BREXIT (Updated 2020-11-10)

AS BREXIT APPROACHED, THE SEIMAS APPROVED AMENDMENTS TO THE LAW

Lithuanian Parliament approved the draft amendment to the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens presented by the Ministry of the Interior, which aims to align the provisions of the law with the provisions of the Art. 18.4 of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement.

'The amendment provides clarity to UK citizens and their family members as to their legal status and what action they will need to take after December 31 of 2020 - the end of the transitional period”, - says Minister of the Interior Rita Tamašunienė.

Citizens of the United Kingdom and their family members who have acquired the right of residence in the Republic of Lithuania before the end of the transitional period will be subject to the same provisions as citizens of the European Union and their family members. After the transition period, newcomers to the Republic of Lithuania will benefit from preferential provisions for third-country nationals.

Documents of the United Kingdom citizens and their family members certifying the right of residence in the Republic of Lithuania who acquired the right of residence in the Republic of Lithuania before the end of the transitional period shall remain valid until their expiry, but such documents will not allow to exercise the right of free movement of persons within the Schengen area.

In this context, Ministry of the Interior encourages UK citizens and their family members who intend to continue residing in the Republic of Lithuania and wish to travel to other EU Member States, to contact the Migration Department after the end of transition period and exchange their residence documents. The Migration Department will have to make a decision on issuing a residence permit in the Republic of Lithuania not later than within one month from the submission of the application.

The Parliament also approved the jointly submitted draft amendment to the Law on Fees and Charges of the Republic of Lithuania. According to this law the state fee for processing applications for residence permits in the Republic of Lithuania and processing residence permits in the Republic of Lithuania is not charged to UK citizens and their family members who acquired the right of residence before the end of the transition period.

If you have any questions related to Brexit issues, please contact us by e-mail – brexit@vrm.lt.

Also, the Europe Direct Contact Centre (EDCC, tel. 00 800 67891011) has reinforced its call centre service for citizens, businesses and other stakeholders to deal with questions related to Brexit. The opening hours of the EDCC have been extended to the weekend, accepting queries in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish between 09:00 and 18:00 CET.

MESSAGE TO THE UK CITIZENS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS BREXIT

Following the entry into force of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement, the status of UK nationals and their family members will remain unchanged and they will continue to enjoy free movement within the EU until the end of the transitional period (31 December 2020).

During the transitional period UK nationals have to apply for residence certificate only if current residence certificate expires.  The application should be examined no later than within 1 month as from the date of submission to the Migration Department. Please find more information here.

Ministry of the Interior will draft a concrete legislation to implement the Withdrawal Agreement and keep the UK nationals informed of any further developments on the envisaged procedures following the transitional period. We assure that those procedures and requirements will be smooth and clear.

Please see possible updates here.

If you have any questions related to Brexit issues, please contact us by e-mail – brexit@vrm.lt.

Also, the Europe Direct Contact Centre (EDCC, tel. 00 800 67891011) has reinforced its call centre service for citizens, businesses and other stakeholders to deal with questions related to Brexit. The opening hours of the EDCC have been extended to the weekend, accepting queries in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish between 09:00 and 18:00 CET.