Lithuania’s 2025 Migration Yearbook provides a detailed overview of developments in visa issuance, residence permits and migration-related administrative decisions, reflecting evolving migration patterns and policy priorities. The report shows that a total of 38,853 visa decisions were issued in 2025, including more than 36,000 Schengen visas and over 2,600 national visas. Refusals remained relatively limited in comparison, with just over 6,000 applications rejected.
In recent years, the structure of visa issuance has shifted significantly. While Schengen visas have steadily increased, national visas have declined sharply compared to earlier years, indicating changes in migration management and entry pathways.
National visas in 2025 were primarily issued for education and employment-related purposes. The largest share went to students participating in exchange programmes, followed by seasonal workers and professional athletes, highlighting the continued role of labour and education mobility in Lithuania’s migration system.
The report also points to the growing diversity of applicants. Visa requests and residence permit applications came from a wide range of countries, with particularly high numbers from countries such as Ukraine, Belarus, Uzbekistan, and several Central and South Asian states.
Residence permits remain a central component of Lithuania’s migration framework. In 2025, large numbers of applications were submitted for temporary residence permits, particularly for employment purposes. Ukrainian nationals accounted for the largest share, followed by applicants from countries including Uzbekistan, Belarus, India, and Tajikistan.
The data also indicate a continued reliance on labour migration, with many permits linked to work-related activities in sectors experiencing labour shortages. At the same time, authorities processed a significant number of permit modifications and renewals, reflecting longer-term stays and evolving migration trajectories.
Overall, the yearbook illustrates a migration system characterised by increasing administrative complexity, diversified flows and a strong connection to labour market needs, while also reflecting ongoing adjustments in visa and residence policies.
- Migration Department | Migracijos Departamentas (8 April, 2026), Migracijos Departamentas Prie Lietuvos Respublikos Vidaus Reikalų Ministerijos 2025 M. Migracijos Metraštis [Migration Department Under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania 2025 Migration Yearbook],