I'm an EU citizen coming for one semester. Do I need a visa?

No. EU/EFTA citizens can enter and study in Lithuania visa-free for up to one academic year. If your stay exceeds three months you must obtain a temporary residence certificate from the Migration Department and declare your address.

I already have a student residence permit from another EU country. Do I need a Lithuanian visa?

No. If your permit or study visa is from another EU Member State and you come under an EU-funded mobility programme (such as Erasmus+) or an inter-university agreement, you can study in Lithuania for up to 360 days without a Lithuanian visa. You may also work.

Do exchange students pay the visa state fee?

Exchange students are generally exempt from the national visa state fee (as of 2026 — confirm with your international office and on migracija.lt). You'll still pay the external service provider's (VFS) handling fee where one applies.

How long does the national D visa take?

Usually within 15 calendar days of submitting the application, extendable to up to 45 days. Apply well before you travel — your university's mediation/EPIS number must be in the MIGRIS system first.

What happens if I don't declare my address?

Failing to declare your place of residence can lead to administrative liability. Most students must declare within one month of receiving their permit/certificate, or on arrival if registering through the Migration Department.

Exchange students: visa & registration in Lithuania

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change — confirm anything important with the official source linked below and your university's international office.

The path depends entirely on your passport. EU/EFTA citizens enter visa-free; non-EU citizens usually need a national D visa before arrival; and if you already hold a student residence permit from another EU country, you may not need a Lithuanian visa at all. Here's each route.

This guide is for Erasmus and other exchange (mobility) students staying one or two semesters. Non-EU students coming for a full degree follow a different route (temporary residence permit), not the one below.

EU / EFTA citizens: no visa, but register if you stay over 3 months

If you're a citizen of the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, you can enter Lithuania and study for up to one academic year without any visa or permit.

What you do depends on length of stay:

Up to 3 months — nothing to arrange. Bring your EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) for healthcare.
More than 3 months — you must obtain a temporary residence certificate from the Migration Department within three months of entering Lithuania, then declare your address.

The certificate state fee is around €8.60–€10 and it's typically issued within one month (as of 2026 — confirm on migracija.lt). You'll need your university's confirmation of student status, your passport or national ID, proof of sufficient funds, and health insurance cover.

The 3-month clock starts on arrival

Apply for the certificate before the three months are up, not after your studies end. Booking the appointment online early is the easy way to stay inside the window.

Non-EU citizens: the national (D) visa

If you're from outside the EU/EFTA, you almost always need a national long-term (D) visa before you travel. It's issued for the purpose of studies and lets you stay up to one year. Note that exchange students take the D visa route, not the temporary residence permit that full-degree students use.

Apply online through the MIGRIS system, then submit biometrics and documents in person at a Lithuanian embassy/consulate or an external service provider (VFS).

Typical documents:

A passport valid for the whole visa period (often required to have several months' spare validity)
Your university's mediation letter / EPIS number (the international office files this for you)
Proof of funds — see €576.50unverified per month, plus a return-travel guarantee
Health insurance covering at least €30,000 across the Schengen area, including emergency care and repatriation
Acceptance/invitation letter from your Lithuanian university

Detail	National (D) visa for exchange students
Where to apply	MIGRIS online, then embassy/consulate or VFS
Decision time	Within 15 calendar days, up to 45 (as of 2026 — confirm)
Maximum stay	Up to 1 year, not renewable
Health insurance	≥ €30,000, Schengen-wide
State fee	Exchange students generally exempt (confirm)

Submit and collect in the same place

You normally cannot submit your application abroad and collect the visa in Lithuania. Use the same external service provider for both steps, and apply early — processing plus appointment waits can eat several weeks. Figures, fees and exemptions change: confirm the current rules on migracija.lt before you rely on them.

Already have a residence permit from another EU country? The 360-day rule

There's a useful shortcut. If you hold a valid student residence permit or study visa from another EU Member State and you're coming under an EU-funded mobility programme (Erasmus+ counts) or an agreement between universities, you can study in Lithuania for up to 360 days without a Lithuanian visa. You can also work during that time.

Your Lithuanian university may still need to notify the authorities about your mobility, so tell your international office that you're moving on an existing EU permit — don't assume nothing needs doing.

Declaring your place of residence

Whichever route you take, once you have the right to stay you must declare your address (deklaruoti gyvenamąją vietą). This is separate from the visa or certificate.

EU citizens usually declare when they collect their temporary residence certificate.
Non-EU students declare within one month of receiving their permit/certificate.

You declare at your local eldership (seniūnija) or, in Vilnius, through the municipality / International House Vilnius, and at the Migration Department in some cases. Dormitory residents need the dorm administration's consent; private renters need the landlord's details and proof of the address. You need a declared address for many everyday things — bank accounts, a personal code, some services.

Let your international office drive this

Every Lithuanian university's international office handles dozens of exchange students each intake. They know the current MIGRIS steps, the local migration office, and how to declare your address. Email them before you arrive and follow their checklist — it's the fastest, safest way through.

Quick comparison

Your situation	Before arrival	After arrival
EU/EFTA, ≤ 3 months	Nothing	Nothing
EU/EFTA, > 3 months	Nothing	Temporary residence certificate + declare address
Non-EU	National (D) visa via MIGRIS	Declare address
Permit from another EU country (Erasmus+)	Usually nothing	Notify university; declare address

Rules, fees and timelines for student mobility change and can differ between universities and migration offices. Always confirm the current requirements with your Lithuanian international office and on migracija.lt before you act.