The Migration Department hereby explains what constitutes a five-year period lived in the Republic of Lithuania in order to obtain a permanent residence permit: an alien may be granted a permanent residence permit if he or she, having a temporary residence permit, continuously resided in Lithuania for the last five years before his or her application for permanent residence permit was accepted.

The alien’s five-year period of residence in the Republic of Lithuania shall not include the time lived in the Republic of Lithuania:

• under visa-free regime;
• with a Schengen visa;
• with a national visa issued by the Republic of Lithuania or another state of the Schengen Area;
• an EU residence card issued by another Member State of the EU;
• a residence permit issued by another state of the Schengen Area.

If the alien was admitted to a research and education institution of the Republic of Lithuania and on that basis was granted a temporary residence permit, only half of the lived time shall be included in the said alien’s period of residence in the Republic of Lithuania. However, if the alien completed his or her studies in the Republic of Lithuania, obtained a higher education qualification and shall be able to provide a corresponding confirming document, the alien’s period of residence in the Republic of Lithuania shall include the entire period lived with a temporary residence permit.

If the alien is granted subsidiary protection in the Republic of Lithuania, his or her period of residence in the Republic of Lithuania shall include half of the time between the date of application for asylum in the Republic of Lithuania and the date of issue of temporary residence permit on that basis, if such period of time lasted more than 18 months.

The period of residence in the Republic of Lithuania shall be interrupted by the period of stay outside the territory of Lithuania or another Member State of the European Union respectively if the last five years before the application for permanent residence permit lack more than six consecutive months and/or make more than ten months in total.

The period of residence in the Republic of Lithuania shall be interrupted by a term of imprisonment appointed by the Court.