On 23 June, 2016 Lithuanian Seimas adopted amendments to the Law on Citizenship which will ensure the right of Jews (Litvaks) who left Lithuania during the interwar period, as well as other emigrants and their descendants to reinstate Lithuanian citizenship. Initiation and adoption of these amendments was stimulated by the practice formed by the Migration Department, according to which the Migration Department used to require Lithuanian Jews (Litvaks) who themselves or their ancestors left Lithuania before 1940, to provide evidence proving that they had left Lithuania due to the actual threat, political or historical reasons, resistance to the occupation regime or persecution. Such documents were extremely difficult to provide, so as the result, many Lithuanian Jews (Litvaks) could not have Lithuanian citizenship reinstated.
The Government of Lithuania plans legitimizing the dual citizenship in Lithuania. It is planned to legitimize dual citizenship in Lithuania within a period of 2.5 years, i.e. by the year 2020.
Today the draft plan of measures for implementation of the governmental programme has been presented to the governing majority and it points out that dual citizenship in Lithuania should be legitimized in the fourth quarter of the year 2019. The major institutions responsible for the said process will be the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Interior.
This intention of the Government of Lithuania is important for the whole Lithuanian World Community, Lithuanian emigrants and their progeny who are citizens of a foreign state and strive to preserve the citizenship of Lithuania.
Lithuanian citizenship may be acquired on certain bases provided in the Law of Republic of Lithuania on citizenship. Lithuanian descent is one of the bases for acquisition of Lithuanian citizenship.
Lithuanian origin should not be equalized to Lithuanian citizenship. Lithuanian origin is related to the ethnicity, the national affiliation of a person, his (her) belonging to a certain nation, ethnos or another historically developed group of people with common characteristics, such as language, culture, religion and so on, attributed to them.
One of the ways for acquisition of Lithuanian citizenship is a restoration of Lithuanian citizenship. Lithuanian citizenship may be restored for a person, if his (her) ancestors (parents, grandparents, great-grandfathers or any of them) were citizens of Lithuania before 15 June 1940 or the person was a citizen of Lithuania before 15 June 1940.
Lithuania, as an independent state, was established in the year 1918. The first law for a regulation of the institute of Lithuanian citizenship was the Temporary Law on Lithuanian citizenship, as of 09 January 1919.
Lithuanians worldwidely celebrate this Day in their communities; however, it is celebrated for several years in turn also in Lithuania where various cultural events, expositions and concerts are arranged.
Lithuanian citizenship is a permanent legal relationship of a person with The Republic of Lithuania, based on mutual rights and obligations.
Lithuanian Citizenship is acquired by:
1. birth;
2. citizenship restoration;
3. being granted Lithuanian citizenship.
Dual (double) citizenship can be allowed in Lithuania in exceptional cases only.
The cases when dual citizenship is allowed in Lithuania include:
The lawyers of MIGRATION LAW CENTER offer a free legal analysis of your options for obtaining Lithuanian citizenship. To receive a detailed analysis, please complete an application form which you can find below.
Following a thorough legal analysis of your options that would allow to obtain Lithuanian citizenship, our lawyers will provide you with a written response (analytical results) regarding your options of obtaining Lithuanian citizenship and further requirements as well as procedure processes.