# Lithuania: ordinary naturalisation

Ordinary naturalisation combines ten years of lawful continuous residence with permanent-residence rights, language and constitutional knowledge, and nationality-loss conditions.

Scope: Ordinary adult naturalisation under Article 18; marriage, descent, restoration and exceptional grants are separate routes.

Jurisdiction: Republic of Lithuania. Sources reviewed 2026-09-17; review due 2026-12-16.

General information, not legal advice or a finding of eligibility. Requirements depend on the route, applicant and filing date. Verify the official instructions before applying.

## 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.

Evidence: conditional. [Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania: Law on Citizenship XI-1196: consolidated edition effective from 1 January 2024](https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/rs/actualedition/TAIS.387811/PzzfiKnnlR/). Source location: Article 18(1)(1)–(2).

## 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.

Evidence: documented. [Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania: Law on Citizenship XI-1196: consolidated edition effective from 1 January 2024](https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/rs/actualedition/TAIS.387811/PzzfiKnnlR/). Source location: Article 2(18).

## 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.

Evidence: conditional. [Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania: Law on Citizenship XI-1196: consolidated edition effective from 1 January 2024](https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/rs/actualedition/TAIS.387811/PzzfiKnnlR/). Source location: Article 18(1)(3) and (4), and 18(3).

## 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.

Evidence: conditional. [Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania: Law on Citizenship XI-1196: consolidated edition effective from 1 January 2024](https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/rs/actualedition/TAIS.387811/PzzfiKnnlR/). Source location: Article 18(4).

## 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.

Evidence: documented. [Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania: Law on Citizenship XI-1196: consolidated edition effective from 1 January 2024](https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/rs/actualedition/TAIS.387811/PzzfiKnnlR/). Source location: Articles 18(1)(5), 18(1)(7) and 22.

## 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.

Evidence: conditional. [Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania: Law on Citizenship XI-1196: consolidated edition effective from 1 January 2024](https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/rs/actualedition/TAIS.387811/PzzfiKnnlR/). Source location: Articles 7, 18(1)(6), 18(5), and 23(9), (12)–(14).

## Scope and limitations

- Meeting the conditions does not itself confer citizenship. Article 19 marriage routes and Article 18(2) Lithuania-born stateless applicants have different rules.
- The disability exemption is described by statutory category without converting older working-capacity terminology into a new percentage framework. Recognition and supporting documents require case-specific confirmation.
- The former country's law and the applicable Article 7 or Article 23 exception must be checked before assuming dual nationality or taking renunciation steps.

## Explore this passport

- [Passport rank and travel access](https://multipassrank.com/passport/lithuania)
- [Tax residence & income](https://multipassrank.com/passport/lithuania/taxes)
- [Country-profile JSON, including sources and scoped requirements](https://multipassrank.com/api/v1/country-profiles/LT)
- [Multiple-citizenship policy guide](https://multipassrank.com/dual-citizenship-countries)

[Canonical page](https://multipassrank.com/passport/lithuania/citizenship)