On 3 May, additional restrictions for citizens of Russia and Belarus came into force in Lithuania, local media reported.
In particular, according to the Seimas decision, Russians will lose their residence permit in Lithuania if they travel to Russia or Belarus more often than once every three months without “objective reasons”.
However, this rule will not apply to trips to these countries for “objective reasons”, as well as when Russian citizens are crew or crew members who work for companies engaged in international freight and passenger transport, or carry out international freight and passenger transport to or from European Union (EU) member states, or transit through Lithuania.
According to the Migration Department, as of 1 April, 14,652 Russian citizens had valid residence permits in Lithuania.
The Law on the Implementation of Restrictive Measures in Connection with the Military Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine suspends the acceptance of applications for Schengen and national visas from citizens of Russia and Belarus, except through the mediation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and does not accept applications for temporary residence permits from Russians in Lithuania, except for those who have a valid Schengen or national visa, residence permit in Lithuania or in another EU state.
Russians and Belarusians arriving from outside the EU are subject to additional checks for threats to national security, public order, public policy, internal security, public health or international relations. They are also banned from bringing Ukrainian hryvnias into or out of Lithuania, and imports of agricultural products and feed originating in Russia or Belarus are prohibited.
According to the law, Russian citizens who do not have a residence permit in Lithuania are prohibited from buying property in Lithuania.
These sanctions are valid until 2 May 2026.
Earlier, in March, three deputies of the Lithuanian Seimas proposed to deprive the citizens of Russia and Belarus of their residence permits, visiting their homeland more than once a quarter. They asked for the amendments to be included in the draft law on sanctions, adopted by the Lithuanian parliament in the first reading.