I am a highly skilled employee
- I want to get a visa
- I want to receive/renew a temporary residence permit
- I am a highly skilled employee
- I am a citizen of Ukraine, I intend to work and I do not need an assessment by the Employment Service regarding compliance with the needs of the Lithuanian labour market
- I am a permanent employee of an EU company
- I intend to work under an employment contract and my profession is not on the shortage occupations list
- I have completed my studies in Lithuania and intend to work
- I intend to work under an employment contract and my profession is on the shortage occupations list
- I am an intra-corporate transferee (Directive 2014/66/EU)
- I intend to work as a teacher under an employment contract
- I intend to work as a researcher under an employment contract
- Atmintinė darbdaviams (atnaujinta 2024 liepos 1 d.)
- Atmintinė mokymo įstaigoms
I am a highly skilled employee
I have a higher education diploma or a minimum of 3 years' professional experience equivalent to a higher education qualification as a manager in the field of information technology and communication technology services or as a specialist in information technology and communication technology within the last 7 years or a minimum of 5 years' professional experience equivalent to a higher education qualification, and I am interested in being employed by a Lithuanian employer, which requires a highly qualified employee and intends to pay me a salary of at least 1.5 times the average gross monthly salary for the last published calendar year, or, if my profession is included in the list of high value-added professions for which there is a shortage of workers in the Republic of Lithuania, a salary of at least 1.2 times the average gross monthly salary for the last published calendar year.
What is a Blue Card?
The Blue Card (EU Blue Card, Directive 2009/50/EC) is a permit to legally reside and work in Lithuania and move to another EU Member State to work in a highly skilled job.
In Lithuania, the Blue Card is a temporary residence permit.
How do I get a Blue Card?
In Lithuania, a blue card (i.e. a temporary residence permit) is issued in the following cases:
The list of high value-added occupations for which there is a shortage of workers in the Republic of Lithuania is available here.
First of all, you must electronically via the Lithuanian Migration Information System (MIGRIS) fill-out the request to issue or change the residence permit and include digital copies of the documents being added to this request. After filling-out the request and booking the visitation time via MIGRIS, within 4 months from the day of filling-out the request via MIGRIS you must personally address in regards to the issuance (changing) of temporary residence permit and submit the biometric data, as well as original documents. These documents shall be added to the request:
List of documents (to issue) | |
List of documents (to issue) |
- valid travel document;
Documents affirming the issuance (changing) of the temporary residence permit:
-
Number of the facilitation letter submitted by the employer via the Lithuanian Migration Information System (MIGRIS) (shall be indicated when filling-out the request regarding temporary residence permit via ‘MIGRIS’). The employer has to pay a stamp duty of EUR 50 to complete the mediation letter.
The mediation letter shall:
- indicate the foreigner's high professional qualifications and confirm that his/her high professional qualifications are relevant to the work to be performed.
The employer must make sure that you have documents proving your high professional qualifications (a higher education diploma or a document proving that your professional experience is equivalent to a higher education qualification); or
- confirm that the foreigner holds a European Union Blue Card issued by another European Union Member State and valid for more than one year.
A copy of the European Union Blue Card issued by another Member State of the European Union shall be attached; and
- indicate whether the foreigner has a contract of employment with several employers (if so, the details of the other employers shall be indicated: the company or natural person's company number, the name of the company or the name of the natural person).
- An undertaking (confirmation) that you will declare your place of residence in a dwelling with a living area of at least 7 square metres for each adult declaring his/her residence (to be ticked when completing the application via MIGRIS);
- Affirmation that you were not convicted (highlight when filling-out the request via ‘MIGRIS’),
Is needed only when you for the first time apply in regards to the temporary residence permit, if in the foreign country(ies), wherein prior to entering the Republic of Lithuania you lived or have been living for the past two years, you were not convicted.
or
Certificate that you were convicted;
The affirmation is needed when you apply for the first temporary residence permit, if you were convicted in the foreign country(ies), wherein you lived prior to entering the Republic of Lithuania or have been living for the past 2 years. These are the certificates issued by the competent institutions of foreign countries affirming that you were convicted therein. The translated in to Lithuanian language, as well as legalized and/or certified (Apostille), when this is needed, certificates must be issued no sooner than 6 months prior to the day of submitting the application regarding the residence permit. The certificate must indicate when and for which criminal activity you were convicted, what was the sentence awarded and has it been carried-out.
For obtaining of a temporary residence permit you are requested:
- to arrive within your pre-booked timeslot at International House Vilnius (Konstitucijos pr. 3, Vilnius), International House Klaipėda (Taikos pr. 52C, Klaipėda) or at a relevant territorial office of the Migration Department; or
- you able to apply for a temporary residence permit through an external service provider when you are absent from Lithuania.
For renewal of a temporary residence permit you are requested:
- to arrive within your pre-booked timeslot at International House Vilnius (Konstitucijos pr. 3, Vilnius), International House Klaipėda (Taikos pr. 52C, Klaipėda) or at a relevant territorial office of the Migration Department.
You must pay the public fees for the acceptance, review of the request to issue/change the temporary residence permit, adoption of decisions and issuance of the temporary residence permit:
- Based on the general procedure - 160.00 EUR;
- Based on the urgent procedure - 320.00 EUR.
Decisions regarding the issuance/changing of the temporary residence permits are accepted and temporary residence permits are issued:
- Based on the general procedure - within 1 months;
- Based on the urgent procedure - within 15 days.
Important:
- Upon arriving to the Migration Department at the booked time, your presence in Lithuania must be lawful;
- If a national visa, which is valid for 1 year, or a couple of national visas, the total validity period of them is 1 year, was/were issued for you and you intend to submit a request regarding the issuance of temporary residence permit, then in order to be able to stay in Lithuania for the duration of the review of request you should submit this request upfront - 1,5 - 3 months until the end of the validity period of the national visa.
The list of high value-added occupations for which there is a shortage of workers in the Republic of Lithuania is available here.
The list of regulated professions is available here.
First of all, you must electronically via the Lithuanian Migration Information System (MIGRIS) fill-out the request to issue or change the residence permit and include digital copies of the documents being added to this request. After filling-out the request and booking the visitation time via MIGRIS, within 4 months from the day of filling-out the request via MIGRIS you must personally address in regards to the issuance (changing) of temporary residence permit and submit the biometric data, as well as original documents. These documents shall be added to the request:
List of documents (to issue) | |
List of documents (to renew) |
- valid travel document;
Documents affirming the issuance (changing) of the temporary residence permit:
- Number of the facilitation letter submitted by the employer via the Lithuanian Migration Information System (MIGRIS) (shall be indicated when filling-out the request regarding temporary residence permit via ‘MIGRIS’). The employer has to pay a stamp duty of EUR 50 to complete the mediation letter;
The mediation letter shall:
- indicate the foreigner's high professional qualifications and confirm that his/her high professional qualifications are relevant to the work to be performed.
The employer must make sure that you have documents proving your high professional qualifications (a higher education diploma or a document proving that your professional experience is equivalent to a higher education qualification); or
- confirm that the foreigner holds a European Union Blue Card issued by another European Union Member State and valid for more than one year.
A copy of the European Union Blue Card issued by another Member State of the European Union shall be attached; and
- indicate whether the foreigner has a contract of employment with several employers (if so, the details of the other employers shall be indicated: the company or natural person's company number, the name of the company or the name of the natural person).
- If your professional activity is regulated, a document confirming that you meet the conditions laid down in Lithuania for carrying out the regulated professional activity referred to in the employment contract;
- When you intend to do high vocational qualification work as the head of the company, Public Body’s “Invest Lithuania” issued document confirming, that the employer, who intends to employ you to do high vocational qualification work as the head of the company, is a company established in the Republic of Lithuania, the annual income of its participant (company or group of companies established in the foreign company) within the last three financial years (if the company has been active for less than three years, - from the day of the company’s establishment) and until the day of submitting the request to issue the temporary residence permit is no less than 1,000,000.00 EUR;
- An undertaking (confirmation) that you will declare your place of residence in a dwelling with a living area of at least 7 square metres for each adult declaring his/her residence (to be ticked when completing the application via MIGRIS);
- Affirmation that you were not convicted (highlight when filling-out the request via ‘MIGRIS’),
Is needed only when you for the first time apply in regards to the temporary residence permit, if in the foreign country(ies), wherein prior to entering the Republic of Lithuania you lived or have been living for the past two years, you were not convicted.
or
Certificate that you were convicted;
The affirmation is needed when you apply for the first temporary residence permit, if you were convicted in the foreign country(ies), wherein you lived prior to entering the Republic of Lithuania or have been living for the past 2 years. These are the certificates issued by the competent institutions of foreign countries affirming that you were convicted therein. The translated in to Lithuanian language, as well as legalized and/or certified (Apostille), when this is needed, certificates must be issued no sooner than 6 months prior to the day of submitting the application regarding the residence permit. The certificate must indicate when and for which criminal activity you were convicted, what was the sentence awarded and has it been carried-out.
For obtaining of a temporary residence permit you are requested:
- to arrive within your pre-booked timeslot at International House Vilnius (Konstitucijos pr. 3, Vilnius), International House Klaipėda (Taikos pr. 52C, Klaipėda) or at a relevant territorial office of the Migration Department; or
- you able to apply for a temporary residence permit through an external service provider when you are absent from Lithuania.
For renewal of a temporary residence permit you are requested:
- to arrive within your pre-booked timeslot at International House Vilnius (Konstitucijos pr. 3, Vilnius), International House Klaipėda (Taikos pr. 52C, Klaipėda) or at a relevant territorial office of the Migration Department.
You must pay the public fees for the acceptance, review of the request to issue/change the temporary residence permit, adoption of decisions and issuance of the temporary residence permit:
- Based on the general procedure - 160.00 EUR;
- Based on the urgent procedure - 320.00 EUR.
Decisions regarding the issuance/changing of the temporary residence permits are accepted and temporary residence permits are issued:
- Based on the general procedure - within 1 months;
- Based on the urgent procedure - within 15 days.
Important:
- Upon arriving to the Migration Department at the booked time, your presence in Lithuania must be lawful;
- If a national visa, which is valid for 1 year, or a couple of national visas, the total validity period of them is 1 year, was/were issued for you and you intend to submit a request regarding the issuance of temporary residence permit, then in order to be able to stay in Lithuania for the duration of the review of request you should submit this request upfront - 1,5 - 3 months until the end of the validity period of the national visa.
I have a Blue Card - can I work for another employer?
You can work for another employer as long as the employer who undertook to employ you is not changed.
How can I declare place of residence in the Republic of Lithuania?
If you are applying for a residence permit in the Republic of Lithuania, you can declare your place of residence as you choose:
- through the Migration Department, at the time of the reserved visit, by presenting the original documents and biometric data attached to the application for a residence permit;
- at the municipality or municipality within 1 month of collecting the residence permit.
When completing the application for a residence permit in the Republic of Lithuania via the Lithuanian Migration Information System (MIGRIS), you must indicate whether you wish to declare your place of residence via the Migration Department and confirm that you undertake to declare your place of residence in a suitable accommodation, where necessary.
If you did not confirm when completing the application for a residence permit that you undertake to declare your residence in a suitable accommodation, where necessary, you can add the form of Form of Undertaking In Regards to the Declaration of Place of Residence to the "Comments" section of the documents attached to the application.
If you choose to declare your place of residence through the Migration Department when applying for a residence permit in the Republic of Lithuania:
- The declaration of residence data must be provided when completing your application, and you do not need to complete a separate declaration of residence.
- When you fill-out the request to issue the residence permit via ‘MIGRIS’, you must add documents affirming your right to declare the place of residence in the dwelling. This can be:
- The consent of the owner, co-owner or their authorized representative of the dwelling to live in the dwelling belonging to the owner (co-owners). The consent of the owner (co-owner) must be confirmed by the notary or elder.
If non-confirmed consent of the owner (co-owner) is submitted, the owner (co-owner) must arrive at the Migration Department with you at the booked visitation time - the employee of the Migration Department accepting your request will confirm the consent of the owner (co-owner).
If the personal identification number has been given to the alien, for whom someone commits, in the Republic of Lithuania, consent may be concluded via www.igalojimai.lt. By choosing this method, in the description of the power of attorney service, the owner (co-owner) shall indicate that they agree to allow to settle-in and declare the place of residence in the dwelling belonging to the owner (co-owner) based on the right of ownership, by indicating the address of the dwelling. In this case, you will have to indicate the identification code given to the power of attorney to the employee of the Migration Department.
The Form of Consent to Settle-In at the Dwelling Belonging to the Owner (Co-Owner).
- Lease or loan-for-use agreement is concluded with the natural person or legal entity. The agreement need not be notarized or registered at SE “Centre of Registers”;
- Letter issued by the legal entity confirming the right to settle-in the premises belonging to the legal entity or the document confirming about the accommodation at the hotel, or the granted hostel.
When filling-out the request to issue the temporary residence permit, one of the aforementioned documents may be added to the column “Document Regarding the Suitable Dwelling in the Republic of Lithuania” (lith. Dokumentas dėl tinkamos gyvenamosios patalpos Lietuvos Respublikoje).
You may also submit the aforementioned documents upon arriving at the Migration Department at the booked visitation time in order to submit to the request the biometric data and original documents.
If the dwelling belongs to you on the right of ownership or the lease, or loan-for-use agreement concluded with the natural person or legal entity is registered in the SE “Centre of Registers”, you need not submit the documents confirming these circumstances to the Migration Department.
If you choose to declare your place of residence in the township after withdrawing the residence permit:
After withdrawing the residence permit at the Migration Department, within 1 month from the day of withdrawing the document, you will have to go to the township and declare your place of residence in accordance to the procedure determined by the Director of SE “Centre of Registers”.
You may find more about place of residence declaration on the SE “Centre of Registers” website: http://info.registrucentras.lt.
Administrative liability may be applied for non-adherence to the requirement to declare your place of residence in Lithuania.
I do not have a higher education diploma, but I have a lot of practical work experience. Can I Get a Blue Card?
You can. If you are seeking a job with a high professional qualification and have a minimum of 3 years' professional experience equivalent to a higher education qualification as a manager in the field of information technology and communication technology services or as a specialist in information technology and communication technology within the last 7 years or a minimum of 5 years' professional experience equivalent to a higher education qualification, you must first contact the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Lithuania for the issue of a document certifying your professional experience as a higher education qualification.
Can I bring family members?
Yes, you can. Family members are: your spouse, registered partner, unmarried and dependent underage children, your dependent parents if you have been supporting them for at least 1 year and they are unable to use the assistance of other family members living abroad.
They can apply for temporary residence permits at the same time as you. They will be issued temporary residence permits for the same period as your temporary residence permit. Please find the information on issuance of temporary residence permit on family reunion basis at www.migracija.lt (Service information > Citizens of other countries > Staying more than 3 months > Family > I want to receive/renew a temporary residence permit).
Can I change employer?
You can. If you wish to change your employer within the first year of legal employment in Lithuania or if you have lost your job and 6 months have not passed and you intend to work in another highly skilled job, you must submit an application to the Migration Department via the Lithuanian Migration Information System (MIGRIS) for permission to change your employer. The Migration Department will take a decision on the change of employer no later than 14 calendar days from the date of receipt of the application. This decision is valid for one month from the date of its adoption.
If you have been legally employed in Lithuania for more than 1 year in a job requiring high professional qualifications and you want to change employer, you only need to notify the Migration Department within 7 working days.
Can I change my job function with the same employer?
You can. You do not need permission from the Migration Department to change your job function with the same employer.
When do I have to apply for the renewal of a temporary residence permit?
An application for the renewal of a temporary residence permit with the accompanying documents must be submitted at least 1 workday before the expiry of the temporary residence permit, but not earlier than 4 months in advance.
I don't have a Blue Card - can I work now?
You can. You can start working legally as soon as your application for a temporary residence permit (European Union Blue Card) is accepted by the Migration Department.
If you have an EU Blue Card issued by another EU country and valid for more than a year, you can come to Lithuania and start working. You can also come to Lithuania to work from an EU country other than the one that issued your EU Blue Card, provided you have lived there for at least 6 months as a holder of this card. You must apply for a temporary residence permit (EU Blue Card) within 1 month of starting work in Lithuania
For how long will I get a temporary residence permit?
You do not need this decision.