Lithuania - Passport & Nationality - Lithuanian Citizenship - Lithuanian Ancestry
You are eligible for Lithuanian citizenship (and can keep your existing citizenship if):
- At least one of your parents, grandparents or great grandparents were citizens of the Republic of Lithuania (which existed from 1918 to 1940);
- Your ancestor left Lithuania some time before Lithuania restored its independence on 11 March 1990; AND
- Your ancestor left to any country which was not part of the former Soviet Union.
Due to amendments to citizenship law of Lithuania that came into force on 1st of July, 2016, descendants of Lithuanian citizens that left before 1940, became eligible for dual Lithuanian citizenship again. Until then, the Law on Citizenship allowed dual citizenship only for those who fled Lithuania during its occupation period from 1940 to 1990. Descendants of Lithuanian citizens that left Lithuania prior to 1940 could only get single Lithuanian citizenship and had to renounce their current citizenship. It prevented many people from applying for Lithuanian citizenship.
The relevant parent(s) or grandparent(s) do not need to still be alive.
Lithuania is a member of the European Union. As a result, a Lithuanian passport holder can live and work in any of the EU member states (including Ireland). Subject to what is written above, Dual Nationality (the right to hold a nother nationality) is allowed.