When your Lithuanian ancestor emigrated decides almost everything about a Lithuanian claim. Lithuania doesn’t pass citizenship down from anyone who lived there. It restores the citizenship of people who were citizens of the Republic of Lithuania before the Soviet occupation of 15 June 1940, and of their descendants. So the question is whether your ancestor ever held that citizenship.
Three situations
| Your ancestor | Usual route | Keep your other citizenship? |
|---|---|---|
| Held Lithuanian citizenship (1918 to 15 June 1940) and the family left before 11 March 1990 | Restoration, for children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren | Yes |
| Left before 1918 and never held Lithuanian citizenship | Usually no restoration; the Lithuanian-descent route only if a parent or grandparent was ethnically Lithuanian | No, you must not hold another citizenship |
| Held citizenship, but moved to the former Soviet Union after 15 June 1940 | Restoration | No, you must renounce |
Why leaving before 1918 matters
The Republic of Lithuania was declared in 1918. Before that, the territory was part of the Russian Empire, and there was no Lithuanian citizenship to hold. The Migration Department defines a person who held citizenship before 15 June 1940 as someone who held citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania at any time before that date. Being born in what is now Lithuania is not the test.
That doesn’t automatically rule out an ancestor who emigrated earlier. What counts is evidence. The Migration Department accepts as proof of citizenship held before 15 June 1940:
- internal or foreign passports of the Republic of Lithuania issued before 15 June 1940;
- foreign passports issued by Lithuanian diplomatic or consular posts after 15 June 1940;
- records of service in the Lithuanian armed forces or employment in the civil service;
- birth certificates or other documents that directly state Lithuanian citizenship;
- personal certificates issued in Lithuania before 15 June 1940.
If those aren’t available, records of school, work or life in Lithuania before 15 June 1940, property or land records, or records of voting in elections can be submitted. An ancestor who emigrated before 1918 but later obtained a Lithuanian passport from a Lithuanian consulate abroad may have such evidence; one who never had any dealings with the Republic usually won’t.
One more trap applies to ancestors who left during the interwar years: our Lithuanian citizenship by descent guide explains how naturalising in another country before 15 June 1940 can end the line.
The Lithuanian-descent route and its certificate
If restoration isn’t open to you, Lithuania has a separate route for people of Lithuanian descent: the simplified procedure, which grants citizenship without the usual naturalisation conditions. The Migration Department defines a person of Lithuanian descent as someone whose parent or grandparent is or was Lithuanian (by nationality, meaning ethnicity, not citizenship), who considers themselves Lithuanian and declares it in writing. A certificate of Lithuanian descent confirms this status.
Two limits make this route much narrower than restoration:
- It only counts parents and grandparents. A Lithuanian great-grandparent isn’t enough.
- You can’t keep another citizenship. The Migration Department states that people of Lithuanian descent may acquire citizenship this way only if they are not nationals of another state.
Lithuania held referendums on allowing dual citizenship more widely in 2019 and 2024. Both had large majorities in favour among voters but failed to reach the required turnout, so these rules stand.
Applying
- All citizenship applications are submitted online through the Migration Department’s MIGRIS system. After a preliminary check, you’re told to present the original documents at the Migration Department or a Lithuanian embassy within 4 months.
- The Migration Department lists a state fee of €159 for restoration (decision within 12 months) and for the simplified procedure (within 9 months).
- Foreign documents need an apostille and an official translation into Lithuanian. Copies must be certified by a notary and, if issued outside Lithuania, apostilled.
- Evidence of departure before 11 March 1990 can include passenger and immigrant lists, displaced-persons camp records, immigration certificates and foreign registry data.
- If restoration is refused for lack of documents, you can then ask a Lithuanian court to establish the fact of your ancestor’s citizenship. This is only possible after the Migration Department’s decision.
Frequently asked questions
My ancestor left Lithuania before 1918. Can I restore Lithuanian citizenship?
Restoration depends on the ancestor having held citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania at some point before 15 June 1940. The Republic was declared in 1918, so an ancestor who left earlier and never obtained Lithuanian citizenship or documents afterwards usually can't be the basis for restoration. If they did obtain a Lithuanian passport or other proof of citizenship between 1918 and 1940, for example from a Lithuanian consulate abroad, that can change the answer. The Migration Department decides each case.
What is a certificate of Lithuanian descent?
It confirms that you are a person of Lithuanian descent: someone with at least one parent or grandparent who is or was ethnically Lithuanian, and who considers themselves Lithuanian and says so in a written declaration. It supports the simplified procedure for citizenship and residence permits.
Can I keep my current citizenship through the Lithuanian-descent route?
No. The Migration Department states that persons of Lithuanian descent may get citizenship under the simplified procedure provided they are not nationals of another state, so you would have to give up your other citizenship.
Can I keep my current citizenship if I restore citizenship?
Yes, if your ancestor (or you) left Lithuania before 11 March 1990, or was exiled from occupied Lithuania before that date. This doesn't cover people who moved from Lithuania to the former Soviet Union after 15 June 1940; they must renounce other citizenship to restore.
How far back can I go?
Restoration covers people who were citizens before 15 June 1940 and their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The Lithuanian-descent route only counts parents and grandparents.
Official sources
- Migration Department of Lithuania (MIGRIS): Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania (restoration, simplified procedure, definitions, documents, fees, time limits)
- Embassy of Lithuania to the USA: Reinstatement of citizenship (who can reinstate, dual citizenship, documents)
Checked against these sources on 21 October 2026. Only the Migration Department can decide your case; confirm with it or your Lithuanian embassy before you apply.