Argentina was one of the main destinations of Lithuanian emigration between the world wars. Today their descendants – from Buenos Aires and Berisso to Córdoba and Rosario – are restoring Lithuanian citizenship and with it EU citizenship. If your ancestor was a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania before June 15, 1940, you may be eligible too.
Lithuanians in Argentina
Official statistics record 16,794 emigrants from Lithuania to Argentina between 1920 and 1940. Many found work in the meat-packing plants of Berisso near La Plata, which became one of the best-known centres of the Lithuanian community in South America. According to official Lithuanian data, 351 Argentine citizens had their Lithuanian citizenship reinstated in 2024. Read more about the history of Lithuanian emigration.
Can You Keep Your Argentine Citizenship?
Lithuania allows dual citizenship for descendants of Lithuanian citizens who left before March 11, 1990, and Argentines can hold another citizenship. See Lithuanian dual citizenship.
Argentine Records That Help Your Case
- Birth and marriage certificates (actas / partidas) from the Civil Registry for every generation.
- Arrival records – the CEMLA database of arrivals at the port of Buenos Aires and the certificate of arrival (certificado de arribo) from the Dirección Nacional de Migraciones.
- Naturalisation and identity records, which may state the person’s nationality.
- Documents brought from Lithuania – interwar passports kept by families.
Apostille in Argentina
Argentine public documents can be apostilled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Cancillería) online through the TAD (Trámites a Distancia) platform, or in person at the provincial Colegio de Escribanos. After the apostille, documents are translated into Lithuanian.
Typical Challenges for Argentine Families
- Spanish spellings of Lithuanian names – different spellings can usually be explained with additional records.
- Nationality recorded as “Russian” or “Polish” in some Argentine records – citizenship has to be established from Lithuanian sources.
- Missing Lithuanian documents – often available in the Lithuanian archives.
How the Process Works
- Free assessment of your family history and documents.
- Archive search in Lithuania and collection of Argentine records.
- Apostilles, translations and application to the Lithuanian Migration Department.
- Decision – typically 10–12 months.
Most cases can be handled remotely, in Spanish or English. The total cost usually ranges from approximately 800 to 1,800 EUR.
Frequently Asked Questions
My great-grandfather worked in Berisso. Can I qualify?
Can I apostille documents online?
Do I need to speak Lithuanian?
Check Your Eligibility
Answer three quick questions below, or book a free 15-minute consultation. Tell us what you know about your Lithuanian ancestor and which documents your family already has – we will tell you whether your case looks viable and what to request next.
Check if you are eligible to reinstate Lithuanian citizenship
Answer 4 short questions about your Lithuanian ancestor and get a personal assessment with the next steps for your case.
- About 1 minute
- Anonymous
- No sign-up
- Prepared by Lithuanian lawyers