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How to Obtain Lithuanian Citizenship?

Michael Decker
Michael Decker

Looking for information on how to obtain Lithuanian citizenship? As with most other European countries, you can qualify for a Lithuanian passport if your ancestors were once residents of Lithuania. Instead of ‘issuing’ citizenship, this is considered to be ‘restoration’ of citizenship. If you have a parent, grandparent or a great grandparent who lived in Lithuania prior to 1940, you can apply for a Lithuanian European passport.

Benefits of Lithuanian citizenship

The Republic of Lithuania or Lithuania is a country within Europe’s Baltic region. As a Baltic state, the country is situated on Baltic Sea’s eastern shore. The country shares borders with Poland, Latvia and Belarus and joined the European Union in 2004. The beautiful Baltic state is known for its historic buildings, medieval castles, unique language and culture.

If you have been looking for Lithuanian passport strength or googling ‘what countries can I visit without visa with Lithuanian passport?’ the list of benefits Lithuanian citizenship confers is extensive. As a member of the EU, Lithuania offers you the same benefits that any other European country’s passport. While you can travel without a visa to all the member countries within the EU, you gain access to world-class education, healthcare, social benefits and jobs. You can also live and work in any other European country while your spouse and children will also acquire a Lithuanian passport.

How to Obtain Lithuanian Citizenship?

How to obtain a Lithuanian passport?

The most common pathway for Lithuanian citizenship is by birth. A child whose parents were Lithuanian citizens at the time of birth will acquire citizenship whether or not the child is born in Lithuania or in another country.

Many others who are looking for answers to ‘how do I get Lithuanian citizenship?’ can explore naturalization as a pathway to citizenship. To qualify, an individual has to be a legal resident of the country for ten years, have adequate income and knowledge of the local language.

Lithuanian passport by ancestry

If the above-mentioned pathways do not apply to you, you can still make an application for a Lithuanian passport based on ancestry. Restoration of Lithuanian citizenship is offered to those who were citizens of Lithuania before June 15, 1940, as well as their children and grandchildren. These people qualify for restoration of Lithuanian citizenship even if they are permanent residents of another country.

You can apply for restoration by proving that any one of your grandparents, parents or great-grandparents were citizens of Lithuania between 1918 and 1940. You will also need to have documents to prove that your ancestor left Lithuania prior to 11 March 1990. This is particularly required if you wish to retain dual citizenship. The document showing that your ancestor left Lithuania before 1990 will prove that the emigration was as per the decision of the court or authorities, due to social or political persecution or other extenuating circumstances.

The application form, as well as the documents that prove ancestry, have to be translated to Lithuanian.

Additionally, an application for Lithuanian citizenship should include:

  • identification documents issued to your ancestor in Lithuania before 1940.
  • Any record of participation of your ancestor in civil service or Lithuanian army
  • document certifying your grandparent, parent or great-grandparent was a citizen of Lithuania before June 1940
  • in case there is a change in personal information such as name or surname change, you will need to enclose a document proving the same

If you cannot produce any of these documents, documents related to work, residence or studies in Lithuania prior to 15 June, 1940 may suffice.

With the multiple steps involved in obtaining Lithuanian citizenship, entrusting the process to an experienced law firm that specializes in Lithuanian passports is the best solution.

Lithuanian Jews

The roots of Litvaks or Lithuanian Jews can be traced to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, that existed between 13th and 18th century. The state was then split between the present-day Russa, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Belarus.

Jews have had a historic and extensive link to Lithuania, with a large and influential community of Jews making it their home. During the Holocaust, most Jews were either murdered or fled the country.

In 1389, over six thousand Jews were believed to have been residents of Lithuania. While this number increased steadily all the way up to the second World War, anti-Semitism and persecution led to about 95 percent of Jews being murdered. A 2005 census showed that close to 3000 Jews lived in Lithuania.

Contact our law office for a Lithuanian passport

We are focused on offering seamless and professional assistance to obtaining a Lithuanian passport. We provide specialized assistance for Jews and Americans who are looking to acquire FrenchRomanianAustrianHungarianPortuguese or Greek passports.

While we listen carefully to your concerns and immigration goals, we perform a detailed eligibility assessment. With our founding values of honesty, integrity and transparency, we give you the best advice and guidance on the pathway most suitable towards acquiring Lithuanian citizenship. We have assisted hundreds of Jews in Israel in acquiring an EU passport while making the process smooth, quick and hassle-free.

Get in touch with one of our immigration experts to know more about your eligibility for Lithuanian citizenship by ancestry.

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