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 arrive to work as an intern or a trainee
- 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
I am a highly skilled employee
I have a higher education diploma or at least 5 years of professional experience equivalent to a higher education qualification, and I want to be employed by a Lithuanian employer who needs a highly skilled employee and who intends to pay me at least 1.5 average monthly gross earnings.
What is considered high skills?
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High professional skills means:
- a qualification attested by a diploma of higher education which is necessary for the profession or sector specified in the employer's obligation to employ an alien under an employment contract or in the employment contract; or
- at least five years of professional experience equivalent to a higher education qualification required by the occupation or sector indicated in the employer's obligation to employ you under an employment contract or in the employment contract.
What is a Blue Card?
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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?
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In Lithuania, a blue card (i.e. a temporary residence permit) is issued in the following cases:
Your employer must apply to the local unit of the Employment Service to make a decision on whether your work meets the needs of the Lithuanian labour market. The decision on the compliance of your work with the needs of the Lithuanian labour market can also be addressed to the Migration Department by submitting documents regarding the issue of a temporary residence permit.
After 2 years of highly skilled work in Lithuania, there is no need for such a decision.
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. After filling-out the request to issue the temporary residence permit, you may also select the virtual visit. In this case, the request to issue the temporary residence permit will be accepted (not accepted) on the day of the virtual visit without your participation. You will have to arrive to the Migration Department and submit the biometric data, as well as the original documents being added to the request, after receiving the announcement regarding the submission of these documents and data. These documents shall be added to the request:
| List of documents (to issue) |
| List of documents (to issue) |
| List of documents (to renew) |
| List of documents (to renew) |
| 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’).
If the documents to the Employment Service regarding the adoption of the decision, that the work of the alien conforms to the needs of Lithuanian employment market are being submitted together with the request to issue the temporary residence permit, then additionally in the facilitation letter it must be stated:
- The data of registering the vacant workplace in the information system controlled by the Employment Service;
- The address of the anticipated workplace of the alien.
When your vocational activity is not regulated, in the facilitation letter:
- the higher vocational qualification the alien has is stated and its conformity to the workplace affirmed.
The employer must ascertain that you have the documents affirming higher vocational qualification (higher education diploma, competent institution’s decision regarding the recognition of foreign academic qualification or document affirming the equation of vocational experience to the higher education qualification).
- Decision regarding the conformity to the needs of the employment market (we will receive it from the Employment Service);
- When your activity is regulated, the document affirming that you conform to the conditions established in Lithuania for the performance of the regulated vocational activity;
- Guarantee that you will declare your place of residence in the dwelling, the residential area of which for one adult person, who declared their place of residence therein, will be no less than 7 square meters;
- 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.
- The payment order or receipt of the paid public fees for the adoption of the decision regarding the conformity of the work demanding high vocational qualification of the alien to the employment market needs of the Republic of Lithuania, if such decision is necessary and you address the Migration Department in regards to it.
In regards to the issuance of temporary residence permit you must:
- At the booked visitation time address the central institution or territorial department of the Migration Department; or
- Choose the virtual visit.
In regards to the changing of the temporary residence permit, you must:
- At the booked time address the territorial department 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 - 120.00 EUR;
- Based on the urgent procedure - 240.00 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 2 months;
- Based on the urgent procedure - within 1 month.
Important:
- Upon arriving to the Migration Department at the booked time, your presence in Lithuania must be lawful;
- If you wish that your request to issue the temporary residence permit be accepted in a virtual manner, you must upfront pay the public fee for the acceptance, review of the request to issue the temporary residence permit, adoptions of decisions and issuance of the temporary residence permit and add to the request the undertaking that you will declare your place of residence in the dwelling, the residential area of which for one adult person, who declared their place of residence therein, will be no less than 7 square meters;
- Upon submitting the request to issue or change the temporary residence permit, you may be issued a multiplex national visa, the validity duration of which is no more than 5 months from the day of submitting the request regarding the issuance or changing of the temporary residence permit in Lithuania;
- 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 - 2-4 months until the end of the validity period of the national visa.
List of occupations which are currently experiencing a shortage of qualified professional workers in the Republic of Lithuania is approved by the Minister of Economy and Innovation.
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. After filling-out the request to issue the temporary residence permit, you may also select the virtual visit. In this case, the request to issue the temporary residence permit will be accepted (not accepted) on the day of the virtual visit without your participation. You will have to arrive to the Migration Department and submit the biometric data, as well as the original documents being added to the request, after receiving the announcement regarding the submission of these documents and data. These documents shall be added to the request:
- 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’);
In the facilitation letter:
- the higher vocational qualification the alien has is stated and its conformity to the workplace is affirmed.
The employer must ascertain that you have the documents affirming higher vocational qualification (higher education diploma, competent institution’s decision regarding the recognition of foreign academic qualification or document affirming the equation of vocational experience to the higher education qualification).
- Guarantee that you will declare your place of residence in the dwelling, the residential area of which for one adult person, who declared their place of residence therein, will be no less than 7 square meters;
- 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.
In regards to the issuance of temporary residence permit you must:
- At the booked visitation time address the central institution or territorial department of the Migration Department; or
- Choose the virtual visit.
In regards to the changing of the temporary residence permit, you must:
- At the booked time address the territorial department 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 - 120.00 EUR;
- Based on the urgent procedure - 240.00 EUR.
Decisions regarding the issuance/changing of the temporary residence permits are accepted and temporary residence permits are issued:
- for the issue of permit:
- in accordance with the general procedure – within 1 months;
- urgently – within 15 days;
- for changing the permit:
- in accordance with the general procedure – within 2 months;
- urgently – within 1 month.
Important:
- Upon arriving to the Migration Department at the booked time, your presence in Lithuania must be lawful;
- If you wish that your request to issue the temporary residence permit be accepted in a virtual manner, you must upfront pay the public fee for the acceptance, review of the request to issue the temporary residence permit, adoptions of decisions and issuance of the temporary residence permit and add to the request the undertaking that you will declare your place of residence in the dwelling, the residential area of which for one adult person, who declared their place of residence therein, will be no less than 7 square meters;
- Upon submitting the request to issue or change the temporary residence permit, you may be issued a multiplex national visa, the validity duration of which is no more than 5 months from the day of submitting the request regarding the issuance or changing of the temporary residence permit in Lithuania;
- 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 - 2-4 months until the end of the validity period of the national visa.
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. After filling-out the request to issue the temporary residence permit, you may also select the virtual visit. In this case, the request to issue the temporary residence permit will be accepted (not accepted) on the day of the virtual visit without your participation. You will have to arrive to the Migration Department and submit the biometric data, as well as the original documents being added to the request, after receiving the announcement regarding the submission of these documents and data. These documents shall be added to the request:
- 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’);
When your vocational activity is not regulated, in the facilitation letter:
- the higher vocational qualification that you have is stated and its conformity to the workplace is affirmed.
The employer must ascertain that you have the documents affirming higher vocational qualification (higher education diploma, competent institution’s decision regarding the recognition of foreign academic qualification or document affirming the equation of vocational experience to the higher education qualification).
- 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;
- If your vocational activity is regulated, the document affirming that you conform to the conditions established in Lithuania for the performance of the regulated vocational activity;
- Guarantee that you will declare your place of residence in the dwelling, the residential area of which for one adult person, who declared their place of residence therein, will be no less than 7 square meters;
- 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.
In regards to the issuance of temporary residence permit you must:
- At the booked visitation time address the central institution or territorial department of the Migration Department; or
- Choose the virtual visit.
In regards to the changing of the temporary residence permit, you must:
- At the booked time address the territorial department 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 - 120.00 EUR;
- Based on the urgent procedure - 240.00 EUR.
Decisions regarding the issuance/changing of the temporary residence permits are accepted and temporary residence permits are issued:
- for the issue of permit:
- in accordance with the general procedure – within 1 months;
- urgently – within 15 days;
- for changing the permit:
- in accordance with the general procedure – within 2 months;
- urgently – within 1 month.
Important:
- Upon arriving to the Migration Department at the booked time, your presence in Lithuania must be lawful;
- If you wish that your request to issue the temporary residence permit be accepted in a virtual manner, you must upfront pay the public fee for the acceptance, review of the request to issue the temporary residence permit, adoptions of decisions and issuance of the temporary residence permit and add to the request the undertaking that you will declare your place of residence in the dwelling, the residential area of which for one adult person, who declared their place of residence therein, will be no less than 7 square meters;
- Upon submitting the request to issue or change the temporary residence permit, you may be issued a multiplex national visa, the validity duration of which is no more than 5 months from the day of submitting the request regarding the issuance or changing of the temporary residence permit in Lithuania;
- 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 - 2-4 months until the end of the validity period of the national visa.
How can I declare place of residence in the Republic of Lithuania?
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If you are submitting a request to issue Lithuanian Republic residence permit, you may choose to declare your place of residence:
- By arriving at the booked visitation time at the Migration Department to submit the original documents and biometric data to the request to issue the permit;
- At the township or municipality within 1 month from the withdrawal of residence permit.
When filling-out the request to issue the temporary residence permit via the Lithuanian Migration Information System (‘MIGRIS’) you must affirm that you undertake to declare your place of residence in a respective dwelling and when filling-out the request to issue permanent residence permit the aforementioned undertaking may be added in the column “Valid Travel Document” (lith. Galiojantis kelionės dokumentas).
Form of Undertaking In Regards to the Declaration of Place of Residence.
If you choose to declare your place at the Migration Department, when submitting the request to issue the residence permit:
- You need to indicate the data about the place of residence in Lithuania when filling-out the request, you do not need to additionally fill-out the place of residence declaration.
- 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 “Center 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), while filling-out the request to issue the permanent residence permit, one of the aforementioned documents may be added to the column “Valid Travel Document”.
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 “Center 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 “Center of Registers”.
You may find more about place of residence declaration on the SE “Center 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?
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You can. If you are seeking a job with a high professional qualification and have 5 years of relevant professional experience, 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?
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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.
Can I change employer or job function with the same employer?
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Yes you can. To change your employer or work function with the same employer, you must contact the Territorial division of the Migration departament.
The Employment Service has issued a decision to me, but I do not yet have a temporary residence permit – can I work?
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You may. You may start working lawfully from the day when the Employment Service adopts the decision regarding your work conformity to the Lithuanian employment market needs.
When do I have to apply for the renewal of a temporary residence permit?
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An application for the renewal of a temporary residence permit in general procedure with the accompanying documents must be submitted at least 2 months in advance and an application for changing a temporary residence permit and supporting documents must be submitted at least 1 month before the expiry of the temporary residence permit, but not earlier than 4 months in advance.
Do I need a decision of Employment Service on the compliance to the labour market needs?
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This decision will not be required if:
- You come to work according to the profession that is included in the List of professions that require high professional qualifications and lack of employees in the Republic of Lithuania. This list is approved by the Minister of Economy and Innovation; or
- You will be paid a salary of at least 3 monthly average gross earnings of the employees of the country’s economy in the last quarter published by the Lithuanian Department of Statistics (including the information on earnings in private enterprises); or
- You intend to work as the head of the company and the Public Body’s “Invest Lithuania” confirmed, 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 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; or
- You have already been working in Lithuania for 2 years as a highly skilled employee and would like to renew your temporary residence permit.
For how long will I get a temporary residence permit?
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A temporary residence permit will be issued or renewed for you for 3 years and if the employment contract is concluded for less than 3 years – for the duration of the employment contract period plus 3 months.
