Moving from India to Lithuania: work, study and business routes

Lithuania is a small EU country with a growing Indian community. The Embassy of India in Vilnius puts the number of Indians in Lithuania at around 7,300, most of them students in ICT, engineering and life sciences. This guide sets out the main legal routes from India to Lithuania, so you know what exists and where to check the details.

Who decides, and where you apply

Every residence permit in Lithuania is decided by the Lithuanian authorities, not by the EU and not by any agent. The EU Immigration Portal is clear on this: applications are always made to the authorities of the country you plan to move to, and there is no European body that issues permits on a country’s behalf.

In practice, that means two places matter:

• The Migration Department (Migris). It decides temporary residence permits. Applications are made through its online system, MIGRIS, at migracija.lt.
• Lithuanian embassies and consulates. National long-term (D) visas are applied for at the embassy or consulate in your country of residence.

Most people moving for more than a year need a temporary residence permit. Some routes start with a national visa first. Which one applies depends on your reason for moving.

Route 1: working for a Lithuanian employer

If a Lithuanian company offers you a job, there are two broad routes.

The EU Blue Card, for highly qualified work. According to the EU Immigration Portal page for Lithuania, at the time of writing (October 2026):

• you need a formal employment contract of at least 6 months
• your salary must be at least 1.5 times the average monthly gross wage, or at least 1.2 times for occupations on Lithuania’s list of high value-added professions with a shortage of workers
• you need a higher education diploma, or at least 5 years of professional experience at an equivalent level, or at least 3 years of ICT management or specialist experience within the last 7 years
• the card is valid for three years, or the length of your contract plus three months if that is shorter

The average wage figure is updated every quarter by Lithuania’s State Data Agency, so the salary threshold moves. Check the current figure before relying on any number you see online.

The standard work route, for other jobs. Here the employer usually needs either a work permit or a decision from Lithuania’s Employment Service that the job meets labour market needs. The employer registers the vacancy with the Employment Service first. Whether your occupation is on the shortage list affects which route applies. The EU Immigration Portal notes that, on this route, family members are not entitled to accompany you.

Route 2: studying in Lithuania

Lithuanian universities teach many programmes in English, and study is the most common route for Indians in Lithuania. To study for a degree, you need to be enrolled at a recognised higher education institution. You then apply for a national long-term visa and, for longer studies, a temporary residence permit.

The EU Immigration Portal says students may work up to 20 hours a week during studies (doctoral students are not limited in the same way), and that after graduating you can apply for a 12-month permit to look for work or become self-employed. Our separate guide on studying in Lithuania as an Indian student covers this path in more detail.

Route 3: starting or moving a business

For founders, Lithuania runs a Startup Visa programme through Startup Lithuania, the national startup agency. It is designed for innovative non-EU entrepreneurs. The steps, as Startup Lithuania describes them:

1. Apply online with details of your founders, team, product and business plan, plus a pitch deck.
2. Take part in a short online video interview.
3. An expert committee evaluates the application.
4. If you receive a confirmation letter, you apply for a visa and a temporary residence permit. The letter does not decide the permit: the Migration Department makes the final decision.
5. After receiving the permit, you set up the business within 120 days and inform Startup Lithuania.

The permit is offered for two years, with the possibility of extending to five. Startup Lithuania also states that it does not charge applicants for its services, and warns about people who claim to run the programme and ask for payment.

There are other business routes too, for example for people who set up or invest in a Lithuanian company. The conditions are set by Lithuanian law and change from time to time, so check the current rules on Migris or with a qualified lawyer before you plan around them.

Before you apply: practical checks

Whatever the route, a few things come up again and again:

• Documents. Expect to provide a valid passport, proof of funds, health insurance, proof of accommodation and, for a first permit, a criminal record certificate. Requirements differ by route, so check the exact list.
• Health insurance. The EU Immigration Portal lists different minimum insurance sums for a national visa and for a residence permit. Make sure your policy matches the document you are applying for.
• Timing. Processing times vary by route. Faster decisions are sometimes available for an extra fee. Build in time for document translation and legalisation.
• Family. Some routes allow your family to join you and some do not. Check this before you commit.
• Official sources only. Fees are paid to the authorities, not to individuals. If anyone offers to “guarantee” a result for a payment, walk away. No one can guarantee a residence permit.

The Embassy of India in Vilnius provides consular services such as passports for Indian nationals living in Lithuania, and is worth knowing once you arrive.

How Mavericks Settle helps

Mavericks Settle guides founders, professionals and families through the move: understanding which routes exist, preparing paperwork, opening a bank account and settling in. Legal work is handled by our regulated partner law firms, and the decision always rests with the authorities. No one can guarantee a residence permit. We make sure you go through it properly.