Invest Lithuania is the official agency for Foreign Direct Investment and Business Development. We’ll partner with you to get your business set up and off to the best start possible:

• Helping you with decision-making during international expansion
• Facilitating the overall relocation process for your team
• Helping you with business establishment procedures by connecting you with relevant stakeholders to guarantee a soft landing
• Once your business is up and running, we’ll continue being there for you, providing aftercare and support

The company planning to relocate its employees to Lithuania shall provide a list of employees and their family members containing the following information should be provided to Invest Lithuania:

• Name and Surname
• Date of Birth
• Passport Number
• Passport expiration date
• Passport date of issue
• Passport issuing country
• The officially registered name of the company

Timeline: The Invitation Letter will be prepared within 1 working day after the list of employees with the required information has been received.

*Citizens of Belarus, Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and South Korea.

The employee and their family members, whose details have been provided in the Invitation Letter, will have to fill in an application form for the National (D) Visa.

The following documents are required for D Visa Application, which can only take place at the Lithuanian Embassy:

• Printed and Signed D Visa Application Form;
• Travel insurance covering the full duration of the visa (181 days);
• Documents demonstrating that the employee has sufficient funds for subsistence in Lithuania, preferably a bank statement providing evidence that the employee has EUR 2,000 in their personal Bank account (EUR 2,000 for each adult and EUR 1,000 for each child).

Note: The embassy recommends that applicants prepare company statements as they might be easier to obtain than personal bank statements. Each applicant needs to provide an Individual statement at the Embassy (not a single statement for all employees).

• 1 passport format picture (color, physical format).

Employees should pay the application fee at the Lithuanian Embassy in Belarus. Payments are only accepted in cash and in euros. At the embassy, the applicant will have to provide all the above mentioned documents, together with their passport and fingerprints. Children younger than 12 do not have to submit their visa application in person, their parents or legal guardians can submit the application on their behalf.

Once the National D Visas are issued, employees and their family members can enter Lithuania. The National D Visa allows an individual to stay in Lithuania for 6 months.

Due to the current COVID-19 situation, residents from Belarus are required to:

• Obtain a COVID-19 test and self-isolate for 10 days (self-isolation is mandatory even if the test result is negative), nevertheless, self-isolation is not required for those fully vaccinated or with past disease.
• As of 10 March 2021, all passengers arriving through transport services organised and operated by carriers will be required to provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test taken 72 hours at the earliest before the arrival in Lithuania. Exemptions from the COVID-19 testing requirements are applied to persons under 16 years, persons holding a medical certificate confirming a past COVID-19 infection, where the diagnosis was confirmed through a positive PCR test or an antibody test, and no more than 90 days have passed between the receipt of a positive test and the entry to Lithuania, or those holding a document issued by a medical establishment, a country-specific vaccination certificate or an international vaccination certificate confirming that they have been administered an EU-registered COVID-19 vaccine etc.
• Passengers travelling to Lithuania with their transport should obtain a COVID-19 test 72 hours at the earliest before their arrival in Lithuania or 24 hours after arriving in Lithuania.
• The self-isolation period can be reduced to 7days if no earlier than on the 7th day of self-isolation the person performs a COVID-19 test at their own expense and receives a negative result.
• As of 31 of May, foreign nationals who have completed COVID-19 vaccination can arrive to Lithuania without additional permission. The rule applies to those who received the first dose of the Janssen vaccine, or the second dose of either the Comirnaty, Moderna or Vaxzevria vaccine. At the border control, a foreign national has to present a document from a healthcare institution or a country-specific vaccination certificate stating that they have been vaccinated by one of the aforementioned COVID-19 vaccines. The certificate should be presented in one of the official languages of the EU.
• Exemptions from self-isolation requirements are possible. However, these exemptions can only be applied when the person’s stay in Lithuania is related to the performance of essential work functions. All persons benefiting from the self-isolation exemptions will be required to have documentation demonstrating the intended exemption, which might be requested by the National Center for Public Health to verify compliance with the self-isolation requirements.

• More information on testing and self-isolation exemptions can be found here.

All persons, arriving to Lithuania on regular, special and charter passenger routes organised and operated by carriers by all modes of transport are obligated to register with the National Public Health Center and show proof of registration; all persons, arriving to Lithuania by their own transport until the moment of crossing the border of Lithuania, are obligated to register with the National Public Health Center.

Before boarding a plane, ferry, bus, or train, the traveller will have to fill in a form on the website of the National Public Health Centre, and present the received confirmation (QR code) at the time of boarding.

Personal protective equipment covering the nose and mouth (masks) is mandatory in all indoor and crowded outdoor public places. 

List of private laboratories in Lithuania performing testing for COVID-19 can be found here. 

(Please note that self-isolation requirements might change depending on the COVID-19 virus spread in Belarus) 

In some cases, persons can leave their place of isolation during their 10 days of self-isolation on the grounds of dealing with legal matters, visiting state institutions, bodies and organisations at their invitation, etc.  Persons benefiting from self-isolation exemptions may be required to have documentation demonstrating the intended exemption, which might be requested by the National Center for Public Health to verify compliance with the self-isolation requirements.

From 13 September 2021, all contact services will be provided, economic activities and events will be organised (with certain exceptions) only for persons who meet the criteria for the Opportunity Pass (Lithuanian: ‘Galimybių Pasas’).

Who is eligible for the Opportunity Pass?

The Pass is issued to people who have recovered from COVID-19 in the past 180 days, have tested negative for coronavirus using a PCR or antigen test, or have been fully vaccinated. If you arrive from abroad, documents certifying the aforementioned statuses can be used as an alternative to the Opportunity Pass. The EU’s Digital COVID Certificate is valid.

Once the legal entity of your company is established in Lithuania, your employees can apply for the EU Blue Card.

Important information about the EU Blue Card:

• The EU Blue Card is a residence and work permit specifically designated for highly skilled non-EU citizens.
• Applicants for the EU Blue Card can start working as soon as their application for the EU Blue Card has been submitted.
• An application for the EU Blue Card should be submitted at the Migration Department either physically or electronically through the Lithuanian migration system MIGRIS.
• In case an application for the EU Blue Card has been submitted electronically, an applicant needs to visit the Migration Department upon a separate notification to provide biometric data and original documents.
• An EU Blue Card is valid for up to 3 years and can be extended for up to 3 years afterwards.
• EU Blue Card holders have the ability to bring their family members.
• EU Blue Card holders are eligible for permanent residence after 5 years.

Main criteria for the EU Blue Card:

• The employee possesses a higher education degree (they hold a diploma or have at least five years of professional experience equivalent to a higher education degree)
• Their salary is not less than 1.5X the average monthly gross salary in Lithuania (~2,300 Eur)
• They have an employment contract that is not shorter than 1 year

Note: An EU Blue Card can also be issued to the Director of the company, but additional documents must be provided.

Timeline: 15 days (fast track) or 1 month (standard).

State fee: €240 (fast track) or €120 (standard).

More information can be found here: eubluecard.lt

We know relocation can be difficult for many reasons. To make it easier, city agencies (Go Vilnius, Kaunas IN and Klaipėda ID) have appointed dedicated persons to consult newcomers on all relocation matters. You can reach out to them with all your questions regarding kindergartens / schools, housing, self-isolation upon arrival and any other aspect of life in Lithuania:

• Go Vilnius: Erika Fedorenčikaitė, erika@govilnius.lt
• Kaunas IN: Julius Grigaliūnas, julius@kaunasin.lt
• Klaipėda ID: Kristina Pastornak, kristina@klaipedaid.lt

In addition to having these dedicated consultants, the city agencies are also preparing induction workshops for relocating employees. The workshops will touch upon a number of topics, including opening a bank account, getting health insurance, receiving social support, registering a car, finding a place to live, and more. 

International House Vilnius provides valuable support and information to people relocating to the Lithuanian capital. Its services for highly-qualified specialists from abroad include help with integration, employment processes, taxes, starting a business and such municipal services as registering children for school, and more. Services are available in English and Russian and are free of charge. In addition to that, IHV is regularly organising educational webinars for newcomers. Find out more by visiting https://ihvilnius.lt/about-us.

Additional advice can be found in the closed Facebook group of Belarusians in Lithuania.