Find visa optionsFind visas
Menu

Republic of Lithuania · residence general · Leads to settlement

Permanent Residence / EU Long-Term Resident Status (Lithuania)

By · Last reviewed:

If you have lived in Lithuania lawfully for five years, this is your settlement status - EU long-term resident rights and a stepping stone toward citizenship.

No sponsorship requiredLeads to permanent residencyLonger-term status, subject to conditions on continued residence - confirm current rules on the official page.
Processing time
Indicative only - the Migration Department decides complete applications within a published period; confirm current processing on the official page.
Government fees
Indicative only - a state fee applies; confirm current amounts on the official page.
Typical duration
Longer-term status, subject to conditions on continued residence - confirm current rules on the official page.
Sponsorship required
No
Leads to permanent residency
Yes
Reviewed Migration Department under the Ministry of the Interior (Lithuania) ↗

In short

As of 11 July 2026, the Permanent Residence / EU Long-Term Resident Status (Lithuania) for Republic of Lithuania is an unsponsored Lithuania immigration route. Sources: official Republic of Lithuania government pages, reviewed 11 July 2026.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/lithuania/permanent-residence#answer

What is the Permanent Residence / EU Long-Term Resident Status (Lithuania) in Republic of Lithuania?

Permanent Residence / EU Long-Term Resident Status (Lithuania) is an unsponsored Lithuania route. Indicative government fees are Indicative only - a state fee applies; confirm current amounts on the official page; indicative processing time is Indicative only - the Migration Department decides complete applications within a published period; confirm current processing on the official page; typical duration is Longer-term status, subject to conditions on continued residence - confirm current rules on the official page. This route can lead to permanent residence.

Verified against Migration Department under the Ministry of the Interior (Lithuania) on 1 June 2026.

Overview

Permanent residence in Lithuania takes the form of EU long-term resident status, generally available after five years of continuous lawful residence. It gives you secure, longer-term residence with rights recognised across the EU and is a stepping stone toward naturalisation, which is a separate process under citizenship law. The Migration Department assesses your residence history, means of support, health insurance and, in most cases, a Lithuanian-language and constitution-basics examination. Good to know: permanent residence is not citizenship, and not all temporary permits (for example some study time) count in full toward the five years.

Eligibility

Typical criteria

Common blockers

Typical evidence

Application pathway

  1. Check the route fit

    Confirm you meet the five-year continuous-residence rule on qualifying permits.

  2. Build the evidence pack

    Prepare for and pass any required language and constitution-basics examination, and compile your residence history.

  3. Submit through the official channel

    Apply to the Migration Department and pay the fees.

  4. After approval

    Maintain the conditions on continued residence and, if you wish, pursue citizenship later as a separate process.

After approval: prepare for your next step

For Permanent Residence / EU Long-Term Resident Status (Lithuania), use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Official Permanent Residence / EU Long-Term Resident Status (Lithuania) instructionsBuild my moving plan for this routeMoving to Lithuania

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceApplicant
    Use official Permanent Residence / EU Long-Term Resident Status (Lithuania) route page ↗

    Use this official page to confirm requirements and follow the government filing route for Permanent Residence / EU Long-Term Resident Status (Lithuania).

    Migration Department under the Ministry of the Interior (Lithuania) · verified

Also explored by

Indian Filipino Nigerian

Compare Republic of Lithuania with

Related routes

Frequently asked questions

How long must I live in Lithuania first?+

Generally five years of continuous lawful residence, with some permit types not counting in full toward that period. Confirm the current rule on the official page.

Do I have to take a language test?+

In most cases you must pass a Lithuanian-language and constitution-basics examination for EU long-term resident status. Confirm the current requirement on the official page.

Does my time as a student in Lithuania count toward permanent residence?+

Permanent residence as EU long-term resident status is generally available after five years of continuous lawful residence, but not all temporary permits count in full - some study time, for example, counts only in part - so years spent studying may only partly count. Confirm the current rule on the official page.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

Find a regulated advisor in Lithuania

How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: Migration Department under the Ministry of the Interior (Lithuania)

Last checked: 1 June 2026

See the full evidence trail and methodology

CompareFind visa options