Lithuanian Citizenship by Marriage: What Foreign Spouses Need to Know

In course of increasingly growing number of mixed families (when citizens of Lithuania get married with citizens of foreign states), the problem of a Dual citizenship and the opportunities for acquiring Lithuanian citizenship by a spouse of a citizen of Lithuania becomes important.

Lithuanian Citizenship Eligibility for a Foreign Spouse

If a citizen of Lithuania registers a marriage with a citizen of a foreign state, the latter (husband or a wife of a citizen of Lithuania) may be granted Lithuanian citizenship after 7 years of the permanent residence in Lithuania with the citizen of Lithuania.

After 7 years of the permanent residence in Lithuania, a husband of a wife of a citizen of Lithuania may apply for granting Lithuanian citizenship.

Exceptions: When Citizenship May Be Granted Sooner

In certain cases, a husband of a wife of a citizen of Lithuania may apply for granting Lithuanian citizenship earlier. For example, a husband of a wife of a citizen of Lithuania may apply for granting Lithuanian citizenship after 5 years in case of registration of the marriage with a former deportee, political prisoner or a child of such persons born in exile, or if the alien resided permanently in Lithuania with a spouse (a citizen of Lithuania) that died for at least 1 year.

Residence of a person in Lithuania is recognized permanent, if the person does not leave Lithuania for a period exceeding 6 months per year.

Lithuanian Language and Constitution Exam Requirements

If a spouse of a Lithuanian citizen wishes to obtain Lithuanian citizenship, they must, in addition to meeting other legal requirements, pass an examination on the basics of the Lithuanian language and the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania.

Contact Information for the Lithuanian Language and Constitution Examination

For detailed information regarding the Lithuanian language and the basics of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania examination, please contact the National Agency for Education (Nacionalinė švietimo agentūra):

• Address: K. Kalinausko g. 7, LT-03107 Vilnius, Lithuania

• Phone: +370 658 18504

• Email: info@nsa.smm.lt

• Website: www.nsa.smm.lt

Please note: Previously, the exams were organized by the Education Development Center. Since September 1, 2019, the responsibility for administering these exams has been transferred to the National Agency for Education.

To register for the exams, applicants must use the MIGRIS electronic system managed by the Migration Department of Lithuania:

• Registration portal: www.migracija.lt

For the most up-to-date exam schedules, preparation materials, and guidelines, please visit the official website of the National Agency for Education.

Translation and Legalization of Documents

Prior to submission of the documents for acquisition of Lithuanian citizenship the documents executed in a language other than Lithuanian shall be translated into Lithuanian according to the procedure provided in Laws. Documents issued by institutions of foreign states shall be certified by Apostille or legalized, unless otherwise is provided by international treaties of Lithuania or legal norms of the European Union.

Required Documents for Lithuanian Citizenship by Marriage

The documents to be submitted by an alien whose spouse is a citizen of Lithuania for acquiring Lithuanian citizenship according to the procedure of naturalization include:

1. The application completed in Lithuanian;

2. The passport;

3. The Passport of the spouse (a citizen of Lithuania);

4. The Certificate of Marriage;

5. A document certifying his/her right for permanent residence in Lithuania;

6. Documents certifying that he (she) lived permanently with the spouse (a citizen of Lithuania) in Lithuania for the required period;

7. Documents on a successful result of an examination in the basics of Lithuanian language and the Constitution of Lithuania;

8. Documents certifying that the alien is not a citizen of another state or will lose it after granting the citizenship of Lithuania, or a declaration on renouncing the present citizenship of another state after granting the citizenship of Lithuania;

9. A certificate on absence of convictions;

10. In certain cases – the documents certifying that the spouse of the alien is a former deportee, political prisoner or a child of such persons born in exile, or the documents certifying a death of the spouse.

The documents shall be submitted to the Migration department office.

Application Processing Timeline for Spousal Citizenship

The Migration Department shall transfer applications of persons for acquiring the citizenship of Lithuania according to the procedure of naturalization to the Citizenship Affairs Commission within 3 months from the date of submission of the documents.

Although the Migration Department reviews the application within 3 months, the entire process—from document submission to receiving the presidential decree and taking the Oath of Allegiance to the Republic of Lithuania — may take up to 12 months in total. This duration can vary depending on individual case complexity, completeness of documentation, and the workload of the involved institutions.

Dual Citizenship and Marriage to Foreign Citizens

When a citizen of Lithuania registers a marriage with a citizen of a foreign state, the citizenship of the foreign state may be granted to him (her) automatically or certain actions for acquiring the citizenship of the foreign state (to submit an application, other documents and so on) may be required. If a citizen of Lithuania having registered a marriage with a citizen of a foreign state is granted the citizenship of the foreign state automatically (such a practice is more typical for Islamic states), such a person shall be entitled to be simultaneously a citizen of Lithuania and a citizen of the foreign state, i.e. to have a Dual citizenship. If acquisition of the citizenship of the foreign state requires certain actions and the only fact of registration of the marriage is not sufficient, the person loses Lithuanian citizenship after granting the citizenship of the foreign state. In such a case, a dual citizenship is not allowed.

Need Help with Lithuanian Citizenship by Marriage?

If you have any questions regarding Lithuanian citizenship or should you require more information or help, please contact us by e-mail: info@migration.lt or phone: + 370 6 1861886. We will gladly help you.