From 1st July 2023, the process of requesting national visas for foreign nationals located outside Lithuania has been revised. Previously, foreign nationals located outside of Lithuania could submit such requests to a Lithuanian diplomatic mission, consular office or a visa centre abroad chosen by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Following the changes effective 1st July, all applications for national visa issuance must exclusively be submitted through the MIGRIS, accessible on the website of the Migration Department’s website. When submitting a national visa application, you will be required to choose one of the 34 centres of the external service provider company VFS Global, which operates internationally and serves as the channel for visa document submission.
Please note that in connection with the aforementioned changes, the procedure for issuing a national visa has also changed, i.e., from 1st July, it can be issued:
- For foreign nationals who are unable to leave Lithuania due to any of the following reasons: illness, other acute health disorder or bodyly condition, personal reasons which the foreign national could not foresee or force majeure;
- For foreign nationals entrepreneurs, if they come to Lithuania to engage in legal activities and are participants in an enterprise registered in the Register of Legal Entities and established within the last year prior to the date of submitting an application for a national visa, if the enterprise’s own capital (in the case of non-joint stock companies and non-closed joint stock companies – property) is at least EUR 28,000, of which at least EUR 14,000 are the funds or other assets invested by such foreign nationals.
- For foreign nationals coming to Lithuania for seasonal work holding a seasonal work permit issued by the Employment Service to work for more than 90 days;
- For foreign nationals who are employees of companies established in countries that do not belong to the European Union or the European Free Trade Association and are temporarily seconded to Lithuania to work by such companies;
- For foreign nationals arriving in Lithuania in accordance with the provisions of international treaties or other agreements of the Republic of Lithuania, as well as in other cases when the purpose of their arrival is a long-term stay in the Republic of Lithuania. This may be for long-term treatment or rehabilitation, advanced professional training, volunteering, etc.
It is also important to note that after 1st July, national visas will no longer be issued:
- For foreign nationals coming to work when their profession is included on the Shortage Occupation List;
- For foreign nationals who hold a work permit issued by the Employment Service;
- Citizens of Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, New Zealand, South Korea, Canada and Belarus, who used to obtain national visas under the simplified procedure;
- For foreign nationals who applying for a residence permit or a change of residence permit or a family member card of an EU citizen;
- For foreign nationals in respect of whom the Migration Department has adopted a decision to issue a residence permit or a family member card of an EU citizen.
The aforementioned foreign nationals, wishing to enter and stay in Lithuania lawfully, must now apply for a temporary residence permit in the country instead of a national visa.
The procedure for submitting applications for Schengen visas has not changed since 1st July.
To receive more information or to schedule consultation on the procedure for issuing visas and temporary residence permits in Lithuania, we invite you to consult with ECOVIS ProventusLaw lawyers.
Prepared by Inga Olifer, Associate of ECOVIS ProventusLaw
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