Can a Child Obtain Lithuanian Citizenship After the Age of 18?

This article answers the question: Can a child obtain Lithuanian citizenship after the age of 18, who is eligible, and how the application process works. Under the legal regulation previously in force and the long-standing administrative practice, it was considered that the issue of a child’s Lithuanian citizenship had to be resolved before the child reached the age of 18. If no application for Lithuanian citizenship was submitted before reaching adulthood, it was assumed that the right to Lithuanian citizenship had been lost. As a result, many children of Lithuanian descent who were born and lived abroad were no longer able to acquire or confirm Lithuanian citizenship after turning 18.

This naturally raises the question: Can a child obtain Lithuanian citizenship after the age of 18?

The answer — and the procedure — are explained below.

Current Legal Situation

The situation has now changed. Lithuanian law currently provides the possibility to apply for Lithuanian citizenship after the age of 18, if the issue of the child’s Lithuanian citizenship was not resolved earlier.

This means that an adult person whose at least one parent was a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania at the time of the person’s birth, and who acquired the citizenship of another state either at birth or before the age of 18 (not by birth), has the right to submit an application requesting to be recognized as a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania — even if this right was not exercised before reaching adulthood.

This provision is particularly relevant to the Lithuanian diaspora and to individuals born abroad whose parents are or were Lithuanian citizens, but who, due to living abroad, lack of information, or administrative obstacles, did not arrange Lithuanian citizenship documents for their child before the child turned 18. Today, such individuals may obtain Lithuanian citizenship after reaching adulthood and, if the legal requirements are met, may hold dual citizenship.

Lithuanian Citizenship After the Age of 18: Who Is Eligible and How to Apply?

Current legislation allows applications for Lithuanian citizenship even after the age of 18 if the issue of the child’s citizenship was not resolved before adulthood. Below we explain who this right applies to and how it can be exercised.

Who Is Eligible to Apply After the Age of 18?

Before reviewing the documents and procedure, let us return to the key question:

Can a child obtain Lithuanian citizenship after the age of 18?

If you meet the criteria, the answer is yes.

You are eligible to apply if:

• You were born between 11 March 1990 and 21 July 2008, and

• At the time of your birth, one or both of your parents were citizens of the Republic of Lithuania, and

• You acquired the citizenship of another country either at birth or before the age of 18 (not by birth).

In other words, this right applies to persons who:

• Were born during the above-mentioned period;

• Had at least one parent who was a Lithuanian citizen at the time of birth;

• Acquired another citizenship at birth or before the age of 18.

Important: this option applies only if the issue of Lithuanian citizenship was not examined or resolved before the age of 18.

Is Dual Citizenship Allowed in These Cases?

A common question is:

Can a child obtain Lithuanian citizenship after the age of 18 and keep dual citizenship?

Yes — an exception applies.

If you acquired Lithuanian citizenship by birth, and acquired another country’s citizenship by birth or before the age of 18 (not by birth), you are entitled to hold dual (multiple) citizenship for life.

You may retain dual citizenship for life if:

• Lithuanian citizenship was acquired by birth;

• Another citizenship was acquired by birth or before the age of 18 (not by birth).

This most commonly applies to children of Lithuanian descent born abroad — in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other countries.

How to Submit the Application

The application must be submitted electronically via the MIGRIS system.

After submitting the application, you must:

• Appear within 4 months at the Migration Department or a Lithuanian consulate,
  
  or

• Have the documents submitted by an authorized representative in Lithuania.

If the original documents are not submitted within the prescribed time limit, the application is considered invalid.

Required Documents

To confirm eligibility to obtain Lithuanian citizenship after the age of 18, the following documents must be submitted:

• A valid passport;

• Documents proving the family relationship with the parents;

• Documents confirming that one or both parents were citizens of the Republic of Lithuania at the time of birth;

• Documents confirming the acquisition of another country’s citizenship at birth or before the age of 18 (not by birth), such as:

  • a foreign document stating that you have been a citizen of that country since birth, or

  • a foreign passport issued before the age of 18, or other equivalent evidence.

Translation and Legalization of Documents

All documents must be translated into Lithuanian, and the translation must be certified by a qualified translator.

Foreign documents must be legalized or certified with an Apostille, except for documents issued by Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, Moldova, and in certain humanitarian situations.

Key Rules at a Glance

Final Summary

In summary, can a child obtain Lithuanian citizenship after the age of 18?

Yes — if the issue of the child’s citizenship was not resolved before the age of 18 and the statutory requirements are met.

If you were born into a Lithuanian family in Lithuania or abroad but your Lithuanian citizenship documents were not arranged during childhood, you may still apply for Lithuanian citizenship as an adult. This legal right exists to maintain ties with Lithuania and to protect the citizenship rights of children of the Lithuanian diaspora.

Need Assistance?

Would you like to find out whether Lithuanian citizenship after the age of 18 applies to you?

Contact us — we will evaluate your situation and assist with the application.

We help with:

• Assessing eligibility for Lithuanian citizenship;

• Collecting documents;

• Translations and Apostille;

• Completing the MIGRIS application;

• Submitting documents to the Migration Department.

Contact us — we will assess your case free of charge.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Can a child obtain Lithuanian citizenship after the age of 18 if the application was not submitted earlier?

Yes. Lithuanian law allows you to apply after the age of 18 if your citizenship status was not resolved before adulthood and you meet the statutory requirements.

Q2: Does this mean I lost my right if my parents did not apply before I turned 18?

No. If the issue of your Lithuanian citizenship was not examined before you turned 18, you may still apply as an adult.

Q3: Is dual citizenship allowed in this situation?

Yes. If you acquired Lithuanian citizenship by birth and another citizenship by birth or before the age of 18, you may hold dual citizenship for life.

Q4: Do I need to travel to Lithuania to apply?

Not necessarily. You can submit the application online via MIGRIS and later appear at a Lithuanian consulate or authorize a representative in Lithuania.

Q5: What is MIGRIS?

MIGRIS is the official electronic system of the Lithuanian Migration Department used for submitting citizenship applications.

Q6: What if I am unsure whether I meet the criteria?

You can contact us for a free eligibility assessment. We will review your situation and advise you on the next steps.