Lithuania student visa guide

Non-EU students admitted to full-time study at a Lithuanian university or college need a temporary residence permit (TRP), and Study in Lithuania says you should arrange both the national D visa and the TRP before you travel. Your institution first files a mediation letter for you in the MIGRIS system, then you apply online in MIGRIS and give your biometrics and original documents. In Nigeria, VFS Global runs Lithuania visa application centres in Abuja and Lagos for national D visas.

Use the guide below as a planning reference, then check the official source before you pay anything or submit an application.

Tips from experience

• Ask your university early to file the MIGRIS mediation letter, because you cannot apply without its number.
• Calculate your funds from the current minimum monthly wage, not an old university handout.
• Get your police certificate legalised or apostilled in time, and make sure it is less than 6 months old when you apply.
• Book your VFS appointment in Abuja or Lagos as soon as you know your dates, since slots can run out.
• Pay for the urgent procedure only if your start date is close, as it costs much more.
• Treat all fee and funds figures as indicative and confirm them in MIGRIS before you pay.

Documents most applicants need are marked required. Others depend on your case or on what the office asks for. Build a printable checklist.

• Valid passport Required

• MIGRIS application form Required

  Filled in online with scans of your supporting documents.

• Mediation letter number from your institution Required

  Filed by the university in MIGRIS. It confirms admission, fees paid and, where possible, sufficient funds.

• Proof of funds Required

  Needed if the mediation letter does not confirm funds. A bank certificate of your balance with a 6 month statement, or a parent's notarised undertaking with their bank certificate or employment contract.

• Health insurance Required

  Must cover necessary medical help and repatriation for health reasons, for the whole permit period or at least one year. The EU Immigration Portal gives a minimum cover of 6,000 EUR for the TRP and 30,000 EUR for the visa.

• Police (criminal record) certificate Required

  For the first permit only, from each country you lived in over the last 2 years. Issued no more than 6 months before you apply, legalised or apostilled where needed, in English or with a certified English translation.

• Accommodation declaration Required

  A pledge, given in MIGRIS, that you will declare your address in housing with at least 4 square metres per adult.

• State fee payment Required

• Biometrics Required

  Given in person at the Migration Department or through an external service provider.

• National D visa application Required

  Submitted at the VFS Global Lithuania centre in Abuja or Lagos. Check the VFS document list.

• Admission letter Required

  Keep it with your file even though the mediation letter confirms admission.

• Parental consent If asked

  Needed if you are under 18.

• Academic certificates and transcripts If asked

  Used for admission. Keep originals available in case they are requested.

Indicative government fees only. School fees, translations, tests, courier and service charges are extra.

Living funds

No fixed amount. See the basis below.

Basis

The Migration Department sets the living funds at 0.5 of the Lithuanian minimum monthly wage for each month, and the money must cover the whole requested permit period or at least one year. You must also be able to pay for your studies and your return journey.

Tuition included

No, add your first year tuition

The minimum monthly wage is set by the Lithuanian government and changes, usually each January, so check the current figure before you calculate your amount. Your institution may confirm sufficient funds in its MIGRIS mediation letter. If it does not, give a bank certificate of your balance with a statement for the last 6 months, or a parent's notarised undertaking to support you with their bank certificate or employment contract.

Typical decision time

MIGRIS says a TRP decision for students is made within 2 months under the general procedure, or within 1 month under the urgent procedure. The EU Immigration Portal says national visas are issued within 15 days.

How early you can apply

Start as soon as your institution has admitted you and filed the mediation letter in MIGRIS. After you submit the online application you have 4 months to attend in person with your biometrics and original documents.

Latest sensible time to apply

Aim to have your MIGRIS application and appointment done at least 3 months before your course starts, because the general procedure alone can take 2 months and you still need your visa to travel.

1. 1

   Get admitted and pay your institution fees

   Apply to a Lithuanian university or college and accept your offer. Pay any fees the institution asks for, because its mediation letter must confirm they have been paid.

2. 2

   Ask for your mediation letter

   Your institution files a mediation letter for you in MIGRIS. It confirms your admission, that the fees were paid and, where it can, that you have enough funds. You receive an email with the letter number.

3. 3

   Prepare funds, insurance and police certificate

   Get proof of funds at 0.5 of the minimum monthly wage per month for at least a year, health insurance for the same period, and a police certificate from every country you lived in over the last 2 years.

4. 4

   Apply online in MIGRIS

   Create a MIGRIS account, choose to fill in an application based on a mediation letter, enter the letter number, upload scans of your documents and pay the state fee.

5. 5

   Book your visit and give biometrics

   Within 4 months of submitting online, attend in person with your original documents and give your biometrics. If you are outside Lithuania, MIGRIS says you can submit through an external service provider, so ask VFS Global in Abuja or Lagos what it accepts.

6. 6

   Apply for the national D visa

   Book an appointment at the VFS Global Lithuania visa application centre in Abuja or Lagos for the national D visa you need to enter and stay. Bring the documents and fees VFS lists for your appointment.

7. 7

   Wait for the decisions

   Track your TRP application in MIGRIS. The general procedure takes up to 2 months and the urgent one up to 1 month. Do not book non-refundable travel until you have your decisions.

8. 8

   Travel, declare your address and collect your permit

   After arrival, declare your place of residence and collect your permit card from the Migration Department as instructed. Your stay in Lithuania must be legal when you attend any appointment there.

Work and post study rules change often. Confirm them on the official source before you plan around them.

• Funds were below 0.5 of the minimum monthly wage per month for the required period, or the bank statement did not cover 6 months.
• The institution's mediation letter was missing, or did not confirm that fees were paid.
• Health insurance did not cover the whole permit period or at least one year, or did not include repatriation.
• The police certificate was missing, too old, or not legalised or translated as required.
• The applicant did not attend in person with original documents within 4 months of applying in MIGRIS.
• Documents were inconsistent or did not appear genuine.

Refused before? Read what to do after a visa refusal.