Lithuanian citizenship vs permanent residence permit: which exams

Short answer: Lithuanian citizenship and the permanent residence permit (leidimas nuolat gyventi) require exactly the same two exams – the state language exam at category I (A2) and the Constitution basics exam. What differs is everything around the exams: how long you must have lived in Lithuania, whether you can keep your current citizenship, the oath and the fees.

That is why most people sit the Constitution basics exam for the permanent residence permit first and only think about citizenship years later. Below is a side-by-side comparison of the two routes, the constitutional rules behind them and answers to the questions expats ask most.

Citizenship vs permanent residence permit: the key differences

Both routes lead to a stable, long-term status in Lithuania, but they rest on different laws. The permanent residence permit is governed by Article 53(6) of the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens; citizenship by naturalisation is governed by Article 18 of the Citizenship Law.

Criterion	Permanent residence permit	Citizenship (naturalisation)
Years of residence	Usually 5 years of continuous lawful residence on temporary permits	10 years of lawful continuous residence
Exams required	State language (category I, A2) and Constitution basics	The same two exams
Exempt from exams	Aged 65+; disability group I or II; severe chronic mental illness	The same exemptions
Other citizenship	Not an issue – you remain a citizen of your own country	Generally you may not hold another citizenship, with exceptions defined by law
Legal source of income	See the conditions on migracija.lt	Required
Oath	None	Oath to the Republic of Lithuania
State fee (2026)	€160 standard, €320 urgent	Check migracija.lt
Processing time	45 days to 3 months	Check migracija.lt
Validity	5 years, renewable	Indefinite
Where to apply	MIGRIS (migracija.lt)	Migration Department (migracija.lt)

The takeaway: the exams do not differ. What differs is the waiting time – 5 or 10 years – and what the state asks in return. Citizenship comes with an oath and, in most cases, giving up your previous citizenship.

The Constitution basics exam is identical for both routes

There is no separate "citizenship exam" and "permit exam". The National Agency for Education (NŠA) runs one Constitution basics exam under one programme, and the certificate it issues is the same whichever purpose you sat it for.

• A written test of 20 questions, each with 3 answer options and exactly one correct answer.
• You pass with 14 or more correct answers (70%).
• The exam is in Lithuanian only, and no reference materials are allowed.
• Questions are drawn from all chapters of the Constitution – from the foundations of the state to the procedure for amending it.
• You register through the Migration Department's MIGRIS system at migracija.lt no later than 15 calendar days before the exam date.
• The fee in 2026 is €21 (confirm the current amount on the portal); the state language exam costs €52.
• Exams take place at base schools in municipalities across Lithuania, and the school hands out the certificate within 3 working days.

Because the permit needs 5 years of residence and citizenship needs 10, almost everyone sits the exam for the permit first. The full procedure is in our exam guide, and the permit itself is covered in Constitution exam for the permanent residence permit.

An oral exam is possible only for people who cannot write for objective reasons, such as a disability. For everyone else the exam is written.

The state language exam: category I (A2)

The second exam tests your Lithuanian. There are three categories: category I corresponds to A2, category II to B1 and category III to B2. Both the permanent residence permit and citizenship require category I, that is A2.

The language requirement has a constitutional basis. Article 14 is the shortest article in the whole text and comes up regularly in exam questions:

Article 14. The state language shall be Lithuanian. (14 straipsnis. Valstybinė kalba – lietuvių kalba.)

Many candidates take both exams in the same period. How to combine them is explained in Taking the Constitution and A2 language exams together.

What Article 12 of the Constitution says about citizenship

Citizenship appears in the exam programme (the chapter "The State of Lithuania") and matters directly to anyone planning naturalisation. Article 12 reads, in the original Lithuanian:

12 straipsnis. Lietuvos Respublikos pilietybė įgyjama gimstant ir kitais įstatymo nustatytais pagrindais. Išskyrus įstatymo numatytus atskirus atvejus, niekas negali būti kartu Lietuvos Respublikos ir kitos valstybės pilietis. Pilietybės įgijimo ir netekimo tvarką nustato įstatymas.

In plain English: citizenship is acquired by birth and on other grounds established by law; except in individual cases provided for by law, no one may be a citizen of both Lithuania and another state at the same time; and the procedure for acquiring and losing citizenship is set by law.

Three things follow. First, naturalisation is one of the "other grounds established by law". Second, the general rule is no dual citizenship – the exceptions are defined by law, not by the Constitution itself. Third, the detailed conditions live in the Citizenship Law.

Article 18 of the Citizenship Law requires 10 years of lawful continuous residence, a legal source of income, passed state language and Constitution basics exams (unless exempt) and an oath. Only a tiny number of people naturalise each year – the permanent residence permit is by far the more common reason to sit this exam.

For the exam, learn the neighbouring articles as well: Article 1 defines Lithuania as an independent democratic republic, and Article 2 states that the State is created by the Nation and sovereignty belongs to the Nation.

Who is exempt from the exams

The exemptions are the same on both routes. The following are exempt from both the state language and the Constitution basics exam:

• persons aged 65 and over;
• persons with a group I or II disability (severe or moderate);
• persons with a severe chronic mental illness.

If you fall into one of these groups, the supporting documents are submitted with your application through MIGRIS. In every other case the exams are mandatory.

Which order to follow: a practical plan

1. Count your years of lawful residence in Lithuania. If you are approaching 5 years, prepare for the permanent residence permit.
2. Register for the Constitution basics exam at migracija.lt and for the state language exam on NŠA's portal eksternams.nsa.smm.lt. Six Constitution exam dates are scheduled in 2026 – the dates are on the portal.
3. Start with free practice questions to gauge your level, then move on to full 20-question mock exams.
4. Once you have passed both exams, submit your permit application through migracija.lt.
5. Revisit citizenship when you reach 10 years – by then you will know whether you can and want to give up your current citizenship.

This order costs nothing extra: the exams are the same, so passing them early is never wasted effort.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use the certificate later for citizenship?

The certificate documents that you passed the exam, and it is the same document for both purposes. Whether it will be accepted years later with a citizenship application depends on the rules in force at that time – confirm the current validity rules with the Migration Department before you apply.

What if I fail?

You can retake the exam; there is no fixed limit on attempts. Each attempt needs a new registration and a new fee, so it pays to prepare properly the first time.

Do my children or spouse need the exams?

Exemptions and family cases are decided under the specific laws – the Citizenship Law or the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens – and depend on your situation. Check MIGRIS or ask the Migration Department for the answer that applies to your family.

Does the free exam on konstitucijosegzaminas.lt count?

No. That is an annual civic event organised by the Ministry of Justice around Constitution Day (25 October). It does not count for the permit or for citizenship – only the official NŠA exam does.

Which exam should I take first – language or Constitution?

The order is yours to choose. Many people take the Constitution basics exam first because its scope is clearly defined – 20 questions from one programme – while the language exam usually needs longer preparation.

You can start preparing today: try the free practice questions or get the full version with 184 questions, explanations and 20-question mock exams from €5.95.