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- September 9, 2022
- Citizenship, Citizenship by Descent
- BowTiedMara
- Last modified: April 21, 2023
Article Breakdown
Due to modifications to Lithuania’s citizenship law that went into effect on July 1, 2016, more people can now get dual Lithuanian citizenship. For Lithuania, only relatives up to the third degree of kinship (great grandparents) are eligible for Lithuanian citizenship by descent.
In general, you can obtain Lithuanian citizenship by descent or restoration if you meet the following criteria:
- At least one of your parents, grandparents, or great ancestors were citizens of the Republic of Lithuania (which existed from 1918 until 1940).
- Your ancestor held Lithuanian citizenship when they departed Lithuania sometime before March 11, 1990, when Lithuania regained its freedom.
- Your Lithuanian ancestors emigrated to any country that was not a member of the former Soviet Union (In case your ancestor left to any of the Soviet Union countries, you might still be eligible to get Lithuanian citizenship depending on the time and leaving circumstances described under Lithuania Nationality Law).
You can acquire lithuanian citizenship through restoration of citizenship, naturalization, birth, and under the terms of Lithuania nationality legislation.
Who is eligible for Lithuanian citizenship by descent?
Until recently, descendants of Lithuanian citizens who left Lithuania before 1940 could only get a single Lithuanian citizenship and had to lose their present one.
Aside from the main regulations, there are several peculiarities to be aware of in order to determine whether you are eligible for Lithuanian citizenship.
One of the cases, for example, is concerned with the problem of country border changes. If a person can demonstrate that they or their ancestors were Lithuanian citizens born in present-day Lithuania after 1918, they can obtain Lithuanian citizenship. If the place where your ancestors were born is no longer a part of Lithuania, you should look for alternative evidence proving your ancestor was a Lithuanian citizen or had Lithuanian citizenship.
If your ancestor left Lithuania before 1918, you are ineligible for Lithuanian citizenship. Lithuania regained its independence in 1918, and only people born after that year are granted Lithuanian citizenship.
Another option for acquiring Lithuanian citizenship is to restore Lithuanian citizenship under the current citizenship law.
If a person was a citizen of Lithuania before 15 June 1940, or if his or her ancestors (parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents) were citizens of Lithuania before 15 June 1940, his or her Lithuanian citizenship may be restored. In such a circumstance, the person’s or his or her ancestors’ citizenship, rather than their origin, is considered.
The following additional conditions must be met in order to restore Lithuanian citizenship upon retention of previous citizenship:
- The individual was deported from occupied Lithuania prior to March 11, 1990.
and (or)
- The individual had departed Lithuania before March 11, 1990.
- The individual is a descendant (a child, grandchild, or great-grandchild) of the Lithuanian citizen listed above.
- A person deported from occupied Lithuania before 11 March 1990 is a person who was a citizen of Lithuania before 15 June 1940 or a descendant of such a person who was deported from Lithuania under compulsion between 15 June 1940 and 11 March 1990 according to a decision of the occupation regime’s authorities or a court for regime resistance or political, social, or origin-related reasons.
- A person who left Lithuania before 11 March 1990 is a person who was a Lithuanian citizen before 15 June 1940 or a descendant of such a person who left the territory of today Lithuania for permanent residence in another state before 11 March 1990, if their permanent residence was outside of Lithuania on 11 March 1990. This idea does not apply to anyone who left Lithuania after June 15, 1940 for any other area in the former Soviet Union.
Prior to June 2016, the Ministry of Interior’s Migration Department assessed the reasons for departing Lithuania. Such reasons for restoring Lithuanian citizenship after keeping previous citizenship could be historical and political (not social).
Changes in Lithuanian nationality law
Following the ratification of modifications to the Law of the Republic of Lithuania on 23 June 2016, the reasons for leaving Lithuania prior to 11 March 1990 ceased to be a significant criterion in the process of regaining Lithuanian citizenship.
If a person requests to restore Lithuanian citizenship while keeping previous citizenship (granted dual citizenship), he or she must demonstrate the existence of the following critical circumstances:
- Lithuanian citizenship prior to June 15, 1940;
- The fact of leaving Lithuania before March 11, 1990, and establishing permanent residency outside of Lithuania on March 11, 1990, or the fact of deportation;
- The relationship;
- Personal data modification (the first name or the surname).
Before June 15, 1940, the following documents were required to prove Lithuanian citizenship:
- Lithuanian passports (government-issued or travel passports) issued prior to June 15, 1940;
- Lithuanian passports for travel abroad issued by Lithuanian diplomatic missions or consular entities after June 15, 1940;
- Documents attesting to the person’s military service in the Lithuanian Army or civil service;
- Birth certificates or other documents indicating the person’s Lithuanian citizenship;
- Identification documents issued in Lithuania prior to June 15, 1940, or identification documents prepared based on documents issued in Lithuania prior to June 15, 1940.
If the above-mentioned documents are not available, documents regarding learning, working, or residing in Lithuania issued before 15 June 1940, as well as a passport from another country, may be submitted.
Lithuanian Citizenship Procedure Simplified
For those who want to claim Lithuanian citizenship and renounce their current citizenship, there is a streamlined method.
In that instance, you’ll only need proof of your Lithuanian descent, which is commonly a birth certificate or baptism documents establishing the Lithuanian ethnicity specified.
To take advantage of the expedited procedure, you must have a clean criminal record and an affidavit indicating that you are a Lithuanian citizen.
Furthermore, you will need to obtain a resident permit in Lithuania first, and then apply for Lithuanian citizenship while residing in the country.
This is certainly a way for someone with Lithuanian ancestors to return and permanently stay in the country, which you may or may not wish to do.
Lithuanian Diaspora
Because of Lithuanian immigration, hundreds of thousands of people with Lithuanian heritage now live outside of Lithuania.
During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, massive waves of Lithuanian migration occurred, the most of whom were Lithuanian Jews.
Communities in the United States make up the majority of this diaspora, with as many as one million Americans claiming Lithuanian ancestry and the greatest concentrations of Lithuanian Americans residing in the Great Lakes region and the Northeast.
Before and during WWII, Lithuanian populations flourished in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Uruguay, and many Lithuanian residents relocated to Israel, which now has a sizable Lithuanian/Jewish community.
People with Lithuanian ancestors who wish to immigrate to Lithuania need demonstrate their Lithuanian ancestry in order to reclaim their lost citizenship in the Republic of Lithuania.
Because of varied eras and reasons for immigration, we can claim that practically all Lithuanian Australians can gain dual citizenship, although Lithuanian Americans, Canadians, and Brazilians have a mixed picture.
Today, up to 70% of South African Jews may trace their ancestors back to Lithuania, and the majority of them can obtain Lithuanian citizenship.
There are numerous advantages to obtaining dual Lithuanian citizenship or immigrating to Lithuania. However, only relatives up to the third degree of kinship are eligible. And if you don’t, your children may be unable to take advantage of this chance in the future. As a result, don’t put off researching your Lithuanian ancestors and apply to see whether you qualify for Lithuanian citizenship.
Lithuania and dual citizenship
Because of Lithuania’s proximity to both Germany and the former Soviet Union, the Lithuanian Citizenship Law takes on some unique twists.
If your Lithuanian ancestors fled the country before the Soviet occupation in 1940, you must demonstrate that they did so for political reasons, such as fleeing persecution. This rule does not apply to persons who fled Lithuania with their families during the occupation (1940-1990), because the government recognizes that leaving was a fair option.
If your ancestors departed before the occupation, you may still be eligible for citizenship, but only as a single Lithuanian citizen, and you will be unable to keep dual citizenship. While Lithuania is exploring various exceptions to this legislation, you will usually be required to renounce your former citizenship.
Indeed, the Lithuanian government has wavered in recent years over allowing dual Lithuanian citizenship.
They have also wavered on whether to allow cases involving ancestral citizenship at all. However, if your ancestors fled for political reasons, it is far easier to argue that you should be permitted to preserve dual nationality.
After all, if the occupation had not occurred, your family would not have departed, and you could have been born in Lithuania.
The Lithuanian passport
The Lithuanian passport is presently ranked 11th on our SovSpot passport index, which is very high.
It allows anyone to travel to 185 countries without needing a visa. It is one of the best-ranked passports in the world, with a high mobility score. Visa-free travel and visa-on-arrival are available to Lithuanian passport holders in countries such as the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Japan, and the European Union as a whole.
Of course a Lithuanian passport will also allow you to live and work anywhere in the European Union.
BowTiedMara
BowTiedMara is paving the mobility asset highway for the Sovereign Individual and writes about mobility options in the Digital Age and Latin American history on Substack and SovSpot.com. You can also contact Mara directly on Twitter.
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FAQs
Lithuanian citizenship by descent | SovSpot? ›
In general, you can obtain Lithuanian citizenship by descent or restoration if you meet the following criteria: At least one of your parents, grandparents, or great ancestors were citizens of the Republic of Lithuania (which existed from 1918 until 1940).
How can I get Lithuanian citizenship by descent? ›- You have a great-grandparent, grandparent, or parent who held Lithuania citizenship before June 15, 1940.
- You or your ancestor held Lithuania citizenship but were exiled from the country between 1940 to 1990 for political reasons.
Lithuanian nationality law operates on the jus sanguinus principle, whereby persons who have a claim to Lithuanian ancestry, either through parents, grandparents, great-grandparents may claim Lithuanian nationality. Citizenship may also be granted by naturalization.
Can Lithuanian citizens by descent have dual citizenship? ›In general, you can acquire Lithuanian citizenship by descent and by restoration if: At least one of your parents, grandparents, or great grandparents were citizens of the Republic of Lithuania (which existed from 1918 to 1940);
How long does it take to get Lithuanian citizenship by descent? ›How long does it take to get Lithuanian citizenship by descent? People interested in Lithuanian ancestry citizenship should know that the process can take between 1.5 and 2 years, depending on the documents required by the authorities.
Can an American get Lithuanian citizenship? ›Lithuanian citizenship can be acquired: by birth, by naturalisation, by way of exception, by restoration of Lithuanian 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.
What is the easiest citizenship to get by descent? ›Italian citizenship by descent is one of the easiest to obtain. You may be eligible for citizenship if you have Italian heritage. To acquire citizenship, you must have an ancestor who was a citizen of Italy on March 17th, 1861 or was born in the country after that.
Which European country is easiest to get citizenship? ›Portugal. Portugal is the easiest European country where you can get citizenship. The easiest way to become a Portuguese citizen is by obtaining a Portugal Golden visa; all you have to do is invest in a house, a business, or a property of €500,000 value.
How much does it cost to get Lithuanian citizenship? ›LITHUANIAN CITIZENSHIP | |
---|---|
Granting of citizenship of Lithuania through naturalisation | 2100 Euros |
Restoration of citizenship of Lithuania | 2300 Euros |
Certificate confirming Lithuanian descent | 1300 Euros |
Certificate confirming the right to restore (reinstate) Lithuanian citizenship | 1400 Euros |
In 1890, a group of Lithuanian immigrants and their families arrived in Brazil, in a total of twenty-five Lithuanian families entered the land of Brazil. Their destination was the newly established colony of Ijuí, situated on the red and fertile soil of the northwestern part of the state of Rio Grande do Sul.
Does Lithuania allow dual citizenship with USA? ›
Lithuania is among many countries of the world which allow dual citizenship in very rare and exceptional cases. Usually these are highly exceptional situations when a person possessing double citizenship is a child or a youth who was born abroad or in a mixed family.
What are 3 countries in Europe that do not allow dual citizenship? ›- Austria.
- Bulgaria.
- Czechia.
- Denmark.
- Netherlands.
- Spain.
Lithuanian | English Translation |
---|---|
Senelis | Grandfather |
Senelė | Grandmother |
I want to arrive to the Republic of Lithuania and stay for more than 3 months. If you intend to stay for more than 90 days within 180 days, you must acquire: national visa. or temporary residence permit.
What is the hardest citizenship to get in Europe? ›Austria
Austria is located in the heart of Europe and is bordered by eight other countries, making it one of the most difficult places to become a naturalized citizen. The process requires 12 years of continuous residency, including three years of marriage to an Austrian citizen, and passing a language test.
...
Where and what's the fastest way to get a passport by naturalization.
Country | How long you need to live |
---|---|
Russia | 5 years |
Sweden | 5 years |
Portugal | 5 years |
Canada | 6 years |
Some easiest countries to get citizenship to include Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, Thailand, Australia and Ireland. Most people move abroad to improve their financial prospects and ultimately become citizens of that country. Becoming a permanent citizen of a new country requires you to fulfill certain obligations.
Does Lithuania allow triple citizenship? ›Does it have to be a specific one?” Answer: It is not a problem if you already have two citizenships. You can get Lithuanian Citizenship as well without renouncing any of the citizenships that you have. Lithuanian law views dual and multiple nationals in the same way as those who have only Lithuanian citizenship.
What country does the US not allow dual citizenship? ›Yes, some countries don't allow dual citizenship with America. Among them are China, United Arab Emirates, India, Austria, Japan, and some others. If you want to obtain citizenship of these countries, you need to renounce your American passport.
What is the hardest place to get citizenship? ›- Qatar.
- Vatican City.
- Liechtenstein.
- Bhutan.
- Saudi Arabia.
- Kuwait.
- Switzerland.
- China.
How do I prove my ancestry for citizenship? ›
- Your birth certificate.
- A copy of your passport.
- The birth certificates of your ancestors (those relevant to your claim to citizenship)
- Related marriage, divorce, naturalization, and death certificates.
Country | Minimum Investment | Time until Citizenship |
---|---|---|
St. Kitts and Nevis | $150,000 | Fast track option under 60 days |
Antigua and Barbuda | $100,000 | 5 months |
Grenada | $150,000 | 5 months |
St. Lucia | $100,000 | 4 months |
Portugal is, overall, the easiest country to get citizenship of the EU. That's due to the following factors: Short residency period of just five years before applying for citizenship. One of the world's most powerful passports.
What is the fastest EU citizenship by naturalization? ›Portugal is overall the easiest EU citizenship to get, with citizenship being granted after five years of living in the country. Belgium also offers easy EU citizenship if you move your business there, while Spain offers the fastest way to get citizenship if you are part of the former Spanish colonies.
How to get Mexican citizenship? ›To apply for citizenship in Mexico, you must already be a permanent resident; or have family ties. Naturalization in Mexico requires a minimum of five consecutive years of residency prior to the application date, which may include temporary or permanent status depending on your situation.
What are the benefits of Lithuanian citizen? ›Travel to 182 countries without a prior visa
With Lithuanian passport you will be able to travel without a visa to almost all European, North and South American countries as well as Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand and a number of other Asian and some African countries.
To obtain permanent residency in Lithuania, you must fulfill these conditions: You have lived in Lithuania for five years with a temporary residence permit. Your family member or spouse is a Lithuanian citizen. You have lived in an EU country for five years and in Lithuania for two uninterrupted years.
Does Lithuania have a golden visa? ›Lithuanian Golden Visa is an advantageous program for foreigners who want to discover other business opportunities. Once accepted into this program, candidates can obtain permanent residence in Lithuania after 5 years of living in this country.
What city has the most Lithuanians? ›Chicago has the largest Lithuanian community in the United States and with approximately 100,000 self-identified ethnic Lithuanians has the largest population of Lithuanians of any municipality outside Lithuania itself.
Which country has the most Lithuanians? ›Lithuanian communities in Canada are among the largest in the world along with the United States (See Lithuanian Canadian).
Why is Lithuania unique? ›
A Northern European country on the Baltic Sea
What makes Lithuania special is not simply that it marks the compass point where Northern, Eastern, Western Europe converge. More importantly, it is the place where the values of democracy, freedom, tolerance and hospitality find unity and voice.
Visa requirements for retiring in Lithuania
For a simple visit as a tourist in Lithuania, you will only require a Schengen visa, which is valid for 90 days. However, usually, retirement is planned for a longer period, and in many cases permanent, you will require a temporary residence permit initially.
Citizens of Lithuania and other U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries may apply for travelling to the United States without a visa if they plan a short term leisure or business trip. VWP applies for all territories of the United States of America, including Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US-Virgin Islands.
Is Lithuania visa free to USA? ›ESTA is a visa waiver that enables citizens of Visa Waiver countries, such as Lithuania, to enter the United States without a visa. ESTA is a travel authorization which can be obtained online and is processed within 72 hours of submitting an ESTA application.
Does Mexico allow dual citizenship? ›Dual citizenship is recognized in Mexico. You are not required to renounce your previous nationality to become a citizen of Mexico.
Can I apply for dual citizenship in Mexico? ›Both the US and Mexico allow their citizens to hold dual citizenship. This means that, as long as you fit all the eligibility criteria, which we'll lay down below, you'll be able to become a Mexican dual citizen. Read on for more about how to become a Mexican citizen and how to get dual citizenship in Mexico.
Can Spanish citizens have dual citizenship? ›Does Spain allow dual citizenship? Yes, the Spanish Civil Code does allow dual citizenship, but just under certain circumstances. As a general rule, when you apply for and are granted Spanish nationality by residency, you must renounce your prior citizenship.
Is Lithuania nice to live in? ›Not only is Lithuania an affordable and safe country, but it's also ranked extremely high when it comes to happy employees and work-life balance--something that's very appealing to expats and foreigners that are interested in moving and working abroad.
Are Lithuanians Slav? ›The name "Lietuva", or Lithuania, might be derived from the word "lietava," for a small river, or "lietus," meaning rain (or land of rain). Lithuanians are neither Slavic nor Germanic, although the union with Poland and Germanic and Russian colonization and settlement left cultural and religious influences.
Can I obtain citizenship through descent or ancestry? ›Citizenship by descent is a form of birthright citizenship. It means that if you have ancestors (such as parents, grandparents, or even great-grandparents) from a country, you may be eligible to become a citizen of that country yourself.
How to get European citizenship through your descent or ancestry? ›
You may be eligible for European citizenship by descent if you have parents, grandparents or even great-grandparents from Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Poland and a number of other EU countries. This type of citizenship is known as jus sanguinis and is commonplace across most of Europe.
What is a person of Lithuanian descent? ›A person of Lithuanian descent is a person who believes to be a Lithuanian and declares the same in writing and whose parents and/or grandparents or at least one of them was of Lithuanian origin.
Can Lithuanian citizenship by descent left before 1918? ›If your ancestor left Lithuania before 1918, you are ineligible for Lithuanian citizenship. Lithuania regained its independence in 1918, and only people born after that year are granted Lithuanian citizenship.
How many generations back can you claim citizenship? ›The easiest and quickest way to acquire second citizenship is through your bloodline: citizenship resulting from the nationality of your father, mother, or grandparents. Most countries go back only one generation, meaning at least one of your parents must be from the country in question to be eligible for citizenship.
What are the requirements for citizenship by descent? ›In general, these laws require that at least one parent was a U.S. citizen, and the U.S. citizen parent had lived in the United States for a period of time. In addition, children born abroad may become U.S. citizens after birth.
Which country in Europe is easiest to get citizenship? ›Portugal. Portugal is the easiest European country where you can get citizenship. The easiest way to become a Portuguese citizen is by obtaining a Portugal Golden visa; all you have to do is invest in a house, a business, or a property of €500,000 value.
What is the best European passport? ›While the two first spots in the index are occupied by Japan and Singapore, which have a passport score of 89.76 and 89.65, respectively (out of the possible 100-score), the Italian passport is listed world's third most powerful, which makes it Europe's best passport to have, at the same time.
Can I use ancestry DNA for citizenship? ›To be granted nationality rights in any country, you need legal proof that a parent or grandparent was a citizen. However, a DNA test does not prove anything about how many generations back your ancestry in any given country may have been.
Is Lithuanian in the EU? ›Lithuania joined the European Union in 2004 and adopted the euro on 1 January 2015.
Are Lithuanians Slavic or Germanic? ›Lithuanians are neither Slavic nor Germanic, although the union with Poland and Germanic and Russian colonization and settlement left cultural and religious influences. This highly literate society places strong emphasis upon education, which is free and compulsory until age 16.
Who are Lithuanians genetically closest to? ›
MtDNA diversity revealed that Lithuanians are close to both Slavic (Indo-European) and Finno-Ugric speaking populations of Northern and Eastern Europe. Y-chromosome SNP haplogroup analysis showed Lithuanians to be closest to Latvians and Estonians.
What ancestry is Lithuanian? ›Lithuanians (Lithuanian: lietuviai) are a Baltic ethnic group.
Does Lithuania allow 3 citizenships? ›Lithuania is among many countries of the world which allow dual citizenship in very rare and exceptional cases. Usually these are highly exceptional situations when a person possessing double citizenship is a child or a youth who was born abroad or in a mixed family.