One of the principal bases for immigration to Lithuania is family reunification. On the base of family reunification, a Temporary Residence Permit in Lithuania or a Permanent Residence Permit in Lithuania may be issued. Family members (such as the children, a spouse and the parents) of a citizen of Lithuania or an alien who satisfies the requirements provided in the legal norms may apply for issue a Residence Permit in Lithuania.

Family members of a citizen of Lithuania may come to the citizen of Lithuania who lives in Lithuania or come to Lithuania from a foreign state together with him (her) for residing in Lithuania. In the first case, family members of a citizen of Lithuania may apply for issue a Temporary Residence Permit in Lithuania and in the second case, they may apply for issue a Temporary Residence Permit in Lithuania or a Permanent Residence Permit in Lithuania. In case of application for issue a Permanent Residence Permit in Lithuania, it is required to prove that the citizen of Lithuania lived with the member of family in a foreign state before coming to Lithuania. The principal conditions for immigration are related to substantiation and assessment of the family connection, sufficient means of subsistence, having a dwelling space in Lithuania and absence of convictions.

According to provisions of Lithuanian legal norms, family reunification with an alien who resides in Lithuania is possible no earlier than after 2 years of residence of such alien in Lithuania upon proving a well-grounded perspective of issue a Permanent Residence Permit in Lithuania to such an alien. On the base of this general rule, family members (such as the children, a spouse and the parents) of the alien may come to Lithuania for residing with the alien after expiry of 2-year period of residence of the alien in Lithuania. In certain cases, exceptions are applied, and family members are entitled to immigrate to Lithuania together with the alien. For example, in a case when an alien applies for issue a Temporary Residence Permit in Lithuania or has it on the base of business running in Lithuania and intention to continue it. Or he (she) is a shareholder of an enterprise incorporated in Lithuania that satisfies the provisions of Lithuanian legal norms who is involved in commercial activities in Lithuania and intends to continue the said activities. One more example may be a case when a Temporary Residence Permit in Lithuania is issued to an alien or an alien applies for issue a Temporary Residence Permit in Lithuania on the base of appointment of the alien by a foreign enterprise for work at a representative office or a branch of such an enterprise in Lithuania. In such a case, family members of the alien are entitled to immigrate together with the alien. Family members of high qualification professionals are entitled to immigrate together with the alien and the requirement of waiting for 2 years is not applied to them.

The documents for issue a Residence Permit in Lithuania may be submitted to a diplomatic mission or a consular institution in a foreign state or to the Migration Service in Lithuania. A resolution on issue a Residence Permit in Lithuania shall be passed by the Migration Department within 2 to 4 months.