Secondary History Teacher

Help from the Lithuanian government

For any questions about moving to or living in Lithuania, you may be able to get help from the:

• Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in London
• Lithuanian Migration Department

The UK government and the British Embassy in Vilnius cannot give personalised advice on moving to, living or retiring in Lithuania.

Professional help in Lithuania

You can also get help from English-speaking professionals in Lithuania, including:

• lawyers
• translators
• notaries
• funeral directors

Help from the UK government

Read the travel advice for Lithuania to understand the risks you may face if you live in or visit Lithuania. This includes the latest information on:

• visas and entry requirements
• laws and cultural differences
• safety and security

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad.

Get help from the UK government abroad, including in an emergency.

Make sure you meet the entry requirements for Lithuania before you travel.

Visas and residence permits

Check which visa or residence permit (in Lithuanian) you need to live in Lithuania.

You can get a visa or residence permit to:

• work
• study
• live with family in Lithuania
• invest or do business in Lithuania
• do research

For more information, read guidance on legal stays in Lithuania.

Registering as a resident

Once you arrive, you need to declare your residency in Lithuania.

If you have any problems or questions about declaring your residency, contact:

• the Lithuanian Migration Department
• an English-speaking lawyer in Lithuania

Extending or replacing your visa or residence permit

Contact the Lithuanian Migration Department for information on how to:

• extend your visa or residence permit
• replace a lost, damaged or stolen visa or residence permit

You can also read guidance on:

• getting or renewing a temporary residence permit
• renewing a permanent residence permit

Permanent residency

You may be able to apply for permanent residency in Lithuania.

To find out if you’re eligible and how to apply, read guidance on:

• living in Lithuania permanently
• Lithuanian permanent residence permits

Citizenship

In most cases, Lithuania does not recognise dual citizenship with the UK. This means that you may have to give up (renounce) your British citizenship to become a Lithuanian citizen.

To find out if you’re eligible for Lithuanian citizenship:

• read guidance on becoming a citizen of Lithuania
• contact the Lithuanian Migration Department
• contact the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in London

Help with visa, residency and citizenship applications

The British Embassy in Vilnius cannot help with Lithuanian visa, residency or citizenship applications.

For any questions or issues, contact:

• the Lithuanian Migration Department
• the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in London
• an English-speaking lawyer in Lithuania

If you moved to Lithuania before 1 January 2021, and have been legally living there since then, you and your family members have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.

Residence documents if you moved to Lithuania before 1 January 2021

If you moved to Lithuania before 1 January 2021, make sure you have a ‘leidimas gyventi’ residence document. This shows that you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.

If you have another Lithuanian residence document, you can exchange it for a ‘leidimas gyventi’ for free. Read the Lithuanian government’s information on residence rights for UK citizens and their families under the Withdrawal Agreement.

Under the new digital Entry/Exit System (EES), you’ll need a ‘leidimas gyventi’ residence document when entering or leaving Lithuania. If you have one, you will not have to register with the EES when entering, leaving or travelling within the Schengen area. Without it, you may be wrongly identified as overstaying in the Schengen area and denied entry to Lithuania or other Schengen countries.

If you do not have a residence document

If you were living in Lithuania before 1 January 2021, but do not have a ‘leidimas gyventi’ residence document, you can still apply for one through the MIGRIS e-system. You’ll need to submit evidence to prove that you met the residency criteria at the time.

If your application is successful, you’ll get a ‘leidimas gyventi’ biometric residence card (in Lithuanian).

If your application is unsuccessful, you may be able to appeal. Consider getting legal advice from an English-speaking lawyer in Lithuania.

For more information on how to apply, read the Lithuanian government’s information on residence rights for UK citizens and their families under the Withdrawal Agreement.

Renewing your residence document if you moved to Lithuania before 1 January 2021

You’ll need to renew your ‘leidimas gyventi’ residence document every 5 or 10 years.

Contact the Lithuanian Migration Department for information on how to renew your residence document.

Bringing family members to Lithuania if you moved there before 1 January 2021

The Lithuanian government’s information on residence rights for UK citizens and their families under the Withdrawal Agreement explains:

• which family members can join you in Lithuania
• how and when they should apply for their residence document
• who to contact for more help and information

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to:

• apply for a British passport from abroad
• travel urgently without your British passport

If you have a Lithuanian residence permit or long stay visa, the time you spend in Lithuania does not count towards the 90-day visa-free period you can spend in the Schengen area.

Always carry your passport and residence permit when entering, leaving or travelling within the Schengen area. If you’re asked to show your passport at border control, make sure you also show your residence document or other evidence of residence status. Your passport may be stamped if you do not.

If you have dual citizenship with an EU or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) country, you should enter and leave Lithuania using your EU or EFTA passport.

Dual citizens travelling to the UK

When travelling to the UK, British citizens must carry a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement. Read guidance on dual citizenship.

Resident children travelling without a parent or legal guardian 

Children aged 17 and under must carry a letter of authority if they’re travelling out of the Schengen area without a parent or legal guardian.

Contact the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in London for more information.

European Entry/Exit System (EES)

Under the new digital Entry/Exit System (EES) there are new rules for entering, leaving or travelling within the Schengen area. Non-EU nationals will need to have their photo and fingerprints taken or verified at the border. This data will be stored in a digital record and used to monitor how long visitors have spent in the Schengen area.

British nationals legally resident in Lithuania, and who have a valid Lithuanian residence permit, do not need to register with the EES.

If you’re legally resident in Lithuania but do not have a residence permit, contact the Lithuanian Migration Department for information on how to get one.

For more information about the EES, read:

• EU guidance on the EES
• guidance on the EES for UK nationals

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to:

• plan your healthcare
• take medicine abroad

To find out how to get medical treatment:

• read guidance on healthcare in Lithuania and health in Lithuania
• find English-speaking medical facilities and doctors for British nationals in Lithuania

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers working abroad, including documents you may need from the UK government.

To work in Lithuania, you may need a work permit or work visa. Our guidance on travelling to Lithuania for work explains the different work permits and visas available to you. 

You do not need a work permit or visa if you have been living in Lithuania legally since before 1 January 2021, as you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.

To apply for a job, you may need to provide a UK police certificate.

If you live in Lithuania and were regularly commuting to work in another EU or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) country before 1 January 2021, read guidance for frontier workers.

Recognition of qualifications

If you want to work in Lithuania, you may need to get your foreign qualifications recognised.

Read our guidance on moving, living and retiring abroad. This covers how to:

• drive abroad legally
• take your UK vehicle abroad
• get driving licence letters

The Lithuania Migration Information Centre provides information on driving in Lithuania, including:

• driving licences
• vehicle registration
• driving exams

For more information, read guidance on:

• driving in the EU
• road travel in Lithuania, in safety and security in the travel advice for Lithuania

Exchanging a UK, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or Isle of Man driving licence

If you’re resident in Lithuania for more than 185 days, you must exchange your driving licence.

You cannot replace or renew your UK, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or Isle of Man driving licence if you live in Lithuania.

Disabled drivers

You may be able to apply for:

• an EU parking card for people with disabilities
• a Lithuanian disabled parking card (in Lithuanian)

If you have a UK Blue Badge and live in Lithuania, you must return it to the original UK issuing authority.

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers tax, including paying UK tax and National Insurance. 

The UK has a double taxation agreement with Lithuania so that you do not pay tax on the same income in both countries.}

Contact the Lithuanian State Tax Authority (VMI) (in Lithuanian) for any questions about double taxation relief.

Consider getting professional advice on paying tax in Lithuania. To do this, find an English-speaking lawyer in Lithuania.

National Insurance

Check if you need to pay National Insurance if you’re going to work in the EU, Gibraltar, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland.

Claiming your UK pension

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers:

• how to claim your UK State Pension
• where the UK government pays an annual increase in the State Pension

Your UK state pension is calculated differently if you’ve previously lived in Australia, Canada or New Zealand and now live in the EU.

Claiming a Lithuanian pension

Contact the Lithuanian State Social Insurance Fund to find out whether you can claim a Lithuanian pension.

Claiming UK benefits

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to claim UK benefits abroad, including Child Benefit. 

You can also read guidance on benefits and pensions for UK nationals in the EU, EEA or Switzerland.

Claiming Lithuanian benefits

You may be entitled to some Lithuanian social security benefits.

To find out if you’re eligible and how to claim:

• contact the Lithuanian State Social Insurance Fund
• read the Lithuania Migration Information Centre’s guidance on support and benefits in Lithuania

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers buying and renting property abroad. 

You can also read the Lithuania Migration Information Centre’s guidance on:

• rental accommodation
• buying property

Contact an English-speaking lawyer in Lithuania if you’re considering buying property or land.

If you plan to study in Lithuania, you must meet all visa and residence requirements before you travel.

You do not need a student visa if you have been living in Lithuania legally since before 1 January 2021, as you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.

For more information, read guidance on:

• studying in the EU
• travel grants for students studying abroad or on placements (England)

You can also contact:

• your higher education provider in the UK or Lithuania
• Study in Lithuania, an initiative from the Lithuanian Ministry of Education, Science and Sport
• the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in London

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers moving abroad with children, including:

• getting permission to take your child abroad
• claiming UK Child Benefit abroad
• child maintenance payments if a parent lives abroad

Schools and education

The European Commission provides information about the school system in Lithuania.

All children aged 6 to 16 must attend school or home school in Lithuania.

For more information, read the Lithuanian government’s guidance on education in Lithuania.

Childcare

The Lithuanian Ministry of Social Security and Labour is responsible for childcare services in Lithuania.

All children in Lithuania can get 20 hours of free pre-school education per week from birth to age 6.

For more information, read guidance on:

• pre-school education in Lithuania
• early childhood education and care in Lithuania

Births

If your child is born in Lithuania, register the birth with the Lithuanian authorities.

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to:

• register the birth with the UK authorities to get a UK birth certificate
• apply for your child’s first British passport

Deaths

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers:

• what to do after someone dies abroad
• how to register the death with the UK authorities

If someone dies in Lithuania, read guidance on:

• what to do when someone dies in Lithuania
• English-speaking funeral directors in Lithuania

Marriages and civil partnerships

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to get married or form a civil partnership abroad. 

The Lithuania Migration Information Centre provides information on getting married in Lithuania.

For information about LGBT+ rights in Lithuania, read guidance on safety and security in the travel advice for Lithuania.

Divorce and separation

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to get a divorce or end a civil partnership.

The Lithuania Migration Information Centre offers guidance on divorce in Lithuania.

Consider taking legal advice from an English-speaking lawyer in Lithuania.

Read our guidance on documents for British people abroad. This covers: 

• legalising and certifying UK documents
• marriage and civil partnership documents
• affirmations and affidavits
• witnessing signatures

To find an English-speaking lawyer, translator or notary in Lithuania, read guidance on professional services if you’re abroad.