Lithuanian Citizenship by Descent
Lithuanian citizenship can be restored to descendants of Lithuanian citizens who held citizenship before Soviet occupation in 1940. This restoration process recognizes those whose ancestors left Lithuania during the Soviet era and preserves their right to reclaim citizenship.
Michael Soucek·Last reviewed: October 2026
Educational information only — not legal advice. Always verify requirements with the relevant government authority, consulate, or registry office.
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© Wikimedia Commons
Who qualifies for Lithuanian citizenship by descent
Lithuania's route for the diaspora is restoration of citizenship. If your parent, grandparent or great-grandparent held Lithuanian citizenship before 15 June 1940, you can apply to have it restored under the 2016 Law on Citizenship; great-great-grandchildren are outside the law. Whether you can keep your current citizenship depends on how the family left: if the ancestor left Lithuania between 1918 and 11 March 1990 and did not move willingly to the USSR, dual citizenship is allowed; otherwise you would have to renounce your other citizenship. There is no Lithuanian language test for restoration.
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Restoration, not ordinary descent
Lithuania treats diaspora claims as restoring citizenship that existed before the Soviet occupation. Under the 2016 Law on Citizenship, a person who held Lithuanian citizenship before 15 June 1940, and their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, can have it restored. The law stops at great-grandchildren. There is no language test and no residence requirement.
The proof that matters is the ancestor's citizenship before 15 June 1940: an interwar Lithuanian passport, an internal passport record, military or census entries, or registry records. Being born in the Russian Empire before 1918, in what is now Lithuania, is not by itself proof of Lithuanian citizenship.
When you can keep your other passport
Lithuania normally does not allow dual citizenship, but restoration has a major exception. If your ancestor left Lithuania between 1918 and 11 March 1990, the day independence was restored, and did not relocate willingly to the USSR, you can hold Lithuanian citizenship alongside your current one. That covers most families who emigrated to the United States, Canada, the UK, Australia or South America.
If the exception does not apply, restoration requires giving up your other citizenship. A May 2024 referendum on allowing dual citizenship more widely failed to reach the required turnout, so this rule still stands.
Documents and process
You need birth and marriage records linking each generation to the ancestor, proof of the ancestor's pre-1940 citizenship, and evidence of when and where they left. Foreign documents need apostilles and certified Lithuanian translations. The Lithuanian Central State Archives and the Migration Department can help locate interwar records.
Applications go to the Migration Department, through a Lithuanian embassy or consulate if you live abroad. Once citizenship is restored, you can apply for a Lithuanian passport.
Lithuanian requirements at a glance
- A parent, grandparent or great-grandparent held Lithuanian citizenship before 15 June 1940
- Documented lineage from that ancestor to you
- To keep your other citizenship: the ancestor left Lithuania between 1918 and 11 March 1990 and did not relocate willingly to the USSR
- No Lithuanian language test for restoration
Documents for a Lithuanian claim
- 1Your birth certificate
- 2Birth and marriage certificates for each generation to Lithuanian ancestor
- 3Lithuanian ancestor's birth certificate or citizenship proof
- 4Evidence of departure from Lithuania
- 5Historical documents showing ancestor's pre-1940 citizenship
- 6Your valid passport or ID
- 7All documents need apostilles and Lithuanian translations
Lithuanian processing times
Citizenship restoration typically takes 6-12 months after submission of a complete application. Document gathering from Lithuanian archives may add considerable time to preparation.
Where Lithuanian claims go wrong
- Claiming through a great-great-grandparent — outside the law
- No proof the ancestor held Lithuanian citizenship before 15 June 1940 (as opposed to being born in the Russian Empire before 1918)
- An ancestor who moved willingly to the USSR, which removes the right to keep dual citizenship
- Name spellings that differ across Lithuanian, Polish, Russian and English records
- Assuming the 2024 dual-citizenship referendum changed the rules — it failed
Official Lithuanian government sources
Lithuanian citizenship FAQ
Can I claim through a great-grandparent?
Yes. Restoration covers children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of people who held Lithuanian citizenship before 15 June 1940. Great-great-grandchildren are outside the law.
Can I keep my US citizenship?
Yes, if your ancestor left Lithuania between 1918 and 11 March 1990 and did not relocate willingly to the USSR. Otherwise restoration requires renouncing your other citizenship.
Do I need to speak Lithuanian?
No. There is no language test for restoration of citizenship.
Did the 2024 referendum change dual citizenship?
No. The May 2024 referendum on wider dual citizenship failed to reach the required turnout, so the existing rules still apply.
Lithuanian nationality law
Lithuanian citizenship is governed by the Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania (Law No. IX-1078, as amended). Article 7 governs restoration of citizenship for persons and their descendants who were citizens before June 15, 1940, and left Lithuania before March 11, 1990. The Constitutional Court ruling of 2002 (Case No. 9/01) confirmed broad restitution rights for diaspora Lithuanians.
Dual citizenship in Lithuania
Lithuania imposes one of the stricter dual-citizenship regimes in the EU. The general rule is that Lithuanians who voluntarily acquire another nationality lose Lithuanian citizenship. Exceptions apply to citizens who left Lithuania before March 11, 1990 (the restoration-of-independence date) and their descendants — these individuals may retain or restore Lithuanian citizenship while holding another nationality under Article 7 of the Citizenship Law.
Lithuanian application costs
Citizenship restoration application fee: €29. Certified translations per document: €30–€70. Apostilles: €15–€40 per document. Lithuanian Archives research fees (if ordering records remotely): €15–€50 per record. Total preparation costs for a typical claim: €400–€1,000.
Where to find Lithuanian records
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Start the CheckerAbout the author
Michael Soucek— Claimed Hungarian citizenship by descent firsthand
Founder & Researcher, Heritage Passport Finder
I built Heritage Passport Finder after going through the process of claiming Hungarian citizenship by descent myself. Tracing my family's records and working out what actually qualified turned into a genuine obsession with how citizenship-by-descent law works across Europe, so I started gathering what I learned in one place. I'm not a lawyer, and I don't treat these guides as the final word — citizenship law changes constantly and differs by country, so every page points to official sources and I recommend confirming your own case with the relevant consulate or an immigration attorney. What I can offer is a clear map of the landscape, drawn from official sources and the experience of someone who has actually been through it.