Policy Document
Law on Citizenship
Benefits & Requirements
Coverage: Requirements for its application
Article 18. Granting of Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania through Naturalisation. Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania may be granted if a person meets the following conditions:
1. Has been a legally permanently resident of the Republic of Lithuania for the last ten years;
2. At the time of the application for the granting of citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania and the decision regarding the granting of citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania, he or she has the right of permanent residence in the Republic of Lithuania;
3. Has passed an examination in the state language;
4. Has passed an examination in the fundamentals of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania;
5. Has legal means of subsistence;
6. Is a stateless person or a citizen of a state under the law of which he or she shall lose citizenship of that state upon acquiring citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania, or expresses his or her will in writing to renounce his or her citizenship of another state after being granted citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania.
Coverage: Eligible groups or beneficiaries
Stateless persons; person exiled from the occupied Republic of Lithuania before 11 March 1990; persons who fled Lithuania before 11 March 1990; citizens of another state; persons of Lithuanian descent; Lithuanian citizens
Criteria for coverage
Article 18. Granting of Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania through Naturalisation. Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania may be granted if a person meets the following conditions:
1. Has been a legally permanently resident of the Republic of Lithuania for the last ten years;
2. At the time of the application for the granting of citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania and the decision regarding the granting of citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania, he or she has the right of permanent residence in the Republic of Lithuania;
3. Has passed an examination in the state language;
4. Has passed an examination in the fundamentals of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania;
5. Has legal means of subsistence;
6. Is a stateless person or a citizen of a state under the law of which he or she shall lose citizenship of that state upon acquiring citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania, or expresses his or her will in writing to renounce his or her citizenship of another state after being granted citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania.
Read the Law
Full Text Source in English
Republic of Lithuania, Law on Citizenship, 02.12.2010, No XI-1196. Official gazette No. 144-7361
Original full text source in native language
Lietuvos Respublikos Pilietybės įstatymas, 02.12.2010, No XI-1196. Official gazette No. 144-7361
Full text web source in English
Original full text web source in native language
Secondary Literature & Sources
Secondary literature
1. Migrant Integration Policy Index. Available at: www.mipex.eu
2. Goodman S.W. "Naturalisation Policies in Europe: Exploring Patterns of Inclusion and Exclusion". European University Institute, Florence (2010). Available at: http://eudo-citizenship.eu/docs/7-Naturalisation%20Policies%20in%20Europe.pdf
3. Ruškyte R. "Naturalisation Procedures for Immigrants. Lithuania". European University Institute, Florence (2013). Available at: http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/29789/NPR_2013_29-Lithuania.pdf
4. Kūrys, E. "EUDO Citizenship Report: Report on Lithuania". European University Institute, Florence (2010). Available at: http://eudo-citizenship.eu/docs/CountryReports/Lithuania.pdf
Links to databases and sources for the analysis or evaluation of this policy field
1. Migration Department under the Ministry of the Interior, "Statistics". Available at: http://www.migracija.lt/index.php
2. Migration Department under the Ministry of the Interior, "Citizenship". Available at: http://www.migracija.lt/index.php
3. Migration Department under the Ministry of the Interior, "Granting of Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania through Naturalisation". Available at: http://www.migracija.lt/index.php
Comments & Clarifications
When Lithuania restored its independence, citizenship issues were successfully resolved using the ‘zero option of citizenship’. Dual citizenship issues, however, are still unresolved as the Lithuanian Constitution restricts the possibility for citizens of Lithuania to possess the citizenship of another state. Naturalisation procedures are not reconsidered.