithuanian citizens before 15 June 1940 (date of Soviet occupation). This is one of the most commonly used pathways, especially for the diaspora in the United States, South America, and Israel.

By Adoption

A child under 18 adopted by a Lithuanian citizen acquires Lithuanian citizenship from the date the adoption takes legal effect under Lithuanian law (Article 10).

If the adopted child is over 14, their consent is required.
The adoption must be recognized under Lithuanian law.

By Marriage

Lithuania does not grant automatic citizenship through marriage. Spousal naturalization follows a simplified pathway:

Requirements (Article 14):

The applicant must be married to a Lithuanian citizen for at least 3 years.
The couple must be living together.
The applicant must have been continuously resident in Lithuania for at least 5 years (reduced from 10 under the spousal pathway — verify current provision, as some sources cite 7 years with marriage reduction).
All other naturalization conditions apply: Lithuanian language, civics test, renunciation of prior citizenship (unless an exception applies), lawful income.

By Naturalization (Residency)

Standard pathway (Article 12, Law on Citizenship):

Requirement	Details
Permanent residence	10 years of continuous permanent residence in Lithuania
Lithuanian language	B1 level — state language examination administered by the Vilnius University Lithuanian Language Centre or equivalent
Civics knowledge	Examination on the Constitution, fundamentals of Lithuanian history, state hymn, and civic institutions
Lawful income	Demonstrated legal source of income sufficient for self-support
Statelessness or renunciation	Must be stateless or have renounced prior citizenship (unless a dual citizenship exception applies)
No criminal record	No convictions for serious criminal offenses
Fee	EUR 41 (processing fee)

Reduced residency (7 years): Available to persons who graduated from a Lithuanian institution of higher education.

Restoration of citizenship (Article 9): Persons who were Lithuanian citizens before 15 June 1940, and their descendants, may restore Lithuanian citizenship by providing documentary evidence of ancestral citizenship. This does not require residence in Lithuania and is the most accessible pathway for the diaspora. Under the dual citizenship exceptions, those whose ancestors departed Lithuania before 1990 may retain their current nationality.

Lithuania is an EU and Schengen Area member state. Lithuanian citizens have full EU freedom of movement, including the right to live, work, and study anywhere in the EU/EEA.

Loss and Renunciation

Voluntary Renunciation

A Lithuanian citizen may renounce citizenship by submitting an application to the Migration Department (Article 22), provided:

The person holds or has been guaranteed the citizenship of another state.
The person is not subject to criminal proceedings in Lithuania.
The person has no outstanding obligations to the state (military service, tax, etc.).

Involuntary Loss

Ground	Details
Voluntary acquisition of another citizenship	Unless a dual citizenship exception applies, voluntary naturalization in another country results in automatic loss (Article 24).
Fraud	Citizenship obtained through false documents, concealment of material facts, or other deception may be revoked (Article 21).
Service in a foreign state	Entry into the civil or military service of a foreign state without authorization from the Lithuanian government may result in loss.

Restoration of Nationality

Restoration for pre-1940 citizens and descendants (Article 9):

This is one of Lithuania’s most significant citizenship provisions and is heavily used by the diaspora.

Eligibility:

The applicant (or their direct ancestor) was a citizen of Lithuania before 15 June 1940.
The applicant did not repatriate to Lithuania under the 1945—1990 Soviet regime as part of organized repatriation programs from certain countries.

Requirements:

Documentary evidence: ancestor’s Lithuanian birth certificate, passport, military records, census records, or other archival documents.
Applications may be submitted from abroad through Lithuanian embassies/consulates.
No residency requirement.
No language or civics test.

Dual citizenship under restoration: If the ancestor left Lithuania before independence was restored on 11 March 1990, the applicant may retain their current citizenship alongside the restored Lithuanian one.

Stateless Persons and Foundlings

Foundlings (Article 8): A child found in Lithuania whose parents are unknown and whose citizenship cannot be established is considered a citizen of Lithuania.

Stateless persons: Lithuania is party to both the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. Stateless persons permanently residing in Lithuania may naturalize with a reduced residency period of 5 years (Article 13).

Document Checklist

Sources

Lietuvos Respublikos pilietybes istatymas (Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania). Full text: https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/TAIS.384087
Migration Department under the Ministry of the Interior — citizenship applications and procedures. https://www.migracija.lt/en/citizenship
Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, Article 12. https://www.lrs.lt/home/Konstitucija/Constitution.htm
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania — embassy finder and consular services. https://www.urm.lt/en/diplomatic-missions
Lithuanian Central State Archives — archival research for citizenship restoration. https://www.archyvai.lt/en/

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