Lithuania has approved date on which referendum on dual citizenship is to be held

Voting on dual citizenship will take place during one day, i.e. the 12^th of May, alongside the presidential elections and referendum on reducing the number of members of the Seimas from 141 to 121 initiated by the ruling Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union herewith. This date was approved by the majority of votes of parliamentarians participating in the meeting of the Seimas. 85 members of the Seimas voted in favour of adoption, none of members of the Seimas voted “no”, and 3 parliamentarians refrained from voting.

The previously adopted Resolution of the Seimas to hold referendum on two days with a break of two weeks was explained by the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania as contradictory to the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania. The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania has emphasized that a referendum on dual citizenship can only take place during one day, therefore, the 12^th of May was chosen thereto.

The referendum will ask Lithuanian citizens whether they agree to grant dual citizenship to persons who departed to countries that comply with “Euro-Atlantic Integration Criteria”. Specific countries would be established by law.

Recently, dual citizenship cannot be acquired by emigrants who have left Lithuania after the Restoration of Independence and have acquired citizenship of another country.

Referendum on dual citizenship will be deemed happened and Article 12 of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania regarding citizenship will be amended, provided more than a half of all voters registered in a country votes in favour thereof.

Such high demands lead to worries of members of the Seimas that a referendum on dual citizenship may not happen, nevertheless, the majority agree that those Lithuanian citizens who have acquired citizenship of a country which complies with “Euro-Atlantic Integration Criteria” would be able to retain Lithuanian citizenship herewith.

MIGRATION LAW CENTER