[ESTABLISHING A BUSINESS ENTITY IN LITHUANIA] 323
another EU Member State or a third state). The acquired right of permanent residence in the Republic of Lithuania shall be lost upon departure from the country for a period exceeding two consecutive years. The same rights and requirements are vested to the citizens of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Member States (Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein). 4.4.2 Visa Requirements Citizens of certain countries may enter Lithuania without a visa. A list of these countries may be found on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs www.urm.lt. Visa types are a Schengen visa and a National visa. Schengen visas may be single-entry, dual-entry and multiple-entry visas. National visas shall be single-entry (issued to an alien who has been granted a temporary or permanent residence permit to formalize the permit) and multiple-entry visas (issued, for example, to students, artists, sportsmen, posted employees, etc.). Documents for the issuance of a visa are to be submitted to a diplomatic mission or a consular post of the Republic of Lithuania abroad or in certain cases to a diplomatic mission or a consular post of another Schengen State representing the Republic of Lithuania abroad. Documents for the issuance of a National visa in certain cases may also be submitted to Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Šiauliai or Panevėžys territorial divisions of the Migration department if the foreigner is staying in Lithuania legally. Foreigners who come to Lithuania on a visa- free basis with national or Schengen visas and residence permits issued by other EU Member States are not allowed to work in Lithuania. Such foreigners must obtain a
temporary residence permit issued by the Migration Department. 4.4.3 Residence Permits A foreigner could get the temporary or permanent residence permit to live in the Republic of Lithuania. The temporary residence permit is issued to a foreigner who is a citizen of a non-EU Member State. The temporary residence permit to live in the Republic of Lithuania may be issued for a period of one to three years, depending on the grounds of issuance of the temporary residence permit, among them employment, owning a business, studying and family reunification. The permanent residence permit may be issued among other grounds after living for 5 years in the Republic of Lithuania with the temporary residence permit, subject to passing the Lithuanian language exam and the exam of the basics of the Lithuanian Constitution. The permanent residence permit is valid for a maximum period of 5 years. After this period, the permit shall be renewed. Posted employees or seasonal employment – a foreigner of a non-EU Member State, must also obtain a work permit to be issued under a separate procedure when applying for the national visa on the grounds of employment. The work permit is not necessary in certain cases including those when such foreigner establishes a company, becomes a co-owner of it and becomes a CEO, or a shareholder holding not less than 1/3 of the authorised capital of the company. The company should meet the special requirements: (i) the company must operate at least six months; (ii) the company must have employees who are citizens of the Republic of Lithuania or has permanent residence permit to live in the Republic of
ILN Corporate Group – Establishing a Business Entity Series
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