There are several ways of moving to Lithuania, however, all of them imply obtaining a residence permit which can be temporary or permanent. Once the residence permit is obtained, an individual is also entitled to apply for Lithuanian citizenship after a period of time.
The Lithuanian temporary residence permit is issued to non-EU citizens for a period of 1 year or 2 years, while the permanent residence permit has a 5-year validity period. There is also the possibility for foreign investors to apply for a residence permit for Lithuania based on a residency by investment program.
Our company formation agents in Lithuania can offer information on the residency by investment program.
Table of Contents
Documents related when applying for a Lithuanian residence permit in 2025
Foreign citizens from non-EU states who want to obtain residence permits in Lithuania must comply with a few requirements.
The following documents are required when applying for a temporary or permanent residence permit in Lithuania:
- an application form which is issued by the Lithuanian embassy or consulate in the applicant’s home country;
- a valid passport and a copy (the passport must be at least 3 months valid at the moment of the application);
- proof that the applicant has the financial means to support him or herself during the stay;
- a rental agreement for a property in Lithuania in order to prove that the applicant has a place to stay;
- a health insurance is also mandatory; however, it must be obtained after the approval of the issuance of the residence permit;
- the receipt proving the fee for the issuance of the visa was paid.
Concerning the 3rd point – the financial means matter, it must be noted that the applicant must show evidence of having at least EUR 1,038 as a monthly income. The requirement is imposed starting with 1st of January 2025, at it is correlated to the minimum salary level established for this year. The evidence on having this financial resource can take the form of an employment contract.
For those who do not come here through employment in 2025, a bank statement that attests having the necessary means to live (covering the needs for 1 year of stay) can also be shown. Please mind that if you arrive here with minor children, to the sum mentioned above, you must add another 50% of it. This requirement is available for the issuance of all types of residence permits.
We remind investors they can get help from our company registration advisors if they want to open a company in Lithuania.
Please mind that the law regulating the procedures through which foreigners can relocate to Lithuania and obtain various legal statuses (such as temporary residents, permanent residents, citizens) has recently been modified. There are significant changes that are applicable to foreigners living in Lithuania in 2025, as per the new provisions of the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens of the Republic of Lithuania; under the new law, those who are the holders of temporary residence permits are no longer required to provide a written consent of the owner of property where they currently reside, for instance.
If you want to obtain a temporary residence permit, you were required to pay a processing fee of EUR 120, but the fee threshold has been increased in 2025, and now applicants are required to pay EUR 160. In the case of urgent situations, there is the possibility of expedite issuance, and the fee, up until 2025, used to be EUR 240. As of 2025, those who want to apply for an expedite residence permit processing must pay a fee of EUR 320, according to the Lithuanian Migration Information Centre.
If the law concerning the issuance of residence permits issued on a temporary basis suffered certain changes in 2022, you should know that the following years brought several changes regarding residence permit issuance policies, fees and others. One of the new regulations, available starting with 2 January 2023, states that foreigners can apply for temporary residence permits before arriving in this country.
The application is conducted through the official partner of the immigration institutions in Lithuania, which sends the applications to the Migration Department, the sole institution in charge with the issuance of a decision concerning the application.
The application for the issuance of the permit or the renewal of the permit is conducted online initially, through the Lithuanian Migration Information System (MIGRIS). Here, applicants will provide the required data and will book an appointment with the representatives of the institution.
The appointment must be held in-person and it must be completed in maximum 4 months since the date when the online application was made.
The Schengen visa in Lithuania
Citizens of EU countries which are also in the Schengen area are allowed to travel to Lithuania by applying for a single visa which will grant them the right to move freely in all EU countries in Schengen. They will only need a valid ID or passport, two passport-size photographs, health insurance and the receipt showing they paid the state fee for issuance of the visa.
This visa is also available for foreign investors coming to open companies in Lithuania.
For assistance in business immigration matters, please contact our Lithuanian company formation consultants.