Preparation for application

Stage one involves preparation for application, i.e. collecting all the legal documents required to justify the application. The most important part of this stage is to collect evidence confirming that the applicant’s ancestor was actually a citizen of Lithuania (i.e. not only that she/he emigrated from Lithuania, but that she/he had citizen status). Here, we are meeting the legal requirement of “citizen” as it is determined by Lithuanian legislation and judicial practice.

Said evidences gathering isn’t limited to consulting Lithuanian or broader archives. In the majority of cases, it requires legal procedures such as court applications. Therefore, if you attempt to do this without professional assistance, stage one can take as long as several years or even encounter irremediable stumbling blocks, instead of the normal six to eight weeks if done with professional legal assistance.

Examination of the application

Stage two involves examination of the application by the Migration Department of the Republic of Lithuania. This is the longest and most patience-testing stage. The migration department is legally obliged to examine applications for reinstatement within six months from the date of submission, however, it takes 12 months on average.

Collection of additional evidence

In cases where there is a lack of documents (evidence) submitted to the Migration Department, the third stage – the collection of additional documents (evidence) – occurs.