Residence Permits
The main legal act regulating the issues concerning residence permits, their types and conditions of issue is the Law on the Legal status of Aliens (hereinafter – the Law).
A residence permit in the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter – Residence Permit) shall grant an alien the right to reside in the Republic of Lithuania, to choose a place of residence in the Republic of Lithuania, to change the place of residence, to depart from and return to the Republic of Lithuania during the period of validity of the residence permit.
Aliens shall be issued the following residence permits:
Temporary Residence Permits
Permanent Residence Permits
When issuing an alien a residence permit for the first time, the alien shall usually be issued a temporary residence permit, except in the cases established by the Law.
An alien who applies for the first time for the issue of a residence permit shall lodge an application for the issue of a residence permit with the diplomatic mission or consular post of the Republic of Lithuania abroad. The alien who is lawfully staying on the territory of the Republic of Lithuania may lodge an application to issue a residence permit, including the one lodged for the first time, with the institution authorised by the Minister of the Interior, however the lodging of such an application shall not entitle the alien to stay on the territory of the Republic of Lithuania before the alien’s application has been examined and a decision on the issue has been taken. Documents for a permanent residence permit can only be submitted directly in Lithuania.
Temporary Residence Permits
Article 40 of the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens (Žin., 2004, No. 73-2539) (hereinafter – the Law), which regulates the legal status of aliens. In paragraph 1 of Article 40 of the Law grounds are estalished for issuance or replacement of temporary residence permits to aliens.
A temporary residence permit may be issued to an alien if:
the alien has retained the right to citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania (Article 41),
it is a case of family reunification (Article 43),
the alien intends to work in the Republic of Lithuania (Article 44),
the alien intends to work in a job requiring good professional qualification (Article 44 (1)),
the alien intends to engage in lawful activities in the Republic of Lithuania (Article 45),
the alien intends to study (Article 46),
the alien has been put under guardianship/custody (Article 47),
the alien is or has been a victim of human trafficking or a victim of illegal employment and co-operates with the pre-trial investigation body or with the court in the fight against trafficking in human beings or in combating the offences linked to trafficking in human beings or illegal work (paragraph 1 of Article 49),
the alien intends to carry out scientific research (paragraph 2 of Article 49),
an alien has gained a long-term resident’s status in another Eurpean Union Member State and has a permission to reside issued by that country (paragraph 3 of Artilce 49).
An alien may also be issued a temporary residence permit where he has been granted subsidiary or temporary protection in the Republic of Lithuania, he is unable to depart due to a dangerous health condition and requires urgent basic medical aid, also where the alien cannot be expelled from the Republic of Lithuania.
Permanent Residence Permits
Please find requirements for temporary residence permits and list of documents required at the Migration Department under the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania.