TRINITI represented a Lithuanian family living in the United States of America who sought to prove their right to be citizens of the Republic of Lithuania, while remaining citizens of another country, on the grounds and in the manner established by the Republic of Lithuania Law on Citizenship.
Persons deported from occupied Lithuania before 11 March 1990 and/or persons who have left Lithuania before 11 March 1990 and their descendants have the right to be citizens of the Republic of Lithuania and other states simultaneously. This means that such persons may be exempted from the prohibition of dual citizenship.
A citizen of the Republic of Lithuania who is also a citizen of another state shall be considered by the State of Lithuania as only a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania. Possession of citizenship of another state does not release him from the duties of a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania, established in the Constitution, laws and other legal acts of the Republic of Lithuania.
TRINITI reminds that a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania may be a citizen of another state simultaneously, provided he or she meets at least one of the following preconditions:
- The person has acquired citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania and citizenship of another state by birth;
- He or she is a person who was deported from the occupied Republic of Lithuania before 11 March 1990 or a descendant of such a person;
- He or she is a person who has left Lithuania before 11 March 1990 or a descendant of such a person;
- Has automatically (ipso facto) acquired citizenship of another state by marrying a citizen of that state;
- He or she a person adopted by a citizen (citizens) of the Republic of Lithuania before reaching the age of 18, having acquired citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania as a result;
- He or she is a person – a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania, provided he or she had been adopted by a citizen (citizens) of another state before he or she turned 18 and has acquired citizenship of another state as a result;
- Has acquired citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania by way of exception, being a citizen of another state;
- He or she is a person who has retained citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania or to whom citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania has been restored because of his or her outstanding merits to the State of Lithuania;
- Has acquired citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania while having refugee status in the Republic of Lithuania.
Written by Senior Associate Kamila Ratkevič
