Civic information

Party system

The Lithuanian party system can be defined as a multi-party system where one dominant party may emerge from time to time.

At the moment, there are a few main parties, such as the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania, the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats, Union of Democrats “For Lithuania”, Liberals Movement, the Freedom Party, Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union.

Also, recently there has been a wave of committees being established, as more politicians have decided not to belong to any party movement.

Elections in Lithuania

There are four types of elections in Lithuania: Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, Presidential, Municipal and European Parliament. Voting age: 18

Every four years.

Held in October.

141 Parliament members.

Election of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania

To be elected to Parliament, candidates must be over 21 years old.

After the election results are in, the majority forms the government, which is composed of the Prime Minister acting as its head and a cabinet of 14 ministers (the country’s executive body).

Presidential Election

Every five years.

No longer than for two consecutive presidential terms.

Two months before a term ends, the Seimas announces the exact date of the next election.

To be elected President, candidates must be over 40 years old.

Municipal Council Election

Every four years. Mayor and Council are elected directly.

To be elected to Council, candidates must be over 18 years old.

European Parliament Election

Every five years throughout the European Union under universal suffrage.

Citizens of another EU country have the right to vote and stand as a candidate in both Municipal and European Elections under the same conditions as Lithuanian nationals.

Getting married

All foreigners (18 and older with a residence permit) can register their civil marriage in Lithuania. To do this, we have a very unique place – Metrikacijos rūmai (K. Kalinausko st. 21). Every Vilnietis most likely knows where it is and many of our parents and grandparents had their ceremonies there! Of course, if you’re not feeling it or have a special place in mind for your special day, you can tie the knot there by filling out a request in advance. For more information, please visit vestuves.vilnius.lt

For those wishing to get married in Lithuania, they must fill out the required forms and submit them along with their passport, birth certificate and other required documents to the Civil Registry Office (vilnius.lt). The application is submitted to the Registry Office where one of the future spouses or their parents have declared their place of residence.

Important note: Marriages are registered at least one month after the date of filing the application.

Lithuanian citizenship by marriage

If your spouse is a Lithuanian citizen and you are a citizen of a foreign state, you can be issued a temporary or permanent residence permit in Lithuania. You can also apply for Lithuanian citizenship after seven years of permanent residence with your spouse in Lithuania.

(Source: Civil Registry)

Same-sex partnership

In 2019, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania adopted a resolution stating that the constitutional concept of a family is gender neutral. With this said, same-sex partnerships legally established in other countries allow for the obtaining of a temporary residence permit in Lithuania on the basis of family reunification.

Church marriage

There are no restrictions on church weddings, but it is necessary to complete the civil procedure above to obtain an official marriage certificate. Church marriages between Lithuanians and foreigners are regulated by church canons and it is best to discuss the process with the church of your choice.

Volunteering – giving back to the community

There are many ways to help those in need, and one of them is through volunteering.

There are a few main organisations you can join and devote your time to, not only during the holiday season or a crisis. Choose from a vast variety of organisations operating in the fields of elderly care, homelessness, abandoned child care and many more!

Some of the main organisations to choose from:

• Lietuvos Raudonasis Kryžius

• Gelbėkit vaikus

• Maisto bankas

• Lietuvos Caritas

• Maltos Ordino Pagalbos Tarnyba

Join foreigner communities here live or online:

• Foreigners in Vilnius

• International Women’s Association of Vilnius

• Girl Gone International

• Expats in Vilnius

• Balturca Culture Academy

• Social Educational Initiatives Centre PLUS

In Case of Emergency

If you find yourself in an emergency situation, you can call Lithuania’s national Emergency Response Centre (112) and receive assistance in English. This emergency line can connect you to the police, emergency medical services, fire and rescue services, and environmental protection services, depending on your need.

Vilnius LIVE

Vilnius at night

Partying and letting loose at night in Vilnius is safe, but like anywhere else, it can get overwhelming. The best thing to do when getting acquainted with the city’s nightlife is joining a local or expat who has been here for a while.

Oh, and there are special night busses to get you home safe – they’re marked with the letter N.

Longer nights mean longer parties! Once the sun sets, the stage for nightlife in Vilnius is set. Be it a pub crawl, dancing until dawn or just a perfect night out on the town, Vilnius is a city buzzing with people, chatter and fun. Join the party because everyone’s invited. Wondering what to expect?

Check out our list: govilnius.lt

Islandijos Triangle (where Vilnius Street meets Islandijos Street) is the most famous and crowded nightlife area in Vilnius. If you want something low-key, try quieter restaurants and bars for a late-night cocktail hour!

City festivals not to miss out on

Vilnius’ city festivals vibe with everyone. Whether you’re looking for something musical to feed your boho soul or something more traditional, Vilnius has it! Here is the list of CAN’T MISS events: govilnius.lt

Something is always happening in Vilnius – every day, every week, every month – and you will never get lonely! Bookmark this page as your go-to activity search page and enjoy numerous outings with your friends or alone! vilnius-events.lt

Towards firework-free holidays

Vilnius has adopted a resolution by which we have committed to create an alternative to fireworks for city holidays and important occasions, and especially for New Year’s. In this way, we aim to reduce both the air pollution caused by fireworks and the stress their noise causes residents, birds and pets. More impressive laser and light shows ahead!

Pickpocketing and scams

The risk of being robbed or scammed in Vilnius is relatively low, but everyone should nevertheless exercise the same caution they would when visiting crowded areas in any other city. Being vigilant and keeping valuables like cameras and smartphones out of the reach of potential pickpockets is always a good idea

A common scam among taxis is to unfairly raise prices for unsuspecting customers. To avoid falling victim to this, it’s best to use an app (like Bolt or Uber) to plan your taxi trips and ensure you pay a fair price.

Cultural adventures await!

Eager to see and experience EVERYTHING? It might be a challenge, but where there’s a challenge , there’s always a solution!

Browse the cultural attractions of Vilnius (govilnius.lt/visit-vilnius/vilnius-pass-attractions), add your favourites and visit them all with just one ticket – the VILNIUS PASS

World class cuisine to die for!

Art in a spoon, blind dinners, dinners in the sky, business lunches that offer international flavours – all to delight the tastebuds of Vilnius’ citizens and guests. There’s a lot to choose from and trust us – it will take ages to try it all!

Vilnius Coffee Crawl

Did you know? Archival sources reveal that residents of Vilnius started drinking coffee in the early to mid-17th century. Lucky for coffee lovers who make a ritual of their favourite warm drink and care about where and what kind of coffee they drink, Vilnius is packed with cafes: take your time and unwind over a cup of the world’s best flavours: Vilnius Coffee Crawl | Go Vilnius

Top things you didn’t know you can do in Vilnius

Active Vilnius

Are you up for kayaking through the city centre? Want to see Vilnius from a hot-air balloon? No problem! And don’t think that Vilnius is only beautiful in summer – join the national mushroom hunt in autumn or go skiing at Liepkalnis, which is only 10 minutes away from the city centre. Discover what Vilnius has to offer for those that can’t stay still: govilnius.lt

TV tower walk above the sky (tvbokstas.lt)

Vilnius TV Tower invites you to one of the most memorable adventures! After a short brief, you’ll be ready to experience the windy freedom at a height of 170 metres. Breath-taking views and unforgettable experiences in the sky are guaranteed!

The Lithuanian Sauna experience

Usually, Lithuanians tend to enjoy a very hot sauna with a very cold lake! But for those living in the city, this isn’t always so easy. But for every challenge, there’s a solution!

Enjoy public saunas with all their perks right in city centre!

• Ivãnas Muša Gongã

• Garo fabrikas

Extra bonus free of charge – walking !

Vilnius is a perfect place to contribute to saving the planet by simply walking everywhere! What do we mean? Check this out: govilnius.lt

A perfect combo for those counting steps: walk the 15 (Home - #walk15) and 100-kilometre trails (Vilnius 100km – Takas aplink Vilnių) around Vilnius!

Vilnius Tourist Information Centre (TIC) is an excellent adviser how to have a great time in Vilnius!

By visiting TIC you will: learn about the best places of interest, museums, cultural events and entertainment receive a free map of Vilnius have a chance to acquire the Vilnius Pass, publications about the city, and various souvenirs receive useful tips where to shop or eat get tourism information from the terminals or use the free Wi-Fi.

Cool off at the public city beaches during the hot summer days! Also, the pier above the Neris river right by the Baltas tiltas is the go-to place if you just can’t wait!

Visit us at Pilies str. 2 (restaurant Grey)

Our working hours are:

Monday-Sunday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Lunch break: 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.)

We don’t say goodbye, we say see you soon!

We never want to see you leave, but we understand that sometimes life makes our paths turn 180 degrees. For some, it might be a few months and for others – until next time!

If that day comes and you have your bags packed, we invite you to share your story with us and share let us know why you decided to leave our beloved Vilnius (hello@ihvilnius.lt)

Before you leave, don’t forget to declare your departure (at the Municipality office or Lithuanian embassy). Read more: Declaring departure from Lithuania

Both of these must be done by EU citizens and all foreigners with a permanent residence permit who leave for longer than six months. We strongly recommend you do so to avoid accumulating PSD debt. To read about it more: Declaring departure from Lithuania

This guidebook was made with the support of:

investlithuania.com govilnius.lt

Want to know when the next best event for the international community in Vilnius is taking place?

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