Lithuania

Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe. Situated on the south-eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, it shares a border with Latvia, Belarus, Poland, and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. Across the Baltic Sea lies Sweden and Denmark. The government system is a parliamentary democracy; the chief of state is the president, and the head of government is the prime minister. Lithuania has transitioned from a command economy to a market economy in which the private sector accounts for the majority of GDP, and government regulation is transparent and efficient. Lithuania is a member of the European Union (EU).

Capital City: Vilnius (+2 GMT)

Currency: Euro (EUR)

Population: 2,794,700 (2020)

WORK PERMIT

For non-EEA employees to obtain a Long-Stay Visa for Lithuania, the individual requires gathering certain documentation. Documents may require being translated into Lithuanian or English, and must legalized or certified with an Apostille:

• A valid passport: Your passport must be issued within the last 10 years, contain at least two blank pages, and be valid at least 3 months after the visa’s duration.
• Photos: Passport photos that have been taken around the time of application, in colour.
• Letter of mediation: A letter of mediation from your employer, to be submitted electronically.
• Work permit.
• Proof of sufficient funds and means: Employees need to submit current bank statements of the last 6 months – the means must be minimum 1 monthly salary for one month, as well as means to return to the country of origin which is minimum 1 monthly salary.
• Proof of health insurance: the sum insured must be for at least EUR 30,000.
• The application form: which can be submitted electronically or by hand.

Employees applying for their work visa also need to acquire other documents pertaining to their employment:

• A certified copy of a valid employment contract, which has been notarized or approved by a public authority. The employee’s salary must be (at least) equal to the National Minimum Wage, and equal to the national terms of employment.
• Proof of employee’s qualifications and experience.
• Any relevant certifications, licenses, references, or authorization.

How to Apply for work visa/work permit in Lithuania

To obtain a Long-Stay Visa (D), the employer must first apply for a work permit on behalf of the employee to the Lithuanian Labour Exchange. The employee should provide their employer with the following documents:

• Proof of qualifications for the job – previous work experience (at least 1 year experience in the last 2 years), education certification
• Personal information – passports, ID, etc.

1. Fill in the national visa application form: this can be done online or by hand.
2. Present documents: You need to present/attach the required documents you have collected to your online/offline application.
3. Schedule an appointment with your embassy: Once application is done, you must make an appointment at your local Lithuanian embassy or consulate. This process may vary according to the regulation in your country of residence and might include an interview.
4. Go to the embassy & give your biometrics: Your fingerprints need to be scanned and facial image taken (if you have not travelled to the Schengen Area in the last 5 years) at the Lithuanian embassy/consulate.
5. Pay the visa fee: The payment process/requirements may also vary according to the country of residence, but in case of the online application, is also done online.

The process to submit and obtain work permits and national visas in Lithuania is relatively quick – the issue of a work permit is done within 7 business days, and the process time for a national D visa takes around 15 business days. However, it is best to apply ahead of time, in case of any possible delays.

STUDENT VISA

Here’s a simple breakdown of the Lithuanian Visa D and residence permit application process:

1. Accept a university place: Receive a formal admissions letter from your chosen institution and pay any required enrolment fees.
2. Schedule a visa appointment with a Lithuanian embassy: You can find a list of the official embassies and consulates in your home country here.
3. Download, print, and complete the visa application form: Make sure you fill in every section of the form with accurate and up-to-date information.
4. Gather supporting documents: You’ll need to present several supporting documents at your appointment, so it’s best to get these in order well in advance. You can find a breakdown of what you’ll need in the next section.
5. Attend your visa appointment: You must submit your application form, supporting documents, and pay the fee in-person before your application can be processed.
6. Wait for a decision: The turnaround time on applications is usually two weeks, but complex cases could take up to six weeks. The consulate will notify you when you can collect your passport and visa.
7. Electronically register for a temporary residence permit: You must submit an initial residence permit application through the Lithuanian Migration Information System (MIGRIS).
8. Present your documents in-person at the same Lithuanian embassy in your home country: Before being issued with a residence permit, you’ll need to submit several supporting documents and have your biometric data recorded. This must be done within four months of your electronic registration.

Required documents:

• A completed visa application form
• A recent passport-sized photograph of yourself
• A valid passport with an expiry date at least 6 months beyond the duration of your study program
• Formal admissions letter from your university
• Proof of sufficient financial resources (at least €150 for every month of your stay)
• Details of your accommodation arrangements and address
• Your flight itinerary (including return tickets)
• A health insurance policy with a minimum coverage of €6,000

For the temporary residence permit:

• A valid Visa D
• A valid passport
• An electronically submitted application through MIGRIS
• One passport-sized photograph of yourself
• Proof of financial means to cover your Lithuanian living costs
• A police clearance certificate from your home country
• Details of your health insurance policy (with coverage of at least €6,000)
• Means to pay the processing fee

Lithuania student visa processing time

The average visa processing time is two weeks, but you can begin the application process up to six months before you travel. It's well worth starting your application as soon as possible because delays could mean it takes much longer for you to get your visa.

RESIDENCY BY INVESTMENT

Lithuania offers a residency program, more aptly referred to as a Golden Visa program, that allows foreign nationals to pave their way to a citizenship by investing in the country. There are two ways to obtain a residence permit in Lithuania; through opening a BUSINESS and through opening a BRANCH. Both options are offered if the applicant intends to start a business in Lithuania or owns a company in their home country and would like to incorporate a branch of it in Lithuania and start a business.

Program Benefits

4 Months to Residency from

50,000 (€) Min Investment Amount

10 Years to Citizenship (from)*

There are many major advantages that come with enrolling in the program. Let’s take a look at some of these advantages.

• You can gain permanent residency through the program and eventually qualify for citizenship.
• Even with temporary residency, you gain the right to travel throughout the EU Schengen Zone and EU member countries without any restrictions.
• You can work in Lithuania without restrictions.
• Family members are covered by the program.
• Lithuania is ripe with business opportunities. It’s the right place to invest.
• As the holder of a residence permit, you are entitled to the same privileges that are typically offered to Lithuanian citizens. This includes maternity benefits, medical care, unemployment benefits, and other social privileges.

Program Qualifications

In order to obtain a temporary residence permit in Lithuania through opening a new business, the investment must fulfil the following conditions:

• The investor must be a shareholder or director of the real working company in Lithuania
• The capital of the company is not less than 50,000 EUR;
• The company has a reasonable business plan;
• The presence of the investor is necessary for the business activities of a company.
• The company is operating not less than 6 months before applying (real business operations).

The company must employ one or more employees (Lithuanians) and pay labour taxes every year.