Temporary residence permit for an alien intending to work as a lecturer or researcher
Residency route facts
Identity
| Official name (local) | Leidimo laikinai gyventi išdavimas užsieniečiui, kuris ketina dirbti kaip dėstytojas arba tyrėjas (49-2 straipsnis) as of 2026-07-01[3] Wording of the article (and, where given, the clause) of the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens that creates the ground. |
|---|---|
| Official name (English) | Temporary residence permit for an alien intending to work as a lecturer or researcher as of 2026-07-01[3] |
| Legal basis | Law on the Legal Status of Aliens No. IX-2206, art. 49-2, with the grounds provision at art. 40(1)(13) and the general conditions at art. 26 as of 2026-07-01[3] Consolidated text in force from 1 July 2026. Art. 49-2(3), (4) and (5) were amended by law No. XV-945 of 14 May 2026. |
| Instrument type | residence permit as of 2026-07-01[3] |
Who can apply
| Nationals not served by this route | EU, EEA, EFTA as of 2026-07-01[3] Chapter IV of the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens governs residence permits for third-country nationals. Citizens of EU, EEA and EFTA member states and their family members exercising the EU free-movement right reside under the Law's separate free-movement regime, so this ground is not open to them. |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | Not established from a qualifying source No minimum age is stated for this ground in the sources read. |
| Criminal-record condition | Not established from a qualifying source |
Permit terms
| Initial duration | 2 years as of 2026-07-01[3] Art. 49-2(3): the permit is issued for 2 years, or – where the lecturing or research work is to last less than 2 years – for a period 6 months longer than that work. |
|---|---|
| How the initial term is set | fixed |
| Renewable | Yes as of 2026-07-01[3] Art. 49-2(3): the permit may be changed if the alien continues research and experimental development work. |
| Renewal duration | 2 years as of 2026-07-01[3] Art. 49-2(3). |
| Maximum total duration | Not established from a qualifying source No aggregate ceiling is stated in art. 49-2. |
| Work rights | own activity only as of 2026-07-01[3] Art. 58(4) gives the holder the right to work, and art. 58(9) extends it to an alien coming to lecture or to carry out research under an employment or copyright contract with a science and studies institution. Art. 49-2(4): a lawfully present alien may begin work as a lecturer or researcher from the day the application is lodged, and a researcher may also work as a lecturer. Art. 49-2(5): on ceasing the work or on expiry of the contract the alien must leave Lithuania unless art. 11(2)-(5) applies or a permit is issued on another ground. |
Permanent residence and citizenship
| Counts toward permanent residence | Not established from a qualifying source Not sourced as a property of this ground; the country-level permanent-residence track applies. |
|---|
Requirements
| Job offer required | Yes as of 2026-07-01[3] Art. 49-2(1): an employment contract concluded with a science and studies institution. |
|---|---|
| Salary threshold |
|
| Labour-market test | Not established from a qualifying source The Law states no labour-market test on this ground. |
| Qualification requirement | degree as of 2026-07-01[3] Art. 49-2(6): documents must confirm that the science and studies institution wishing to host the researcher assessed the purpose and duration of the research and experimental development work and the alien's qualification, and that it has sufficient financial resources to carry the work out. The article states no free-standing degree condition for a lecturer; the qualification assessment sits with the institution. |
| Employer sponsorship | Yes as of 2026-07-01[3] Art. 49-2(7): the researcher's employment contract must state the title or purpose of the research and experimental development work, the alien's undertaking to carry it out, the research organisation's undertaking to host him, the start and end dates or expected duration, and information on expected mobility within one or more EU member states. Art. 49-2(8): a researcher must also submit any valid residence permit or national visa issued by another member state for research purposes. |
| Job-search route | No as of 2026-07-01[3] |
Process
| Where to apply from | either as of 2025-11-02[1] |
|---|---|
| Statutory processing time | Not established from a qualifying source |
| Fees | |
| Quota |
Physical presence
| maximum consecutive absence | 6 months · to keep the permit as of 2026-07-01[3] |
|---|
Family inclusion
| Family members may be included | Yes as of 2026-07-01[3] Art. 43(1)(2), (5) and (6) provide the family-reunification grounds. Art. 43(6)(2) or 43(6-1) exempts this ground from the two-year prior-residence condition in art. 43(6). Art. 43(6)(2) names the art. 40(1)(13) ground. |
|---|---|
| Eligible relations | spouse, registered partner, minor child, parent as of 2026-07-01[3] Union of the relations art. 43(1) names: spouse or registered partner (art. 43(1)(5)), a minor alien joining a parent or a parent's spouse (art. 43(1)(2)), and a first-degree direct ascendant relative of a permit holder (art. 43(1)(6)). Art. 43(7) requires both spouses or registered partners to be at least 21. |
| Family may apply at the same time | Yes as of 2026-07-01[3] Art. 40(6): a family member arriving to live with an alien who meets the art. 43(6) and 43(6-1) conditions may apply at the same time, the applications are examined together and decided at the same time, and the family member's permit runs for the same period. Art. 43(6)(2) names the art. 40(1)(13) ground. |
| Family members' work rights | full as of 2026-07-01[3] Art. 58(1): an alien who holds, or applies to change, a temporary residence permit issued on the art. 40(1)(3) family-reunification ground has the right to work in Lithuania. No separate work permit or employer undertaking is required. |
Your next step
Read the requirements above considering your own situation: the income multiple, the absence limits, who you can bring. Check the country record for the reference figure those amounts are calculated from, and for anything that has changed recently.
The next step is your own case. That assessment is legal work. Create profile for our assistance in this.
Profile benefits
- A 30-minute call with our consultant, who reads your profile first.
- An offer for legal support built around your case, covering the whole process.
Verification
| Sources cited | 3 |
|---|---|
| of which official (tier 1) | 3 |
| Oldest as-of date | 2024-07-11 |
| Newest as-of date | 2026-07-01 |
| Reviewed on | 2026-08-22 |
| Schema version | 1.1 |
Sources
- [1] Lietuvos Respublikos investicijų įstatymas (Law on Investments) No. VIII-1312, consolidated text in force from 2 November 2025
Lietuvos Respublikos Seimas (e-seimas.lrs.lt consolidated-law service) · statute · Tier 1 · Published 2025-11-02 · Accessed 2026-08-17 · Archived copy - [2] Valstybės rinkliavų sąrašas – Leidimai gyventi (state fee schedule for residence permits)
Migracijos departamentas prie Lietuvos Respublikos vidaus reikalų ministerijos · fee schedule · Tier 1 · Published 2024-07-11 · Accessed 2026-08-22 · Archived copy - [3] Lietuvos Respublikos įstatymas dėl užsieniečių teisinės padėties (Law on the Legal Status of Aliens) No. IX-2206, consolidated text in force 1 July 2026 – 31 October 2026
Lietuvos Respublikos Seimas (e-seimas.lrs.lt consolidated-law service) · statute · Tier 1 · Published 2026-07-01 · Accessed 2026-08-17