If you have plans to get your Lithuanian citizenship restored and you have a partner or spouse, you have more on your to-think-about plate than someone single. Any big decisions you make have an impact on them, too.
If you decide to leave your home country and move to the EU (European Union) after restoring Lithuanian citizenship, that’s likely a step you’ll be taking together. Moving to Lithuania, a country with a solid economy and accessible healthcare and education (or relocating to any other EU state), is the right choice for an increasing number of couples and families.
But then come the technical details. When you get your Lithuanian dual passport, does it mean your partner gets it too? And if they don’t, what can you do about it?
Does your spouse get Lithuanian citizenship too?
Getting Lithuanian citizenship is a process of restoration— based on your close ancestry, you have to prove descent from a Lithuanian citizen.
This claim is limited to three generations: if you are a child, grandchild, or great-grandchild of a Lithuanian national (and can prove it with the necessary documents), you are eligible to start the citizenship restoration process.
What the restoration process determines: even if you are eligible and your Lithuanian citizenship is restored, your spouse will not get it. Unless they can go through the process using their right of descent, it will be limited to you.
It doesn’t matter if you are already married when citizenship is granted or if you get married after. Unlike what happens when you have children after restoration, your spouse or partner doesn’t receive it.
Can your non-EU spouse get a residence permit instead?
This might start to sound like the doom of your big plans or, if you can’t make it work, even of your relationship. But do not despair— despite your spouse not getting Lithuanian citizenship, there are still simple ways to ensure your dreams become a reality.
The answer: a residence permit. If you, as a Lithuanian citizen, move to Lithuania or any other EU country, your spouse has the legal right to be reunited with you there.
The process to get a residence permit as the non-EU spouse of an EU citizen is a lot easier than in any other case.
How does it work? The precise rules vary from country to country and you should always check the regulations of your target relocation state. But generally, you get the right to reside in the country your partner lives in for longer than three months, regardless of your employment status or any other factor. You will be able to work and study and move across EU borders with your spouse.
The non-EU spouse of someone with Lithuanian citizenship generally gets clear benefits:
- After living in the country for a certain amount of time (3 years in Norway, 5 years in Ireland, Spain, or Sweden), you may be granted permanent residence or even begin the process to claim citizenship from that state.
- The right to family reunion— you and your children are entitled to be reunited with your EU spouse in any country of the block they’re living in.
- This right is more important than any other factor— as the spouse of someone with Lithuanian citizenship, you don’t need to prove income, education, or future employment in your destination country. Not even criminal history.
- You have the right to be employed and to study in an EU country. You also can move and relocate with your spouse anywhere within the block.
Important: do your research as for the regulations of the country you plan on moving to, as the details can vary.
Advantages over other residence permits
Is getting a residence permit as a non-EU spouse better than getting other residence permits? In short— yes. The rules to get this kind of permit are stricter in all other cases and there is much more red-tape involved.
What happens when you aren’t the spouse of an EU citizen and want a residence permit:
- As the right to family reunion doesn’t apply, you need to demonstrate a valid reason to move to the EU. If your nationality requires a visa, you need to apply for one, which might be costly.
- To be allowed to work, study, or stay in the EU longer than three months, you need to establish your motives and professional or academic experience. You’ll probably be required to present a sponsorship by an educational institution or an employer.
- Finding a sponsor is near impossible unless you are highly qualified and necessary for your employer. It is a costly and time-consuming process.
- If you have a work or study residence permit, you can only stay in the EU as long as you are working, studying, or continue to prove another strong reason to remain.
A summary
If you restore Lithuanian citizenship by descent, your spouse or future spouse will not get it. Despite this, they still have the right to family reunion in the EU— if you move to an EU country, they can move and receive a residence permit allowing them to work, study and live there. Getting a residence permit is much easier for the spouse of an EU citizen than for anyone else.
Our advice: if you are eligible to restore Lithuanian citizenship, do it as soon as possible. It’ll give you, your spouse, and your family a more secure future.
If you have Lithuanian descent and want to get Lithuanian citizenship? Write to us via email at [email protected] — we help you with document acquisition, application, preparation, translation, and guidance until citizenship is granted. Email us today so we can assess your eligibility for Lithuanian citizenship.
