How Turkish Citizens Can Obtain Lithuanian Citizenship

Lithuanian citizenship can be acquired through naturalisation after at least 10 years of lawful permanent residence in the country. A lawful marriage to a Lithuanian citizen may provide a route to citizenship after at least 7 years of lawful permanent residence in Lithuania together. To obtain a Lithuanian passport through naturalisation, an applicant must know the state language, pass an examination on the fundamentals of the Constitution and have the right to permanent residence in Lithuania.

Although Lithuania is an EU Member State and its citizens enjoy the rights associated with EU citizenship, the country is not among the most popular destinations for migrants. The relatively small number of people obtaining Lithuanian citizenship is partly linked to the country’s strict migration policy.

Benefits of Lithuanian Citizenship

Lithuanian citizens have the right to work, study, access healthcare and move freely. As Lithuania is part of the European Union, its citizens may also reside in other EU Member States. Key benefits of a Lithuanian passport for applicants planning to become citizens include:

• the right to work and hold various positions in any EU country without additional permits, under the rights available to EU citizens;
• access to public healthcare services;
• access to social security, unemployment benefits, maternity and childcare support, and other forms of assistance.

As a rule, applicants who acquire Lithuanian citizenship through naturalisation must renounce their existing foreign citizenship. The law provides exceptions in which multiple citizenship is permitted, for example when Lithuanian and foreign citizenship were acquired at birth or another citizenship was acquired automatically as a result of marriage.

Ways to Obtain Lithuanian Citizenship

Turkish citizens may apply for Lithuanian citizenship on the general grounds established by law: through naturalisation, marriage to a Lithuanian citizen, Lithuanian descent, reinstatement or by exception. Citizenship applications are submitted through MIGRIS, while in the cases provided by law documents may also be presented to the Migration Department or a Lithuanian consular office. Under the naturalisation procedure, a Turkish citizen generally has to declare in writing an intention to renounce their existing citizenship after Lithuanian citizenship is granted, unless an exception allowing multiple citizenship applies.

The «Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania» sets out the conditions that must be met to obtain Lithuanian citizenship. The key requirement for naturalisation is at least 10 years of lawful permanent residence in the country. Applicants must also demonstrate knowledge of the Lithuanian language and the fundamentals of the Constitution by passing the relevant examinations.

To obtain Lithuanian citizenship through naturalisation, an applicant must have a lawful source of income. When applying, the person must also be stateless, automatically lose their existing citizenship under the law of their country, or declare in writing an intention to renounce it after Lithuanian citizenship is granted.

Citizenship Granted by Exception

The President of Lithuania may grant citizenship by exception to a foreign national or stateless person who has rendered exceptional service to the Lithuanian state and is integrated into Lithuanian society. Exceptional service includes activities that make a significant contribution to strengthening Lithuania’s statehood and international standing. Integration is assessed, among other factors, through knowledge of the Lithuanian language and genuine ties to the country. Citizenship granted by exception does not automatically extend to the applicant’s children, spouse or other family members.

Citizenship by Lithuanian Descent

Persons of Lithuanian descent who have never previously held Lithuanian citizenship may apply under a simplified procedure. They must prove Lithuanian descent; the standard naturalisation requirements, including 10 years of residence and the examinations, do not apply to this route.

To apply, the person must prove Lithuanian descent with documents showing that their parents or grandparents were Lithuanian, together with a declaration that the applicant considers themselves Lithuanian. If the applicant already holds another citizenship, they must generally declare in writing an intention to renounce it after Lithuanian citizenship is granted. Persons of Lithuanian descent also have a separate basis for obtaining permanent residence in Lithuania.

Simplified citizenship procedures based on ancestry are also available in other EU countries where an applicant meets the legal requirements. Book a consultation with our lawyers to find out which EU citizenship options may be available in your situation.

Reinstatement of Lithuanian Citizenship

Persons who held citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania before 15 June 1940, as well as their descendants, may have the right to reinstate citizenship. The possibility of retaining another citizenship is provided, in particular, for persons deported from occupied Lithuania or those who left Lithuania before 11 March 1990, as well as their descendants, provided the statutory conditions are met. Reinstatement may be refused, for example, where the circumstances established by law relate to international crimes or crimes against the Republic of Lithuania.

Restoration of Citizenship

A citizen of the Republic of Lithuania who acquired citizenship through naturalisation and later lost it may apply to have Lithuanian citizenship restored. The applicant must have no other citizenship or declare in writing an intention to renounce it after Lithuanian citizenship is restored, have lawfully and permanently resided in Lithuania for the previous 5 years, hold the right to permanent residence and have a lawful source of income, and must not fall within the statutory grounds for refusal.

How to Apply for Lithuanian Citizenship

Citizens of the Republic of Lithuania may obtain a national ID card confirming their identity. It is used within Lithuania and as a travel document in the EU/EEA and in certain other countries that recognise national identity cards. The second main identity document is the Lithuanian passport, which also confirms identity and is used for international travel.

The Lithuanian passport is a burgundy booklet with 32 numbered pages and a polycarbonate data page containing personal information and advanced security features. The document contains text in three languages: Lithuanian, English and French. A sample Lithuanian passport is available on the website of the Identity Documents Personalisation Centre under the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania.

Required Documents

To apply for Lithuanian citizenship and a Lithuanian passport, applicants should prepare a document package that includes:

• an application completed through MIGRIS;
• an identity document;
• a Lithuanian permanent residence permit;
• proof of residence in Lithuania for the previous 10 years;
• a bank statement, salary certificate or another document confirming a lawful source of funds for living expenses;
• certificates confirming successful completion of the Lithuanian language and Constitution examinations;
• a criminal record certificate from the country of citizenship and from countries where the applicant lived for at least 6 months within a 12-month period; the certificate must have been issued no more than 6 months before filing;
• a written declaration concerning renunciation of foreign citizenship.

Processing Times and Costs

Applicants for Lithuanian citizenship should generally budget for a state fee of about 120 EUR. Processing time depends on the legal basis and the stages involved: for naturalisation, the materials are forwarded to the Citizenship Commission within up to 3 months, while the citizenship reinstatement procedure may take up to 12 months. The fee for renouncing Lithuanian citizenship is about 60 EUR. A certificate confirming the right to reinstate Lithuanian citizenship costs about 50 EUR, while a certificate confirming Lithuanian descent costs 50 EUR.

In addition to application fees, applicants should account for the cost of living in Lithuania during the residence period required for naturalisation. Renting a one-bedroom apartment in major cities averages about 350–850 EUR per month, while utilities are around 130–400 EUR. Including food, transport and other everyday expenses, one person should budget approximately 900–1,500 EUR per month, or about 11,000–18,000 EUR per year. Naturalisation generally requires around 10 years of residence.

Renunciation of Lithuanian Citizenship

A Lithuanian citizen may renounce citizenship provided they are not suspected or accused of committing a criminal offence. Renunciation is possible only if the person will not become stateless as a result and either already holds or will acquire citizenship of another country.

To start the renunciation procedure, an application must be submitted through MIGRIS. The application should be accompanied by a passport or certificate proving Lithuanian citizenship, a document confirming current or prospective foreign citizenship, and proof of payment of the state fee.

After submitting the application through MIGRIS, the applicant must visit the Migration Department or a Lithuanian consular office within 4 months to present the original documents. An application to renounce citizenship is considered within up to 6 months.

An application may also be submitted on behalf of a minor child. If the child is 14 or older, their written personal consent to renounce Lithuanian citizenship is required.

Dual Citizenship in Lithuania

As a rule, applicants who acquire Lithuanian citizenship through naturalisation must renounce their existing foreign citizenship. However, the law provides a number of exceptions allowing multiple citizenship in the following cases:

• Lithuanian and foreign citizenship were acquired at birth;
• the person was deported from occupied Lithuania or left Lithuania before 11 March 1990 and meets the conditions established by law;
• the applicant is a descendant of a person who was deported from occupied Lithuania or left Lithuania before 11 March 1990;
• marriage to a foreign national automatically resulted in acquisition of that person’s citizenship;
• the second citizenship arose through adoption in a case provided by law;
• Lithuanian citizenship was granted by exception on one of the grounds provided by law;
• another case of multiple citizenship is expressly permitted by the «Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania».

In all other cases, applicants acquiring citizenship through naturalisation or obtaining Lithuanian citizenship on the basis of marriage must renounce their previous citizenship or provide a written commitment to do so.

Alternative Routes for Moving to Lithuania

For holders of a passport from another EU country, relocating to Lithuania is considerably simpler because they do not need to obtain residence permits or repeatedly prove a legal basis for their stay. Applicants may also be able to obtain EU citizenship through a simplified programme that does not require lengthy residence in the country.