Eligibility Quiz
Was your ancestor (parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent) a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania between February 16, 1918, and June 15, 1940?
Documents Required
All documents issued by foreign governments must be Apostilled (or legalized) and accompanied by a certified translation into Lithuanian.
Identity and Lineage
- Current Passport: A valid foreign passport for yourself.
- Vital Records: Birth and marriage certificates for every generation connecting you to the Lithuanian ancestor.
- Name Change Evidence: If any ancestor changed their name upon arrival in a new country (e.g., "Jonas" becoming "John"), you must provide official name change records or "One and the Same" affidavits to bridge the discrepancy.
Proof of Ancestral Citizenship
You must provide at least one document proving your ancestor was a Lithuanian citizen before June 15, 1940. Examples include:
- Internal or Foreign Passports: Issued by the Republic of Lithuania between 1918 and 1940.
- Military Records: Documents showing service in the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
- Civil Service Records: Proof of employment in Lithuanian government offices.
- Archival Certificates: Official extracts from Lithuanian state archives confirming citizenship, residency, or voting rights.
Proof of Departure
To retain dual citizenship, you must provide:
- Naturalization Records: Documents showing when your ancestor acquired their new citizenship (e.g., US Naturalization Certificate).
- Exile Records: Documents from archives or the Red Cross proving deportation to Siberia or other regions.
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Key Developments
The Migration Department reported significant processing delays for citizenship restoration, with some applicants waiting over a year for a decision due to increased application volumes and stricter document verification.
lrt.lt ↗A constitutional referendum to broaden dual citizenship rights failed to reach the required threshold of all eligible voters, meaning restoration applicants must still meet specific "exile" or "departure before 1990" criteria to retain their original nationality.
citizenx.com ↗The Seimas passed amendments to the Law on Citizenship that removed the requirement for an ancestor to have held Lithuanian citizenship specifically between 1918 and 1940, simplifying the restoration process for descendants of those who fled during the occupation.
sajr.co.za ↗