Post-1990 Ius Sanguinis Descent

LT-DSC-02 covers Post-1990 Jus Sanguinis Descent: the automatic acquisition of Lithuanian citizenship at birth for a child born to at least one Lithuanian-citizen parent, irrespective of birthplace (Art 14(1), Law XI-1196 consolidated 2024-01-01). This is the standard jus sanguinis mechanism applicable to all post-1990 birth events. Citizenship is entered in the birth-registration document (Art 14(3)). No residence, language exam, Constitution exam, or oath is required. The procedural step is DECLARATORY/CONFIRMATORY birth-registration, not a discretionary grant — the Migration Department confirms automatic at-birth acquisition; this is not a Presidential or Ministerial grant. Distinguished from the pre-1940 reinstatement corridor (LT-DSC-01/LT-RIN-01, Art 9 atkurimas) which requires documentary proof of a pre-15-June-1940 holder and a descent chain. LT-DSC-02 is the forward-looking, automatic at-birth mechanism for children of citizens who already hold citizenship under the post-1991 statutory regime. As of 2026-05-31.

CORE CONDITION: At least one parent is a Lithuanian citizen at the time of the child's birth (Art 14(1), Law XI-1196 consolidated 2024-01-01). Both parents being citizens is sufficient but not required; a single citizen parent satisfies the condition. BIRTHPLACE IRRELEVANT: the child's place of birth (Lithuania or abroad) is irrelevant to the jus sanguinis entitlement (Art 14(1)). There is no territorial condition. POSTHUMOUS BIRTH EXTENSION: Art 14(2) extends the entitlement where a parent who was a citizen died before the child's birth. NO RESIDENCE REQUIREMENT: the child need not reside in Lithuania; citizenship arises automatically at birth. No language exam, no Constitution exam, and no oath of allegiance; Art 23 (oath) expressly excludes jus sanguinis at birth; Art 18(1) conditions (CEFR-A2, Constitution exam) apply to naturalisation only. [, ] NO Art 22 DISQUALIFICATION BARS: the bars in Art 22 (international crimes; crimes against Lithuania; prior imprisonment for a very serious crime; no permanent-residence right) apply to naturalisation, reinstatement, restoration, and grant-by-exception — NOT to automatic jus sanguinis at birth under Art 14. OPERATIVE DATE IS BIRTH DATE: if the parent held citizenship before but had lost it prior to the birth event, Art 14 does not apply to that child.

Requirements for Art 14 jus sanguinis at birth (LT-DSC-02): The single substantive requirement is that at least one parent held Lithuanian citizenship AT THE DATE OF THE CHILD'S BIRTH (Art 14(1)). The operative date is the birth event — not the application date. No minimum residence requirement, no language exam, no Constitution exam, no oath. The procedural step is declaratory registration/documentation. Art 14(2) separately applies where a citizen parent died before the birth. For dual-nationality treatment: Art 7(11) (XIV-64/2020) permits the child to hold dual citizenship where the child acquired Lithuanian citizenship at birth (Art 14) AND also acquired another state's citizenship before age 18 NOT by birth (e.g. automatic jus soli of the birth country). After age 18, if the child does not renounce the foreign citizenship, automatic loss under Art 24(2) may operate and the child should notify the Migration Department within 2 months of any foreign citizenship acquisition (Art 26(2)). [, ]

Required documents for Art 14 at-birth citizenship registration (LT-DSC-02): (1) Child's birth certificate (original; certified translation into Lithuanian if issued in a foreign language; apostille if issued outside Lithuania from a non-exempt jurisdiction). (2) Proof of parent's Lithuanian citizenship AT THE DATE OF THE CHILD'S BIRTH: Lithuanian passport (valid at date of birth) or Migration Department citizenship certificate; where parent acquired citizenship AFTER the child's birth, additional documentation of the parent's citizenship status at the earlier date is required. (3) Where a deceased citizen parent is invoked (Art 14(2)): parent's death certificate + proof the parent was a Lithuanian citizen before death. (4) Completed MIGRIS application form (Lithuanian or English). (5) Identity document of the applying representative (parent or legal guardian). (6) If applying overseas: documents submitted to Lithuanian embassy or consulate (Art 37(2)); consular authentication/legalisation requirements may apply. All foreign-language documents must be accompanied by a certified Lithuanian translation. Physical originals must reach the Migration Department within 4 months of MIGRIS submission.

Art 14 citizenship is automatic at birth by operation of law. The procedural step is REGISTRATION/DOCUMENTATION, not a discretionary grant. Step 1: Prepare documents — child's birth certificate (original + certified Lithuanian translation if issued abroad); apostille where required; parent's proof of Lithuanian citizenship (Lithuanian passport or citizenship certificate); evidence of parent's citizenship status AT THE DATE OF THE CHILD'S BIRTH. Step 2: Submit application via MIGRIS electronic portal in Lithuanian or English (Government Resolution No. 761/2021 mandatory filing channel). Step 3: Submit physical originals to the nearest Migration Department territorial unit (in Lithuania) or to a Lithuanian embassy/consulate (overseas) within 4 months of MIGRIS submission. Step 4: Migration Department reviews and enters the citizenship in the birth-registration record (Art 14(3)). This is a declaratory/confirmatory administrative step, not a Presidential decree. Step 5: A Lithuanian passport or citizenship certificate may be issued once citizenship is registered. Decision authority: Migration Department (Art 29 point 4, Law XI-1196) — NOT a Presidential or Ministerial grant. Overseas applicants: Art 37(2) filing via Lithuanian embassy or consulate, which forwards to the Migration Department. Timeline: typically 1-3 months for in-country applications; 2-6 months for consular/overseas registrations (indicative; re-verify with the Migration Department before reliance). [, ]

TIMELINE: Administrative registration — typically 1-3 months for in-country applications; 2-6 months for consular/overseas registrations depending on embassy workload and document authentication requirements. This is a declaratory administrative process, not a discretionary grant subject to the Citizenship Commission/Presidential decree cycle (which runs 3 months Migration Dept + up to 6 months Commission for naturalisation routes). Timeline is indicative from Migration Department guidance as of 2026-05-31; re-verify for current processing times before reliance. COST: The EUR 120 flat grant-route state fee (Gov Res Nr. 597/2023, in force 2023-07-28) attaches to GRANT institutes — naturalisation (Art 18), marriage (Art 19), reinstatement (Art 9), restoration (Art 21), simplified (Art 10), exception (Art 20). Art 14 jus sanguinis at birth is NOT a grant; the procedural step is a DECLARATORY birth-registration/documentation confirmation, so the EUR 120 grant fee is correctly NOT applied here. The specific Art 14 birth-registration/civil-documentation fee and consular passport/certificate issuance fees (which vary) are separate administrative charges not byte-pinned in the Evidence Table. Verify the current civil-documentation/consular fee schedule at migracija.lt and the Lithuanian MFA before reliance. [DELTA-FEE-001]