Israel is the country whose citizens restore Lithuanian citizenship more often than any other. Many Israeli families descend from Litvak Jews – citizens of interwar Lithuania who emigrated to Mandate Palestine or survived the war and later came to Israel. If your ancestor held Lithuanian citizenship before June 15, 1940, you may be eligible too.
Israelis Restoring Lithuanian Citizenship
According to official Lithuanian data, 1,120 Israeli citizens had their Lithuanian citizenship reinstated in 2024 – the largest group of any country. Official interwar statistics record 5,008 emigrants from Lithuania to Palestine between 1920 and 1940, most of them Jewish.
Can You Keep Your Israeli Citizenship?
Lithuania allows dual citizenship for descendants of Lithuanian citizens who left Lithuania before March 11, 1990, as well as for descendants of people who were exiled. Israeli law generally allows Israelis to hold another citizenship. Read more about Lithuanian dual citizenship.
Records That Help Your Case
- Israeli birth and marriage records from the Population and Immigration Authority, showing the link between generations.
- British Mandate-era immigration and naturalisation files – many are preserved in the Israel State Archives and may record the person’s former nationality.
- Documents brought from Lithuania – interwar Lithuanian passports, identity documents or school certificates kept by the family.
- Lithuanian archives – birth records of Jewish communities, residence registrations and passport applications from 1919–1940.
Apostille in Israel
Israel has two competent authorities: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs apostilles public documents issued by state authorities (such as birth and marriage certificates), while the Registrars of the Magistrates’ Courts apostille notarial documents such as notarised translations and powers of attorney. Documents are then translated into Lithuanian.
Typical Challenges for Israeli Families
- Hebrew names and changed surnames. Many immigrants hebraised their names. The link between the Lithuanian and the Israeli name has to be documented – this is common and usually solvable.
- Different transliterations of the same name in Lithuanian, Russian, Yiddish, Hebrew and English records.
- Ancestors who survived the Holocaust and left Lithuania after 1945: what matters is that they were Lithuanian citizens before June 15, 1940 and left before March 11, 1990.
How the Process Works
- Free assessment of your family history and documents.
- Archive search in Lithuania and collection of Israeli records.
- Apostilles, translations and application to the Lithuanian Migration Department.
- Decision – typically 10–12 months.
The process can usually be handled remotely. The total cost usually ranges from approximately 800 to 1,800 EUR.
Frequently Asked Questions
My grandparents changed their surname after arriving in Israel. Is that a problem?
Do I need to speak Lithuanian or pass an exam?
What if we have no documents from Lithuania at all?
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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