First Steps Upon Return/Arrival

Make sure to bring the following documents with you: Employment contracts and/or pay slips; documents attesting to your children’s educational progress (either fully or partially completed); diplomas; discharge papers from health care institutions if you have been under medical care; proof of social welfare payments, etc. Find out which documents need to be legalized or translated here:

Once you are in Lithuania, you must declare your legal place of residence within 30 days. After you have made your declaration, you will receive many services for improving your quality of life in Lithuania e.g. health insurance and registration at medical institutions, social welfare benefits, registration for your children in kindergartens and schools, exemptions, etc. You can declare your place of residence in one of three ways: Online at e.paslaugos.lt or through your Lithuanian bank account’s portal; In person at the offices of the municipality or county where you live; In person at the Migration Department in the municipality or county in which you live if you are applying for a residency permit.

You have the right to choose your own primary care provider and family doctor and may select any facility that you like. Before registering, just make sure that the medical institution of your choice (polyclinic, clinic, or family medical center) has an agreement with the Territorial Health Fund regarding the provision and payment of services so that your expenses are fully covered. You may also choose to register with a private medical facility in which case you will be responsible for covering your own expenses.

Some banks allow you to open accounts online while others do require an in-person meeting. Online payments are very easy to make in Lithuania for everything from utility bills to individual Venmo type payments.  Once you have opened a bank account, you will also have access to a wide range of services via that bank’s portal, including those provided by government agencies and other institutions. Please note that paper checks to make payments are not used in Lithuania.

When returning/arriving with children, find out in advance which schools they might qualify for attending in the municipality or county in which you have chosen to live. We recommend that you contact daycare, pre-admission school programs, and primary schools directly. By doing so, you will be able to more fully discuss issues such as adaptation in a new country with representatives of these educational institutions. You will need to submit an application (online or in person at the school) and possibly join a queue for your child’s entrance to the school. You can contact employees of the Education Department of the municipality or county in which you will live and they will be able to advise you and provide you with detailed information on the application process. Private schools are also available.

Many employers conduct job interviews remotely, so you can come back/arrive to a job that is already waiting for you! The Government Employment Service has a website with job advertisements. It also provides remote consultations on job searches or retraining opportunities.

If you are raising or looking after children, have a disability or are caring for a loved one, are experiencing financial difficulties or other issues, you can apply for social welfare. Applications may be submitted once you have officially declared your place of residence in Lithuania and have applied to relevant institutions. Detailed information on social welfare support is provided by the Ministry of Social Security and Labour.

If you or your loved ones are family members of a Lithuanian citizen or a person with the right to the restoration of citizenship of Lithuania or are persons of Lithuanian heritage and you are moving with those persons to live in Lithuania, you and/or your relatives may be eligible for permanent residence permits. Applications for permanent residence permits can be submitted through the Migration Department's online service system MIGRIS. All documents must be submitted within 3 months from the date of arrival of a citizen of Lithuania or a person entitled to restore her/his citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania.