Hundreds of thousands of Americans descend from Lithuanians who arrived at Ellis Island, Baltimore or Philadelphia. If your parent, grandparent or great-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 – without giving up your US citizenship.
Americans Restoring Lithuanian Citizenship
According to official Lithuanian data, 344 citizens of the United States had their Lithuanian citizenship reinstated in 2024 alone. Between 1920 and 1940, the United States was the single largest destination of Lithuanian emigrants, with 30,869 people recorded – and that is on top of the large waves of emigration before World War I and after World War II. Read more about the history of Lithuanian emigration.
Can You Keep Your US Citizenship?
Yes, in most descent cases. Lithuanian law allows dual citizenship for descendants of Lithuanian citizens who left Lithuania before March 11, 1990. The United States does not require you to give up US citizenship when you acquire another nationality. See our guide to Lithuanian dual citizenship.
American Records That Help Your Case
- Birth and marriage certificates for every generation – ordered as certified long-form copies from the state vital records office.
- Naturalization records – Declaration of Intention, Petition and Certificate of Naturalization, held by courts, the National Archives (NARA) and the USCIS Genealogy Program (C-Files for 1906–1956).
- Passenger lists showing nationality and, for 1920s–1930s arrivals, sometimes a Lithuanian passport number.
- Census records, WWI/WWII draft cards and Alien Registration Forms (1940–1944) as supporting evidence.
We explain each record type in detail in Lithuanian Citizenship for Americans: Which US Documents You Need.
Apostille in the United States
State documents (birth, marriage, death certificates) are apostilled by the Secretary of State of the issuing state; federal documents (for example certified copies from USCIS or NARA) by the US Department of State, Office of Authentications. After the apostille, documents are translated into Lithuanian. See our apostille guide.
Typical Challenges for American Families
- “Russia” as the country of birth. Before Lithuania restored its independence in 1918, its territory was occupied – by the Russian Empire until 1915 and by Germany from 1915 to 1918 – so older US records often say “Russia”. The key question is whether your ancestor later held citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania.
- Anglicized names. Names were often shortened or spelled phonetically. Different spellings can usually be explained with additional records.
- No Lithuanian documents at home. Interwar passports, military records and civil registry entries can often be found in the Lithuanian archives.
How the Process Works
- Free assessment of your family history and the documents you have.
- Archive search in Lithuania and collection of US records.
- Apostilles, translations and application to the Lithuanian Migration Department.
- Decision – typically 10–12 months. Then you can apply for a Lithuanian passport at a Lithuanian embassy or consulate in the US.
Most cases can be handled remotely, without travelling to Lithuania. The total cost usually ranges from approximately 800 to 1,800 EUR, depending on the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
My ancestor came to the US before 1918. Can I still qualify?
Do I need to speak Lithuanian?
Can my children also get Lithuanian citizenship?
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