5138. This is how many people Lithuania has removed from the list of its citizens in the past five years. Every day – minus three. All of them acquired Lithuanian citizenship at birth, but they received it one day Letter from the Department of Migrationinforming you that you have lost your Lithuanian citizenship: “We inform you that by order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania “Regarding the loss of citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania after acquiring the citizenship of another state” (…) you have lost your citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania.”
Thousands of people who dared to leave Lithuania and become full citizens of the country where they live lost their Lithuanian citizenship.
Such a letter in eight months of this year alone, 608 Lithuanians found in their mailboxes, 103 of them – 18-29 year olds. However, there is no age limit to the loss of Lithuanian citizenship: Vacys Vileikis, who celebrated his 100th birthday and was born in Lithuania, received such a letter. Yes, in the document search system of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania e-seimas.lrs.lt publicly available legal acts publish the names, date and place of birth of all people who lost their Lithuanian citizenship this year, except for minors.
Does Lithuania need full citizens in strategic partnership countries?
The same one a letter of several lines in the last five years, more than five thousand citizens of Lithuania have received it. People who, for various reasons, dared to leave Lithuania and become full-fledged citizens of the country they live in: able to pursue a professional career, work in state institutions, able to vote and participate in political, economic, cultural decisions of the country they live in.
17 percent of those who have lost their Lithuanian citizenship are 18-29 year olds.
What countries did these Lithuanians become citizens of? Let’s take 2022 alone. Statistics published by the Migration Department under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania in the “Migration Yearbook”.. Lithuanians who became citizens of Norway (132), Germany (127), United Kingdom (117), Sweden (90), USA (38), Ireland (30), Russia (29), Spain (20), Canada (11) lost their Lithuanian citizenship. ), citizens of Denmark and Finland (10 each), the Netherlands (9), Iceland and France (6 each).
Acquired on the basis of blood, lost on the basis of territoriality
How is Lithuanian citizenship acquired? “Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania is acquired at birth”, written in black on white Article 12 of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania. In the same 1992 the article of the adopted Constitution also defines that “no one can be a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania and another state at the same time”, except in separate cases provided for by law. Now in the Citizenship Law of the Republic of Lithuania 11 exceptions are provided to allow those “exceptional cases”.
All exceptions leave Lithuanians overboard to live, work, and create, who left the world after Lithuania’s independence. In short – Lithuanians born in Lithuania, but creating a full-fledged professional and personal life outside the territory of Lithuania.
How to lose Lithuanian citizenship? Article 24 of the Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania specifies nine reasons for losing the citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania, but the absolute majority of people lose their Lithuanian citizenship for two reasons: acquiring the citizenship of another state or relinquishing it.
Data of the Migration Department are published in the “Migration Yearbook”/
According to the data of the Migration Department, in 2022 Lithuania lost 712 citizens who acquired the citizenship of another state. And this is the lowest number in the last five years. in 2021 Lithuania lost 1038 citizens, in 2020 – 1268, 2019 – 1117, 2018 – 1003 citizens. The absolute majority of them lost their Lithuanian citizenship, acquired at birth, because they also acquired the citizenship of another state.
Active people, entire families, and children are excluded from the lists of citizens
Reading in the document search system of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania e-seimas.lrs.lt in the publicly available 44 orders signed by the Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania this year alone “Regarding the loss of citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania after acquiring the citizenship of another country”, hundreds of names and surnames of the most professionally and socially active Lithuanians, dozens of 18-20-year-old Lithuanians, 17 percent of those who have lost their citizenship are 18-29 years old the youth
The entire family lost their citizenship: mothers and daughters born in Lithuania, mothers and sons, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, an entire family of five brothers and sisters, 22-year-old twins.
In addition to the orders signed by the minister regarding the loss of citizenship after acquiring the citizenship of another state, whole families are also visible: mothers and daughters born in Lithuania, mothers and sons, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, an entire family of five brothers and sisters, 22-year-old twins born in the United States.
Of the half a dozen who lost their citizenship this year because they renounced it, the absolute majority are children: a six-year-old child born in Sweden, six children aged 5-13 born in Austria, even a two-year-old child born in Estonia.
Lithuania does not know how many citizens it really has
The currently valid laws of the Republic of Lithuania provide that a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania who has acquired the citizenship of another state must notify the Migration Department, diplomatic mission or consular office of the Republic of Lithuania in writing within two months. Failure to notify in writing about the acquired citizenship of another country on time is punishable by fines from 300 to 850 euros.
As stated by the Migration Department in an interview with the portal Pilietybė.lt Jurgita Pašin, head of the citizenship departmentLithuania learns about the acquisition of another country’s citizenship by its citizens only if the person reports it himself.
Lithuania does not know how many of its citizens have acquired the citizenship of other countries.
However, if a person does not report or the fact does not become clear in other ways, for example, when processing marriage documents in Lithuanian institutions, when solving issues related to children or when a person is called to perform mandatory military service, Lithuania does not know how many of its citizens have acquired the citizenship of other countries.
The consequences of losing citizenship must be examined on an individual basis
In orders regarding the loss of citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania, it is indicated that the decision can be appealed to the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania within six months in accordance with the procedure established by the Law on Public Administration, or immediately to the Administrative Court of the Vilnius District (Žygimantų St. 2, 01102 Vilnius, or via the Lithuanian Courts Electronic Services Portal https://e.teismas.lt) within one month in accordance with the procedure established by the Law on Administrative Cases.
How many people have gone to court to lose their citizenship? However, Pilietybė.lt did not find such statistics in the publicly available information of the Migration Department It is mentioned in the annals of migrationthat in 2022 Vilnius District Administrative Court opened eight cases regarding citizenship complaints.
A person has the right to demand that the consequences of this loss be individually examined.
The Court of Justice of the European Union has declared that the loss of citizenship, which also means the loss of the citizenship of the European Union, contrary to EU law. As written In the press release of the Court of Justicein which case the person has the right to request that the consequences of this loss be examined individually, and it is for the national authorities and courts to verify whether the loss of the nationality of the Member State concerned, when it results in the loss of the status of a citizen of the Union, complies with the principle of proportionality. Even retroactively.
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Reinstatement of Lithuanian citizenship
Nion has established that citizens have the right to appeal decisions that affect their citizenship status. This means that individuals whose Lithuanian citizenship has been revoked can seek judicial review and argue for the reconsideration of their cases on a personal basis. In many instances, family ties and the implications of losing citizenship—such as the right to reside, work, or access services in Lithuania—are significant factors that can influence the courts.
Given the complexities of dual citizenship laws, especially in the context of Lithuania’s strict regulations, it is essential for affected individuals to fully understand their rights and the legal pathways available for appealing decisions. Each case can differ widely based on individual circumstances such as the reasons for acquiring a foreign citizenship, time spent outside of Lithuania, and familial connections within the country.
The report also notes a concerning trend: a substantial number of young Lithuanians are losing their citizenship, often by acquiring citizenship elsewhere. This raises questions about the long-term implications for Lithuania’s demographic future and its relationship with its diaspora. The loss of citizenship by active members of the community could affect national identity and cultural continuity, particularly as families are often involved in these transitions.
the situation illuminates the interplay between citizenship laws, personal choice, and national identity, emphasizing the need for a balance between maintaining citizenship and adapting to the realities of a globalized world where individuals often hold multiple identities.
