Most Lithuanian-Australian families trace their story to the years after World War II, when refugees who could not return to Soviet-occupied Lithuania were resettled in Australia. If your parent or grandparent was a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania before June 15, 1940, you may be able to restore Lithuanian citizenship and become an EU citizen.
Lithuanians in Australia
From 1947, Australia accepted displaced persons from refugee camps in Europe, and Lithuanians were among the early arrivals. Many passed through migrant reception centres such as Bonegilla before settling in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and other cities. According to official Lithuanian data, 44 Australian citizens had their Lithuanian citizenship reinstated in 2024.
Can You Keep Your Australian Citizenship?
Yes, in most descent cases. Lithuania allows dual citizenship for descendants of Lithuanian citizens who left before March 11, 1990, and Australia permits multiple citizenship. See Lithuanian dual citizenship.
Australian Records That Help Your Case
- Full birth and marriage certificates from the state or territory Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
- Naturalisation records held by the National Archives of Australia, which holds Commonwealth citizenship records from 1904. Files can be searched in RecordSearch.
- Post-war migrant selection and arrival documents for displaced persons, also held by the National Archives of Australia – these often record nationality and place of birth.
- Refugee documents from displaced persons camps that families brought with them.
Apostille in Australia
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), through the Australian Passport Office, is the only authority that apostilles Australian public documents. After the apostille, documents are translated into Lithuanian.
Typical Challenges for Australian Families
- Children of post-war refugees sometimes do not know where in Lithuania their parents came from – archival research can usually find out.
- Different spellings of names in camp, ship and Australian records.
- Ancestors born after 1940: what matters is that the Lithuanian ancestor in your line held citizenship before June 15, 1940.
How the Process Works
- Free assessment of your family history and documents.
- Archive search in Lithuania and collection of Australian records.
- Apostilles, translations and application to the Lithuanian Migration Department.
- Decision – typically 10–12 months.
Most cases can be handled remotely. The total cost usually ranges from approximately 800 to 1,800 EUR.
Frequently Asked Questions
My grandparents arrived in Australia as displaced persons. Can I qualify?
Where can I find my grandparents’ arrival records?
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.
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