Lithuania tightens rules for temporary residence permits

Lithuania has announced that the conditions for submitting applications for temporary residence permits through an external service provider are being tightened, Report informs referring to the Financial Express.

The new rules to be implemented from December 1, 2024, state that only citizens of the country where the external service provider operates can apply to the branch of the external service provider for issuing temporary residence permits in Lithuania and national visas.

Citizens of countries where there is no branch of an external service provider will be able to apply for a temporary residence permit in Lithuania through an external service provider located in another country.

This will apply to those foreigners who plan to come to Lithuania on the basis of family reunification, intend to work in a highly qualified job or are invited to study science and studies in our country in institutions according to approved study programs, as well as in doctoral studies.

It is also possible to apply in another country if the foreigner is being transferred within the company or intends to come to Lithuania as a teacher or researcher under an employment contract with a research and study institution.

Taking into account the decisions made earlier regarding the outsourcing service provider’s unit in Nepal, all foreigners who, by September 1 of this year, when filling out the application for a temporary residence permit in Lithuania, chose a branch of an external service provider in the aforementioned foreign country, may choose to visit this branch until 2024. December 31.

Citizens of countries where there is no branch of the external service provider will be able to submit requests for the issuance of a national visa on all grounds for issuing a national visa, except for those cases where the request would be made for the issuance of a national visa to an employee posted to Lithuania or a foreigner coming to do seasonal work.

The conditions for submitting applications in the unit operating in India do not change – foreigners can submit applications if they plan to come to Lithuania on the basis of family reunification, intend to work in a highly qualified job or are invited to study in our country’s scientific and study institutions according to approved study programs, as well as in doctoral studies.