Lithuania: ordinary naturalisation

Residence and status

Normally, the preceding ten years must be lawful continuous residence in Lithuania. A right of permanent residence is required both when applying and when the decision is made.

Presence within the residence period

The statutory definition requires documented residence rights. A continuous residence year entails living in Lithuania for at least six months that year; imprisonment interrupts the counted residence period.

Language and constitutional knowledge

Applicants normally pass the state-language examination and the examination on the Constitution's basic provisions. The reviewed citizenship law does not specify a CEFR level, so no numeric language level is asserted.

Test exemptions

Both examinations are waived from age 65 and for the law's specified officially recognised disability, pension-age special-needs and serious chronic mental or behavioural-disorder categories. These are defined categories, not a general health exemption.

Subsistence and disqualifications

Lawful means of support are required. Article 22 bars specified international crimes, offences against Lithuania, certain very serious convictions and applicants not legally entitled to obtain a document confirming the right of permanent residence in Lithuania.

Existing nationality and oath

Ordinarily the applicant is stateless, loses the former nationality automatically, or pledges renunciation. Recognised refugees are exempt from that condition. Nationality-loss proof normally precedes the oath; statutory dual-nationality and unavailable or unreasonable renunciation-procedure exceptions apply. Where foreign law permits renunciation only after another nationality is acquired, proof follows the oath under a separate deadline. Citizenship normally begins with the oath.