Lithuania - Student

Are you a non-EU citizen wishing to study in Lithuania? You can find information below on the conditions to fulfil and procedures to follow, as well as the rights you can enjoy during your stay.

Conditions

If you wish to come to Lithuania as a student, you must:

• be enrolled in a higher educational institution recognised in Lithuania or participate in a student exchange programme;
• obtain a national long-term visa or a temporary residence permit.

If you come to Lithuania according to a student exchange programme, you must obtain a national long-term visa. If you are enrolled in a higher educational institution, you can obtain either a national long-term visa, or a temporary residence permit.

A national long-term visa allows you to enter the country for the purpose of studies and stay in the country for up to one year. For the first year of studies students usually apply for the national long-term visa and apply for a residence permit for the second and subsequent years while legally in the country.

Procedures

Where and how to apply

The application for a national long-term visa is to be lodged at the Lithuanian embassy or consulate , or, if you are already legally staying in Lithuania, you can apply for a national long-term visa at the certain divisions of the Migration department (Vilnius, Kaunas or Klaipeda) .

Please note that from 1 st January 2020 if you are enrolled in a higher educational institution, you can apply for a national long-term visa only at the Lithuanian embassy or consulate.

Please note that from 1 st September 2019 you should apply for a temporary residence permit only at the Migration department. Migration Information System ( MIGRIS ) will allow to fill in the application form and submit all documents required to apply for a temporary residence permit online.

National long-term visa

National long-term visa is issued within 15 days and allows you to enter and stay in the country for up to one year. If necessary, and as long as the national long-term visa is valid, you can apply for a temporary residence permit while remaining in the country.

If you come to Lithuania according to a student exchange programme, you are exempt from the state fee. If you are enrolled in a higher educational institution.

A temporary residence permit

The decision to issue the residence permit is taken within 3 months at the latest. For an additional fee, the decision will be taken within 45 days at the latest.

Since you have submitted the application for a temporary residence permit you can apply for a national long-term visa that will be issued for a period of up to 5 months. In this case you may stay in Lithuania while your application for a temporary residence permit is being examined and, in case of issuance, collect your residence permit.

NB! Once launched, the new Migration Information System ( MIGRIS ) will allow to fill in the application form and submit all documents required to apply for a temporary residence permit online.

Note that in case you apply for extension of your residence in Lithuania, you should apply for a temporary residence permit before your national long-term visa or the previous temporary residence permit expires. Otherwise, you will have to leave the country and wait for your temporary residence permit while abroad.

Documents required

To obtain a national long-term visa you must submit the following documents:

• an application for issuing a national long-term visa that was electronically filled in ;
• a valid travel document (passport);
• a photo;
• the number of a mediation letter that was electronically filled in and submitted by the higher educational institution;
• sufficient financial resources;
• a document confirming health insurance (insurance sum 30 000 Eur).

To obtain a temporary residence permit you must submitthe following documents:

• an application for issuing a temporary residence permit to reside in the Republic of Lithuania in the established format ;
• a valid travel document (passport);
• a temporary residence permit (in case of renewal);
• a document confirming your legal stay, if you apply in Lithuania;
• the number of a mediation letter that was electronically filled in and submitted by the higher educational institution;
• a document confirming that you have enough funds (e.g., a bank account statement) and (or) receive regular income to live in the Republic of Lithuania;
• a document confirming that you have accommodation where you intend to declare residence;
• the consent of your parents or one of them, the guardian (caregiver) or another legal representative for the intended life in the Republic of Lithuania if you are a minor;
• a document confirming health insurance (insurance sum 6000 Eur);
• (a) certificate(s) from (a) competent authority(ies) of (a) foreign state(s) where you lived before coming to the Republic of Lithuania and (or) currently live for the last 2 years, confirming that you were (not) convicted in the corresponding state(s) (only in case of issuance the first temporary residence permit);
• a list of trips and stays in foreign states.

In order to issue the document, your fingerprints will be taken – all hand fingerprints in case of national long-term visa, 2 fingerprints and the face image in case of temporary residence permit.

Further requirements

If you receive a positive decision and are outside the country, you will be issued a single entry national visa, if necessary, and you will be able to enter Lithuania and collect your residence permit here.

To collect your residence permit you must contact:

• Migration department’s territorial division where you have applied for a temporary residence permit;
• Migration department’s central office, if you have applied for a temporary residence permit at the Lithuanian embassy or consulate.

When you obtain a temporary residence permit, you must declare your place of residence.

If you hold a temporary residence permit, you must, not later than within 7 days, notify the Migration department in the event of: change of documents confirming your identity or citizenship; change of your family situation; change of your place of residence; if you submit an application to be admitted to an equivalent study program or to doctoral studies of another higher educational institution.

Duration of validity of permits

National long-term visa is granted for up to 1 year. It cannot be renewed.

Residence permit is granted for 2 years or for the total duration of your studies if this is less than 2 years and can be renewed. During the last year of the studies, the residence permit is issued or renewed for a period of3 months longer that the estimated studies.

Conditions for renewal

Temporary residence permit may be renewed on the same conditions.

An application for the renewal of a temporary residence permit must be submitted to the Migration department’s territorial division. Application and required documents for the renewal of a temporary residence permit in general order shall be submitted at least 2 months in advance but not earlier than 4 months before the expiry of the current permit. Application and required documents for the renewal of the temporary residence permit on a matter of urgency shall be submitted at least 1 month before the expiry.

The decision to renew the residence permit is taken within 2 months at the latest. For an additional fee, the decision will be taken within 1 month at the latest.

Appeals

You will be notified on the decision via the e-mail address, submitted in your application.

Decisions can be challenged before the Vilnius District Administrative Court within 14 days from the receipt of the decision and further before the Supreme Administrative Court.

Further information