Lithuanian Citizenship for Americans: Which US Documents You Need

Millions of Americans have Lithuanian roots. Many of their ancestors arrived at Ellis Island, Baltimore or Philadelphia between the 1890s and the 1930s, settled in Chicago, Pennsylvania, New England or New York, and never spoke much about the “old country”. Today, a growing number of their descendants are restoring Lithuanian citizenship – and with it, citizenship of the European Union – while keeping their US citizenship.

The key to a successful case is evidence. You must show that your ancestor was a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania before June 15, 1940, that you descend from that person, and – for dual citizenship – that your ancestor left Lithuania before March 11, 1990. A surprising amount of that evidence can be found in American records. This guide explains which US documents matter, where to get them and how to prepare them for the Lithuanian Migration Department.

1. Your Own Family Line: Birth and Marriage Certificates

Every case starts with the chain of generations between you and your Lithuanian ancestor. In practice this means:

• your birth certificate;
• the birth certificate of each parent and grandparent in the line leading to the Lithuanian citizen;
• marriage certificates where a surname changed (for example, a grandmother who took her husband’s name).

In the US these are state records. Order certified long-form copies from the vital records office of the state where the event took place – short “abstract” versions often omit parents’ names, which is exactly the information that links the generations.

2. Naturalization Records: Often the Strongest US Evidence

When your ancestor became a US citizen, the paperwork usually recorded his or her nationality before naturalization. Documents such as the Declaration of Intention, the Petition for Naturalization and the Certificate of Naturalization may state that the person renounced allegiance to Lithuania, list the place of birth and give the date of arrival in the United States.

Two sources are worth checking:

• Court records. Naturalizations took place in federal, state and county courts. Many federal court records are held by the National Archives (NARA); others remain with county courts or state archives.
• The USCIS Genealogy Program. USCIS keeps Naturalization Certificate Files (C-Files) for naturalizations between September 27, 1906 and March 31, 1956, as well as Visa Files (1924–1944) and Registry Files (1929–1944). You first request an index search, then the record itself. Many older Alien Files (A-Files) and the 1940–1944 Alien Registration Forms (AR-2) are now available through NARA.

Naturalization records are also important for dual citizenship: they help show when your ancestor left Lithuania and became American.

3. Arrival and Travel Records

Passenger lists from the ship that brought your ancestor to America frequently include nationality, last place of residence and sometimes a passport number. A passenger who travelled in the 1920s or 1930s with a Lithuanian passport is a strong lead, because that passport was issued only to citizens of the Republic of Lithuania.

4. Supporting US Records: Census, Draft Cards and Alien Registration

These documents rarely prove Lithuanian citizenship on their own, but they help to fill gaps and confirm identity:

• US Census records (especially 1920, 1930 and 1940) – country of birth, year of immigration and naturalization status;
• World War I and World War II draft registration cards – place of birth and nationality;
• Alien Registration Forms (AR-2, 1940–1944) – detailed personal data for non-citizens living in the US at the time.

Lithuanian courts have accepted indirect evidence of this kind when direct proof is missing – see our analysis of a Supreme Court of Lithuania ruling on indirect evidence.

5. Records From Lithuania Itself

US documents usually work best in combination with records from the Lithuanian archives: interwar passports, internal passports, military service files, voter lists or civil registry entries noting that the person was a Lietuvos pilietis (citizen of Lithuania). We explain these in detail in how to prove your ancestor’s Lithuanian citizenship before 1940. If you have no Lithuanian documents at home, an archival search is often the next step.

6. Apostille and Translation

US documents must be legalized before Lithuanian authorities will accept them. Because both countries are parties to the Hague Convention, this is done with an apostille:

• state-issued documents (birth, marriage and death certificates, state court records) – apostille from the Secretary of State of the issuing state;
• federal documents (for example, certified copies from USCIS or NARA) – apostille from the US Department of State, Office of Authentications.

After the apostille, documents are translated into Lithuanian. Read more in our guide to the apostille in the United States.

7. Common Problems – and Why They Are Usually Solvable

• Different spellings of names. Lithuanian names were often anglicized or misspelled on arrival. Inconsistent spellings are common and can usually be explained with additional records.
• “Russia” or “Poland” as 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. That is why older US records often give the country of birth as “Russia”. This does not end a case, but the facts must be analyzed carefully – especially when the ancestor emigrated before Lithuania’s independence.
• Missing documents. A gap in one generation can often be bridged with other records, such as baptismal certificates, obituaries or census entries.

Do You Need to Travel to Lithuania?

In most cases, no. US documents can be ordered, apostilled and sent from the United States, and the case can be prepared and handled remotely. Once citizenship is restored, the Lithuanian passport can be applied for through a Lithuanian embassy or consulate.

Check Your Eligibility

For the full picture for US families – dual citizenship, apostilles, timeline and costs – see our page on Lithuanian citizenship for Americans.

Every family history is different, and the right combination of US and Lithuanian evidence depends on your ancestor’s story. Start with our free eligibility check, or book a free 15-minute consultation – we will review what you already have and tell you which documents to request next.