Family

Family reunification to Lithuania.

Last update : February 2020
  Family  family

In short the family reunification is possible only for those who has granted permanent residence permit and it is not possible for temporary residents. Bureaucratic procedures are quite complicated and long, and in many situations would be easier to enter the country as a tourist and apply for asylum instead of submitting a family reunification application.

This doesn’t guarantee asylum but the family reunification procedure is really demanding and hard to accomplish.

Family reunification is possible between a foreigner and their family members with the purpose of preserving the family. Family members are considered to be:

  1. a spouse or a registered partner (excluding same sex couples);
  2. children and adopted children under the age of 18, including the children and adopted children of the partner or spouse if they are still dependent on their parents;
  3. parents, but they may only be supported for one year.

In the event of family reunification a temporary residence permit to live in Lithuania is issued. To apply the foreigner should attend to the Lithuanian embassy or consulate and if the foreigner is in Lithuania then they should present themselves to to the migration department.

There are quite a few problems concerning faily reunification in Lithuania and the Lithuanian Red Cross has raised questions regarding certain practices: (https://www.redcross.lt/advokacija):

  1. The requirement to provide documents with apostille proving one’s family relations.

  2. The period during which the family reunification procedure is easier is too short. This period is 3 months after a relative is granted asylum. During this 3 month period the relative does not need to provide proof of having enough funds, having a living place and that they have health insurance.

  3. The procedure to provide the documents to the migration department is stopped immediately if there is any discrepency in any documents and they are not obliged to provide an answer identifiying which documments are invalid.

  4. The requirement to arrive to Lithuania on a Schengen visa which has its own requirements. The two most problematic issues being that the proof of having 1800-3600 EUR and that the visa for this purpose in all actual cases was issued only for one month.