Post-1944 DP-Camp Cohort Descendants (Perkeltieji Asmenys)

LT-HIS-03 covers the Post-1944 DP-Camp Cohort Descendants (Perkeltieji Asmenys): descendants of the approximately 50,000 Lithuanian displaced persons who fled Lithuania in 1944 to escape Soviet re-occupation, registered in German, Austrian, and Italian DP camps under UNRRA/IRO administration (1945-1951), and subsequently resettled — principally to the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The operative mechanism is Article 9 reinstatement (atkurimas), procedure Article 38 (Minister of the Interior; no oath). Because these persons 'fled' (in the XII-2473/2016 sense, meaning 'left/emigrated') before 11 March 1990, their descendants inherit both the Art 9(1) reinstatement eligibility AND the Art 7(3) dual-citizenship key. The 1944 westward flight to DP camps in Germany/Austria/Italy is firmly within Art 7(3): it occurred before 11 March 1990 and the persons did NOT depart FOR former Soviet Union territory — the Art 2(3) USSR-after-1940 carve-out does NOT apply to westward flight to DP camps. The key evidentiary asset is the ITS/Arolsen Archives CM/1 DP registration record (name, pre-war town of residence in Lithuania, date/place of birth, family composition), which corroborates pre-1940 Lithuanian citizenship when combined with LCVA genealogical records. As of 2026-05-31. [,, ]

Eligibility criteria for LT-HIS-03: (1) PRE-1940 LITHUANIAN CITIZENSHIP OF A DP-COHORT ANCESTOR: the applicant's parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent (Art 2(7) three-generation cap) must have held Lithuanian citizenship at any time before 15 June 1940 (Art 2(11) as amended XIV-925/2022). Loss recognised only where formal Lithuanian loss procedures were completed. [, ] (2) DP-COHORT FLIGHT NEXUS: the ancestor must have been among the approximately 50,000 Lithuanian displaced persons who fled Lithuania in 1944 (before Soviet re-occupation was consolidated) and registered in UNRRA/IRO DP camps in Germany, Austria, or Italy during 1945-1951. Flight occurred before 11 March 1990. Under XII-2473 (in force 2016-07-06), 'fled' means 'left/emigrated' — no proof of political persecution is required. [, ] (3) GENEALOGICAL DESCENT WITHIN THREE GENERATIONS: child, grandchild, or great-grandchild (Art 2(7)); each generational link must be documented. (4) Art 22 BARS ABSENT (Art 9(3) cross-reference). (5) NO PRIOR LITHUANIAN CITIZENSHIP ACQUIRED before 2011-04-01 (Art 9(4) once-only). TWO-GATE DUAL STRUCTURE: GATE 1 (eligibility) = pre-15-Jun-1940 ancestor; GATE 2 (dual key) = ancestor fled/departed Lithuania before 11 March 1990 with permanent residence outside Lithuania on that date (Art 7(3)), or descendant thereof (Art 7(4)). The 1944 flight is firmly within Art 7(3) and not caught by the Art 2(3) USSR carve-out (westward flight, not departure for former Soviet territory). [, ]

LT-HIS-03 has HIGH document burden. Key evidential requirements: (1) Proof of pre-1940 Lithuanian citizenship of the DP-cohort ancestor: LCVA (Lietuvos Centrinis Valstybės Archyvas) genealogical records, pre-1940 Lithuanian internal passport or travel document, civil registry entries, military/civil service records noting citizenship, baptismal/birth certificate from the pre-war period referencing the ancestor's place of birth in Lithuania. (2) ITS/Arolsen Archives CM/1 DP registration record(s): name, pre-war Lithuanian place of residence, date and place of birth, family composition — serves as corroborating evidence of DP-camp registration and Lithuanian-state origin. Request via arolsen.org; free of charge. Allow 4-8 weeks for delivery from the Arolsen Archives. (3) Post-war resettlement documentation (supplementary corroboration): UNRRA/IRO resettlement card, destination-country entry/naturalisation records (US INS, Canadian immigration, Australian immigration records) recording Lithuanian national origin. (4) Genealogical descent chain documentation: birth certificates for each generational link from DP-cohort ancestor to applicant (apostilled or legalised as required by the issuing country); marriage certificates where family name changed. (5) Applicant's current identity document (passport) and birth certificate. (6) Completed MIGRIS portal application; physical originals to Migration Department within 4 months. (7) Declaration regarding foreign citizenship status (for Art 9(2)/Art 7(3) dual-citizenship assessment). (8) Art 22 clearance. [, ]

Documents for LT-HIS-03 (DP-Camp Cohort): ITS/Arolsen Archives CM/1 DP registration record (arolsen.org; free; allow 4-8 weeks): the central evidentiary asset for this cohort, recording name, pre-war Lithuanian town of residence, date/place of birth, family composition. This corroborates both the DP-camp registration and the Lithuanian-state origin. LCVA (Lithuanian Central State Archives) genealogical records: population registers, pre-1940 civil registry records, community records for the pre-war Lithuanian town of residence. Post-war resettlement records: UNRRA/IRO resettlement card; US INS records; Canadian immigration records; Australian immigration records; UK naturalisation records — all recording Lithuanian national origin. Pre-1940 Lithuanian internal or travel passport (if available). Lithuanian civil registry birth/marriage certificates for each generation in the descent chain. Applicant's current passport. MIGRIS application (Lithuanian or English). Physical originals to Migration Department territorial unit within 4 months of MIGRIS submission, or via Lithuanian embassy/consulate abroad (Art 37(2)). Art 22 clearance documentation. Where dual retention is sought (Art 7(3)/Art 7(4)): evidence of the ancestor's flight from Lithuania in 1944 and subsequent DP-camp registration (the CM/1 record typically serves this purpose). All foreign-language documents must have certified Lithuanian translations. [, ]

Procedure for LT-HIS-03 (Art 38 atkurimas track): Step 1 — Gather documentary package: LCVA genealogical records + pre-1940 citizenship proof + Arolsen CM/1 DP record + generational birth/marriage certificates + destination-country resettlement records as corroboration. Step 2 — Request ITS/Arolsen Archives CM/1 extract (free; via arolsen.org; allow 4-8 weeks for delivery). Step 3 — Have all non-Lithuanian documents translated into Lithuanian (or English for MIGRIS) by a certified translator. Step 4 — Submit application through MIGRIS electronic portal; obtain application reference number. Step 5 — Submit physical originals to Migration Department territorial unit within 4 months of electronic submission. Step 6 — Migration Department review (up to approximately 5 months): evidentiary assessment of pre-1940 citizenship proof + genealogical chain + DP-cohort nexus + Art 22 clearance. Step 7 — Minister of Interior decision within 1 month of Department recommendation (Art 38). Step 8 — Issuance of 'teise atkurti pilietybe patvirtinantis pazymejimas' certificate (Art 38) — no oath ceremony. Step 9 — Application for Lithuanian passport/identity documents via Migration Department or embassy. Decision authority: Minister of the Interior (Art 38). Filing channel: MIGRIS portal; physical originals to Migration Department or Lithuanian embassy/consulate abroad. Oath required: NO (Art 23 oath scope excludes atkurimas). [, ]

Primary law: Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania No. XI-1196 (2024-01-01 consolidated edition). Key articles: Art 9(1) reinstatement right; Art 9(2) dual only via Art 7(2)/(3)/(4); Art 9(3) Art 22(1)-(2) bars; Art 9(4) once-only indefinite; Art 2(7) descendant scope; Art 2(11) (XIV-925, in force 2022-01-28) 'held citizenship at any time before 15 June 1940'; Art 2(3)/Art 7(3) (XII-2473, in force 2016-07-06) 'fled'='left/emigrated'; Art 7(3) fled before 11 March 1990 with permanent residence outside Lithuania: dual key; Art 7(4) descendants inherit dual key; Art 3(1) continuity; Art 38 Minister procedure and certificate. Regulations: Gov Res No. 761/2021 (MIGRIS); Gov Res No. 280/2013-04-03 as amended; Amendment XII-2473 (TAR 2016-18828, in force 2016-07-06) 'fled'='left/emigrated'; Amendment XIV-925 (TAR 2022-01291, in force 2022-01-28) Art 2(11). KT 2006-11-13 byla Nr. 45/03-36/04 — continuity doctrine. ITS/Arolsen Archives: an evidentiary source (German-jurisdiction document repository for DP-camp records), NOT a legal basis and NOT a treaty pathway. Lithuania NON-party to ECN (CETS 166), ETS 043, CETS 200. [, ]