A work visa is a long-stay visa that lets you stay in Lithuania if you have found employment. Usually, if a Lithuanian employer has shown interest in employing you, they must also apply for a work permit on your behalf. Then you need to apply for a work visa from your home country and start working in Lithuania. The requirements may change depending on the type of work you will be doing, which is why it’s important to understand who needs a work visa in Lithuania first, and what type of work visas are there.
EU/EEA citizens can work in Lithuania freely, but they must register their stay after three months. However, non-EU/EEA citizens will need to apply for either a work visa, a work permit, or a residence permit to start working in Lithuania.
There are several types of work permits issued in Lithuania, but they usually include:
To qualify for an EU Blue Card in Lithuania, you need to meet the following requirements to be considered a highly skilled worker:
If you qualify for an EU Blue Card, you will receive a temporary residence permit, usually valid for two years— you will be required to apply via MIGRIS (Lithuanian Migration Information System). In addition, your employer may be required to apply to the Employment Service’s territorial division to make sure your employment meets the requirements of the Labor Divison.
You can apply for this type of work visa if your company is sending you to work with a branch of your company or the same company group located in the Republic of Lithuania. In addition, you are eligible for this visa if you will be transferred as a manager, a specialist, or an employee (including trainees or students who will start their internship).
To stay in the country, you will need to apply for a residence permit as soon as you enter the country via MIGRIS (Lithuanian Migration Information System).
This is one of the most common work visas you can get in Lithuania if you’ve found employment in Lithuania. However, for this type of visa, your employer may be required to first apply for a work permit from the Labor Services in Lithuania. Therefore, you need to discuss this with your employer first to see which documents you need to prepare.
If you receive a work permit, you must apply for a national D visa and enter the country. Although holders of work permits are usually not granted residence permits, they can stay in the country with their national D visa for up to a year.
To apply for a Lithuania work visa, you must:
After you enter Lithuania, you need to apply for a temporary residence permit. Please note that this is required only if your work visa leads to a residence permit in Lithuania. If you’re unsure if this applies to you, you need to contact the Migration Department in Lithuania for further information.
You must complete the application for a temporary residence permit via MIGRIS (Lithuanian Migration Information System). On the other hand, you also need to register your residence at the Migration Office, which will then send the data to the Centre of Registers. If your residence is under someone else’s name, you must also submit a permit signed by the owner.
The usual time needed to process a Lithuania work visa is around two weeks. However, you can start the application process up to six months before your planned trip to Lithuania. The earlier you apply for a Lithuanian work visa, the sooner you will get an answer on your application.
You will need the following documents when you apply for a Lithuania long-stay work visa:
All documents must be legalized and must contain the apostille stamp before submission. The documents must also be written in or translated into Lithuanian.
The work visa, just like any other long-stay visa, costs €120. Although the visa application is made online, you are advised to pay the visa fee at the Lithuanian embassy or consulate. After paying the visa fee, you will be given a document that proves that you have paid the fee. You must add this document to your visa application.
A long-stay visa is issued for a maximum period of one year. You can extend it when you apply for a temporary residence permit, and your employer applies for an extension of the work permit. You can renew it annually. After five years, you can obtain a permanent residence permit and Lithuanian citizenship.
To extend your stay, you must apply to extend the work permit. Your employer must apply for an extension of the work permit one month prior to your permit expiration date. If your stay extends beyond one year, you must apply for a temporary residence permit to remain in Lithuania.
If you have a valid work and temporary residence permit, you can invite your family members to join you. For your family member to join you, they must apply for a family reunification visa. This visa will allow them to stay with you as long as your valid permit.
Working in Lithuania offers many advantages, from affordable living conditions to a quiet and peaceful lifestyle. But before applying for a work visa for Lithuania, there are some things you must know beforehand.