Lithuanian Residence Permit
Non-EU citizens wishing to reside in Lithuania must receive a permit. Permits shall grant a right for temporary or permanent residence in Lithuania.
A temporary residence permit in Lithuania shall be issued with regard to the following cases:
the alien has retained the right to citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania;
family reunification;
the alien intends to study, work, or engage in lawful activities in Lithuania; also, in other cases.
A temporary residence permit shall be issued for a period of one year; it may be issued for a shorter period of time, too. The alien may change their place of residence in Lithuania, depart from and return to Lithuania during their permit validity period.
You should lodge your first application for the issue of a temporary residence permit with a diplomatic mission or consular post of the Republic of Lithuania abroad. If you are staying in Lithuania, you should apply to the nearest Migration Service. However, the submission of an application does not grant you the right to stay in Lithuania. You must lawfully reside in Lithuania if you submit your application for a permit while staying in Lithuania; therefore you should obtain information about the periods for lawful residence in Lithuania, visa requirements, and the validity thereof.
Your application shall be processed within 6 months since the submission thereof. Having received a notification about the decision and wishing to formalize the permit, you must address the nearest Migration Service. However, a positive decision on a permission to reside temporarily in Lithuania does not give you the right to stay in the country without a visa or to exceed the period granted for a visa-free stay.
To replace your temporary residence permit in Lithuania, or to obtain a new one (once the validity of your previous permit has expired) please refer to the Migration Service. The decision to replace your permit or issue a new one will no longer be valid if you do not make use of it within three months since the date it was made.
A permanent residence permit in Lithuania shall be issued for a period of five years. It shall prove the alien’s permanent resident status.
A permanent residence permit in Lithuania may be issued for an alien if an alien has married with a citizen of Lithuania and arrived in Lithuania to reside. The similar permit may be issued to a person who arrives in Lithuania and is a family member of an alien who has retained the right to citizenship of Lithuania in compliance with the procedure established by the Law on Citizenship, or if the alien is a person of Lithuanian descent.
An application for a permanent residence permit shall be processed within 4 months since the submission thereof to the nearest Migration Service. The decision to issue a permanent residence permit shall be valid six months since the date it was made. You must apply with regard to the formalization of the permanent residence permit in Lithuania within this period.