Seimas amends residency law

  • 2013-10-19
  • From wire reports

At its plenary meeting, the Lithuanian Seimas amended the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens, setting more favorable conditions for issuing residence permits to persons of Lithuanian origin and those entitled to restore the citizenship of Lithuania under the Law on Citizenship, reports ELTA.

Under the amended law, these persons will no longer be required to have adequate means of subsistence, own residential premises in Lithuania or use residential premises under a lease agreement, have a valid document showing health insurance coverage for the period of their residence in Lithuania, and submit a list of visits and stays in foreign countries.
The amendments also shorten the time for consideration of residence permit requests. Under the new provisions, both temporary and permanent residence permit requests will have to be considered in four months at the longest (previously, the deadline was six months).

In addition, the amended law creates opportunities for vulnerable persons and asylum seekers who have entered or are staying in Lithuania illegally to opt for assisted voluntary return to a foreign state, to be carried out with the assistance of an international organization or an NGO.

A total of 81 members of the Seimas voted in favor of the amendments, with no votes against and seven abstentions.