Lithuania's national D visa: who still gets one, and what Americans file instead
Since July 2023, Lithuania sends U.S. citizens to a temporary residence permit rather than this visa. Here's the short list it still covers and how each route works.
You can already spend 90 days in any 180 in Lithuania without a visa. This page covers the stay after that: the D visa's fee, timeline and money test as of September 2026, and the permit most Americans end up using.
The D visa in four numbers
$159
Application fee
€140 state fee, 2026
15 days
Standard decision
can stretch to 45
1 year
Longest validity
91 days minimum, no renewal
$34,100
Minimum health coverage
€30,000 sum insured
Who qualifies
The grounds Lithuania still issues a D visa on
Since July 1, 2023, the Migration Department issues national visas only on listed grounds. Americans, who used to get one in a simplified way, now apply for a temporary residence permit instead. Full-time degree students and university teachers and researchers go the permit route too.
- Exchange students
- Teachers and researchers with an authorship agreement with a Lithuanian science and studies institution
- High-level athletes and coaches
- Seafarers on Lithuanian-flagged ships
- Journalists accredited by Lithuania's Foreign Ministry
- Participants in companies registered in Lithuania (one consultancy cites €28,000 in equity capital, about $31,900)
- Seasonal workers with a permit for more than 90 days
- People who can't leave because of illness or force majeure
- Treaty cases and other long-term stays
A one-time stay, not a renewable status
National visas can't be renewed. After a one-year D visa, Lithuania can only issue another once more than 180 days have passed since it expired. If you're planning more than a year, start on a temporary residence permit.
The route most Americans use
The temporary residence permit, and its timing trap
A first temporary residence permit costs about $182 (the state fee is €160), or about $364 (€320) for urgent handling. Lithuania decides within 3 months, or 45 calendar days on the urgent track, and permits usually run 2 years.
You can file with the Migration Department in Lithuania or through VFS Global abroad. Filing in Lithuania has a catch: the application alone doesn't let you stay while it's examined, so your 90 visa-free days keep counting. From November 2026, you also need a valid basis for stay when you file, and visa-free status counts.
Match the route to where your money comes from
A Lithuanian employer pays you
The EU Blue Card needs a salary of at least 1.5 times Lithuania's average gross wage, or 1.2 times in high-value professions. A decision takes about a month, or 15 days expedited.
You're building a company
The Startup Visa route gives approved founders a 2-year permit, renewable for 3 more, with permanent residence possible at 5 years.
You're enrolled full time
Degree students file for a residence permit, not a D visa. After graduating, you can apply for a 12-month permit to look for work or start self-employment.
Your income comes from the U.S.
Lithuania has no digital nomad visa in 2026, and none of the listed D-visa grounds is written for remote work or retirement. The Expatsi Test can point you to countries that fit.
Applying
What the D visa application asks for
Everything starts in MIGRIS, the Migration Department's online system at migracija.lt. From the U.S., you hand in documents through its external service provider; if you're already in Lithuania legally, you apply at the Migration Department. Children under 16 and family members of EU or Lithuanian citizens don't pay the fee.
One heads-up: the VFS Global checklist for U.S. applicants still lists a €60 fee. The Migration Department's schedule says €140.
- A passport issued in the last 10 years, with two blank pages and validity 3 months past the visa
- Health insurance of at least €30,000 (about $34,100)
- One minimum monthly wage per month of stay, €1,153 in 2026 (about $1,310), plus one more for the trip home
- For a full year, that's €14,989 (about $17,050)
- Proof of your ground, such as an exchange-program letter, press accreditation or your company's registration
Help with the pieces around the visa
Hunter Schultz
Healthcare Coach
Hunter coaches Americans on getting care abroad and choosing the coverage to carry before they apply.
ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
Offers global health insurance plans for Americans living abroad.
MyExpatTaxes
U.S. Expat Tax Service
Prepares and files U.S. tax returns for Americans who live overseas.
Moneycorp
Currency Exchange
Handles currency exchange and international transfers, for turning dollars into the euros your application has to show.
Lithuania D visa questions
Can I renew a Lithuanian national visa?
No. A national visa lasts from 91 days to one year and can't be renewed. After a one-year visa, another can only be issued once more than 180 days have passed since the first one expired. For a longer stay, apply for a temporary residence permit, which is usually issued for 2 years.
How long does a Lithuanian D visa take?
The Migration Department decides within 15 calendar days of receiving the application. It can extend that to 45 calendar days in total.
Can Lithuanian residence lead to permanent residence or citizenship?
Yes, but it's slow. You can apply for permanent residence after five years on a temporary residence permit, with trips abroad limited to 6 months in a row and 10 months in total over those 5 years. Naturalization requires 10 years of continuous legal residence, and Lithuania allows dual citizenship only in a listed set of cases, so check whether you'd keep your U.S. citizenship before counting on it.
Do U.S. citizens need a national D visa to live in Lithuania?
Usually not. Since July 1, 2023, Lithuania no longer issues national visas to U.S. citizens in the simplified way it used to and directs them to apply for a temporary residence permit instead. The D visa is now limited to listed grounds, such as exchange students, researchers with an authorship agreement, accredited journalists and participants in Lithuanian companies.
How much does a Lithuanian national D visa cost in 2026?
About $159. The Migration Department's state fee is €140. Children under 16 and family members of EU or Lithuanian citizens are exempt. Some older checklists, including the VFS Global one for U.S. applicants, still show €60, which is out of date.
Can I apply for Lithuanian residence after arriving visa-free?
You can file a temporary residence permit application in Lithuania, but filing alone doesn't give you the right to stay while it's examined, so your 90 visa-free days keep running. From November 2026, you need a valid basis for stay when you file, and visa-free status counts. If a decision is delayed for reasons beyond your control, a digital registration certificate, issued for 6 months, can cover your stay, but it isn't a travel document.
How much money do I need to show for a Lithuanian D visa?
Most applicants show one minimum monthly wage for each month of stay plus one more as return funds. Lithuania's minimum wage is €1,153 a month in 2026, about $1,310. For a one-year visa, that comes to €14,989, about $17,050.
Does Lithuania have a digital nomad visa?
No. Lithuania has no digital nomad visa in 2026, and none of the listed national visa grounds is written for remote work for a foreign employer. The residence routes are built around a Lithuanian employer, a company you run there, study or family.
Not on the D visa list? Find the countries that fit you
Take the Expatsi Test to see which countries match how you earn, what you want to spend and how you like to live.
Why not you?