TRP for business & work purposes in Lithuania

1.START-UP VISA

The Start-up Visa is a 2-in-1 (work and residence) permit allowing
start-up developers from non‑EU countries to reside in Lithuania and establish
a start-up here.

Requirements: the Start-up Visa can be issued when the following requirements are met:

(i)       Company’s legal activity is related to the introduction of new technologies or other innovations of economic and social importance to Lithuania;

(ii)      Foreigner is a shareholder of a company to be established in Lithuania, has necessary qualification, financing and business plan, as well as his/her stay is necessary for the activities of this company.

All abovementioned requirements are approved by the public enterprise “Versli Lietuva” in official letter, which is one of the required documents when applying for TRP.

Please note that there are no requirements on the invested capital in the company or employees for Start-up Visa.

Local employment: not required.

Validity period: 1 year. The permits can be extended twice. Afterwards, individuals should apply for temporary residence permits on another legal basis - as shareholders and CEOs (described below). 

2.SHAREHOLDERS’ AND CEOS’ TRP

The temporary residence permit issued for shareholders and CEOs is a 2-in-1 (work and residence) permit. 

Requirements: the TRP can be issued when the following requirements are met:   

(i)         Requirements for the company:

-      equity capital of the company is not less than EUR 28 000;

-      activities are carried out for at least 6 months according to the business plan in Lithuania;

-      full-time employees (citizens of Lithuania, citizens of other EU/EEA Member States or third country nationals residing permanently in Lithuania), who all together are remunerated with at least 2 monthly average gross salaries of Lithuania’s economy (currently EUR 2 693,4 gross). 

(ii)         Requirements for a foreigner:

-      is a shareholder and has invested at least EUR 14 000 into the share capital of the Lithuanian company; and

-      is a CEO of the company or a shareholder holding at least 1/3 nominal value of the authorised capital.

Local employment: required for CEO. 

Validity period: 2 years. TRP might be issued for 3 years, if the company employs 5 full-time employees and the invested funds of the shareholder amounts to at least EUR 260 000.

3.INTRA-CORPORATE TRANSFER (ICT) PERMIT

ICT residence permit is a 2-in-1 (work and residence) permit for the third country national employed by non‑EU entity (home company) who is transferred within the same group of companies to work temporarily in Lithuania.

Requirements: the ICT permit can be issued when the following requirements are met:

(i)        Employee should be posted/seconded to the host entity in Lithuania as a manager (a head of the entire company or its department/structural unit) or a
specialist;

(ii)       The employee should have qualifications and experience required by the host company;

(iii)      Employees (managers and specialists) should have been employed by the home company for at least 6 months;

(iv)      There is no explicit salary amount determined by laws and the key rule is “employee’s salary cannot be lower than the salary paid for Lithuanian/EU residents performing the same work for the same employer”.

Local employment: not required.

Validity period: the maximum duration of the assignment in Lithuania cannot exceed 3 years. After 3 years period, employee is required either to apply for another type of TRP or to leave Lithuania for at least 3 months. Thus, there should be a break of at least 3 months before a new ICT permit application for the same employee may be submitted.

4.BLUE CARD FOR HIGHLY QUALIFIED SPECIALISTS

The Blue Card is 2-in-1 (work and residence) permit allowing highly skilled non-EU citizens to reside and work in Lithuania.

Requirements: the Blue Card can be issued when the following requirements are met:

(i)         A third country national has a high education diploma or has experience of at least 5 years;

(ii)        Intended duration of foreigner’s employment in Lithuania is at least 1 year;

(iii)       Gross monthly salary is not less than 1.5 of average Lithuanian gross monthly salaries (EUR 2 020,05 gross);

(iv)       A decision from Lithuanian Labour Exchange is obtained, except if a
monthly salary is not lower than 3 average Lithuanian gross monthly salaries (EUR 4 040,1 gross).

Local employment: required.

Validity period: 3 years. Number of extensions is not limited.