Temporary Residence Permit Application in Lithuania

The permit is issued by the Republic of Lithuania to a foreigner who is not a citizen of a member State of the European Union or a member State of the European Free Trade Association. A foreigner has the right to choose a place of residence in the Republic of Lithuania, change his/her place of residence, permit the Republic of Lithuania and return back during the validity period of the permit to remain. A foreigner is obliged to notify the Migration Department of the change of his or her place of residence, and also keep in mind that the Law on the Declaration of Residence establishes that a person who permits the Republic of Lithuania for more than 6 months of the specified period is obliged to declare departure.

There are two types of residence permits in Lithuania – temporary residence permit (TRP) and permanent residence permit  (PRP) in the Republic of Lithuania.

Temporary Residence Permit Application in Lithuania

Temporary residence permit

A temporary residence permit in the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter referred to as a TRP) is a document granting a foreigner the right to temporary residence in the Republic of Lithuania for the period specified therein.

On what basis is a temporary residence permit issued?

• Family reunion
• Job
• Science
• Legal activity
• Other

For how long is a temporary residence permit issued?

A temporary residence permit is usually issued for one, two or three years, but can also be issued for a shorter period.

Where can I get a temporary residence permit?

First of all, you must submit an application for a temporary residence permit electronically through the Lithuanian Migration Information System (MIGRIS) and attach digital copies of documents to this application. After submitting an application and reserving a time of the visit through MIGRIS, within 4 months from the date of filing an application through MIGRIS, you must personally submit an application for the issuance (replacement) of a temporary residence permit and provide biometric data and original documents. To issue (replace) a temporary residence permit, you must contact the territorial department of the Migration Department at the reserved time.

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State fee for registration of a temporary residence permit

To apply for getting (replacement) of a temporary residence permit, consideration, decision–making and issuance of a temporary residence permit, a foreigner must pay a state fee of 120 euros (240 euros – as a matter of urgency).

What documents do I need to submit to obtain a temporary residence permit?

The list of documents for the issuance of a temporary residence permit depends on the purpose for which the foreigner applies.

Preliminary list of documents:

1. An application (an application is submitted through the Lithuanian migration information system MIGRIS)
2. A valid travel document
3. Documents substantiating issuance/replacement of a temporary residence permit
4. Documents confirming the existence of a sufficient amount of livelihood (the required amount of livelihood is 1 minimum wage per month. This may be an employment contract. The livelihood should be sufficient for the entire period of validity of a temporary residence permit applied for for a period of at least one year)
5. A document about the place of residence. If you are applying for the first permit to remain in the Republic of Lithuania, you can declare your place of residence at your choice:

• At the Migration Department, during the reserved visit, upon arrival, provide the originals and biometric data of the documents attached to the application for a permit to remain.
• In the local government, within 1 month after the authorization/withdrawal of the issuance of a permit to remain. If you have chosen this option, then, when filling out an application for a temporary residence permit through the Migration Information System of Lithuania (MIGRIS), you must confirm that you promise to declare your place of residence in a suitable housing.

6. Certificate of criminal record

It is only necessary in case of applying for the issuance of the first temporary residence permit. These are certificates issued by the competent authorities of the foreign countries in which you have resided or are currently residing for the last 2 years prior to your arrival in Lithuania (except in cases where your stay abroad lasted less than 6 months within 12 months), confirming the presence or absence of a criminal record in these countries, which certificates must be issued no later than 6 months before the date of filing an application for a temporary residence permit, translated into Lithuanian and legalized and/or certified with an apostille, if necessary. If you were convicted, the certificate should indicate when and for what criminal act you were convicted, what punishment was imposed on you and whether it was executed.

A certificate stating that you did not have a criminal record may be submitted in the original language, in English, or an English translation of this document may be provided written in another language, certified by the translator’s signature.

NOTE: Foreigners intending to work in a position requiring high professional qualifications can submit a written statement alone that they have not been tried in the country from which they came;

7. A document on medical insurance (medical insurance is not required if a mandatory medical insurance fee is paid for you).

• The insurance must guarantee coverage of the cost of emergency medical care in accordance with the Law on the Healthcare System of the Republic of Lithuania and expenses that may arise as a result of your return to another country due to health reasons (transportation, including accompanying by healthcare specialist(s)); and
• The insurance must be valid for the entire period of validity of the temporary residence permit or at least one year.

Upon arrival at the Migration Department at the reserved time, the foreigner’s stay in Lithuania must be legal.

Do I need to confirm that the documents were issued legally?

Documents issued by foreign authorities (other than a passport) must be legalized or certified with an apostille and translated into Lithuanian.

How long does it take to issue a temporary residence permit?

Decisions on temporary residence permits are made and temporary residence permits are issued:

As to issuance of a permit:

• According to the standard procedure  – within 4 months
• As a matter of urgency – within 2 months

As to replacement of a permit:

• According to the standard procedure  – within 2 months
• As a matter of urgency – within 1 month

Employment of foreign citizens in Lithuania

Recently, more and more foreigners looking for work have been coming to Lithuania. Although the process of employment and residence in Lithuania is quite simple for EU citizens, foreigners arriving from third countries must undergo a number of procedures to get a job.

A citizen of a third country can come to work in Lithuania with one of the following documents:

1. A work permit
2. A decision on compliance with the needs of the labor market
3. A decision on the compliance of a workplace requiring high professional qualifications with the needs of the labor market of the Republic of Lithuania

Each document establishes both specific requirements for an employee or an employment contract, and the period during which a foreigner will be able to legally reside in Lithuania (since permits/decisions issued by the Employment Service do not give the right to reside in Lithuania, it is also necessary to have a visa or a permit to remain).

You can come to Lithuania to work. If you intend to stay in Lithuania for no more than a year, you can get a national visa. If you intend to stay for more than 1 year, you should choose a temporary residence permit (it is usually issued for 2 years, and for highly qualified workers – for 3 years, then it can usually be changed). For the period of consideration of the application for a temporary residence permit, it is possible to obtain a national multiple-entry visa.

What kind of foreign citizens do not need to obtain a work permit (or a decision on compliance with the needs of the labor market)?

• Foreign citizens whose profession is included in the list of professions in demand in the Republic of Lithuania by type of economic activity (in 2022, these are: driver of vehicles for international cargo transportation, concrete worker, electrician, welder, plumber, butcher and others).
• Foreign citizens who have arrived in the country to work in a profession that is included in the list of professions in demand in the Republic of Lithuania that require high professional qualifications.
• Foreign citizens who will receive a salary of at least 3 average monthly gross wages.
• Foreign citizens who have already worked in Lithuania for 2 years as a highly qualified specialist and apply for the extension of a permit to remain.

A foreigner must obtain a work permit before the scheduled date of conclusion of an employment contract or the start of planned work in the Republic of Lithuania. If a foreigner applies for a national visa on the basis of work and his profession is not included in the list of missing professions, then first of all the foreigner’s employer must apply to the Employment Service for a work permit; after obtaining a work permit, the foreigner can apply for a national visa.

A work permit is issued to a foreigner taking into account the needs of the labor market of the Republic of Lithuania. Please note that a work permit or a decision on compliance with the needs of the Lithuanian labor market is issued if a foreigner has documents confirming his qualifications (diploma, certificate, etc.) and at least one year of work experience in accordance with the qualifications he or she has for the last five years (work record, certificate with current and/or former workplace, etc.).

The Lithuanian Employment Service is responsible for issuing work permits to foreign citizens, and extension, suspension and cancellation of work permits.

In order to employ a foreign citizen, the employer must apply to the territorial Employment Service, at the place of activities of which a vacant workplace is registered.

An employer may submit a foreigner’s employment documents to the Employment Service within 1 month from the expiration of the vacancy notice.

The following is a generalized description of the various processes.

Work permit	Decision on compliance with the needs of the labor market	Decision on the compliance of a job requiring high professional qualifications with the needs of the labor market of the Republic of Lithuania.
Usually issued for a year or less (seasonal work permit – up to 6 months in a 12-month period), on the basis of which a foreigner receives a national D visa while in his country of origin. Most often, employers who plan to recruit foreigners in a profession that is not included in the list of missing professions apply for a work permit to the Employment Service. After obtaining a work permit, foreigners submit documents for obtaining national visas based on work. If a foreigner intends to work in a profession that is included in the list of missing professions, then a work permit is not required (acts on the principle of quotas). A foreigner can apply for a national visa on the basis of work without a work permit. After the quota has been exhausted, foreigners who intend to work in the Republic of Lithuania must acquire a work permit.	Usually issued for 2 years, you can apply for a permit to remain based on work. A permit to remain is issued for a period of work, but not more than for 2 years, and can be extended. Most often, employers apply to the Employment Service to obtain a decision on compliance with the needs of the Lithuanian labor market when a foreigner intends to obtain a temporary residence permit on the basis of work and the foreigner’s profession is not included in the list of missing professions. If a foreigner intends to work in a profession that is included in the list of missing professions, then a decision on compliance with the needs of the labor market is not required. Upon arrival in Lithuania with a national visa, a foreigner can apply for a temporary residence permit on the basis of work to the Migration Department without having a decision on compliance with the needs of the Lithuanian labor market.	Issued if you have a high professional qualification (diploma of higher education) or at least five years of professional experience and the employer will pay a salary of at least 1.5 average monthly income. In this case, you can get a Blue Card (a temporary permit to remain for highly qualified specialists). A decision on the compliance of a job requiring high professional qualifications with the needs of the labor market of the Republic of Lithuania is required if you intend to receive a Blue Card, but your profession is not included in the list of professions requiring high professional qualifications and there are not enough workers in Lithuania having such professions. If your monthly salary in Lithuania is at least 3 amounts of the average gross monthly salary in Lithuania, you can contact the Migration Department directly to issue a Blue card. In this case, a decision on the compliance of a job requiring high professional qualifications with the needs of the labor market of the Republic of Lithuania is not required.
The order of issue
1. The employer must contact the Employment Service and register the vacancy. 2. Before issuing a certificate of receipt of documents, the Employment Service checks whether the employer meets all the requirements (operates legally, is not bankrupt, etc.). 3. The qualifications and work experience of a foreigner (work experience of at least one year in accordance with the qualifications on hand over the past five years) must be suitable for the vacancy registered by the employer and for performing the job functions set out in the employer’s obligation to employ a foreigner or in the employment contract. 4. The employer is obliged to employ a foreigner under an employment contract for a period of at least 6 months.	1. The employer must contact the Employment Service and register the vacancy. 2. Before issuing a certificate of receipt of documents, the Employment Service checks whether the employer meets all the requirements (operates legally, is not bankrupt, etc.). 3. The qualifications and work experience of a foreigner (work experience of at least one year in accordance with the qualifications on hand over the past five years) must be suitable for the vacancy registered by the employer and for performing the job functions set out in the employer’s obligation to employ a foreigner or in the employment contract. 4. The employer is obliged to employ a foreigner under an employment contract for a period of at least 6 months.	1. The employer must contact the Employment Service and register the vacancy. 2. Before issuing a certificate of receipt of documents, the Employment Service checks whether the employer meets all the requirements (operates legally, is not bankrupt, etc.). 3. The qualifications and work experience of a foreigner (work experience of at least one year in accordance with the qualifications on hand over the past five years) must be suitable for the vacancy registered by the employer and for performing the job functions set out in the employer’s obligation to employ a foreigner or in the employment contract. 4. The employer is obliged to employ a foreigner under an employment contract for a period of at least 6 months.

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