Stricter immigration rules by Lithuania have been implemented finally on 1 July. After the amendments to the Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners come into force, the aim is to effectively regulate the flow of migration, with a strict procedure for the employment of citizens of foreign countries.
Applying for a temporary residence permit in Lithuania
According to the new rules, foreigners who previously reached Lithuania using the visa-free regime or with national or Schengen visas or residence permits issued by other countries will no longer be able to work in Lithuania from July 1, 2024. From now on, such persons must obtain a temporary residence permit issued in Lithuania.
Temporary residence permits will not be required only in exceptional cases when foreigners come to Lithuania legally and meet certain criteria that allow them to additionally acquire a work permit. The following exceptions apply:
- for foreigners who are seconded to Lithuania and arrive as employees of a company established by a member state of the European Union or the European Free Trade Association;
- for crew members of ships sailing on international routes with the flag of the state of Lithuania;
- for foreigners who come to Lithuania for more than three months a year to manage affairs, with the conclusion of contracts, their execution, staff training or equipment installation;
- entrepreneurs who are shareholders and managers of companies;
- for high-performance athletes;
- for performers;
- for journalists accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
- religious activities for officially engaged persons;
- for foreigners who come to Lithuania to implement governmental or voluntary activity programs recognized by the European Union or its member states;
- for teachers and researchers who come to conduct scientific research as researchers, having work or copyright contracts concluded with scientific or study institutions,
- for citizens of economically developed countries (Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand, and South Korea) who come to work or engage in other legal activities.
Those foreigners who work in Lithuania after the amendments to the Law “On the Legal Status of Foreigners” came into effect will have the right to work until the period of their legal stay or they will acquire the right to work on other grounds provided for by the said law.
Working only with a valid residence permit
The Migration Department has declared that an application for a temporary residence permit does not entitle a foreigner to stay and work in Lithuania if the previously held permit has already expired.
Working without a valid permit is illegal, and the employer who violates the legislation in such cases is subject to administrative liability. In addition, an employer fined for allowing illegal or undeclared work or violating the procedure for hiring foreigners cannot hire new foreigners for one year.
Instructions for expired residence permit holders
Following amendments to the Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners, new rules regulate labor migration and appeal against decisions on foreigners’ legal status in Lithuania.
Previously, foreigners retained their residence permits during court appeals, even if they didn’t meet legal requirements. This allowed them to stay in Lithuania by finding new jobs, studying, or entering into fictitious marriages. However, as of July 1, appealing a residence permit cancellation won’t suspend the decision. Foreigners must leave within 14 days or face deportation and a ban from re-entering Lithuania.
Issuance of ID Card with Chips free of cost
ID cards issued between September 2, 2022, and December 31, 2023, used for electronic identification or signatures will be replaced for free if requested by January 1, 2025.
Following EU security requirements, older cards issued before January 1, 2024, will not support qualified electronic signatures from July 23. Residents can exchange these cards at no cost in Lithuania and through consular services abroad. However, expedited replacements within 5 or 1 working days will incur fees of 60 or 100 euros. Cards not used for electronic identification remain valid until their expiry date.
Selection of countries for issuing a residence permit
The Ministry of the Interior of Lithuania has introduced new rules for selecting foreign countries where applications for temporary residence permits can be submitted through external service providers. The Department of Migration must consider security interests, foreign policy priorities, labor market needs, and institutional capacities, and consult with the Department of Homeland Security, State Border Guard Service, and police. Only after these evaluations can the Minister of the Interior approve the list of countries eligible for this service.