Lithuania Approves Entry Ban for Foreigners and Overhauls Asylum Procedures

Lithuania’s Legislative Amendments on Migration and Asylum

According to Укрінформ — Мігранти: The Lithuanian government has given the green light to a set of legal amendments designed to align national policy with the EU’s Pact on Asylum and Migration. Drafted by the country’s Ministry of the Interior, these changes now await approval from the Seimas (parliament). Among the key measures is a prohibition on foreign nationals entering Lithuania under certain EU procedures, alongside the introduction of new terminology that will replace the terms ‘refugee’ and ‘asylum’.

Core Provisions of the Amendments

Under the proposed rules, foreigners will be housed in designated inspection centers without the freedom to move around Lithuania. Screening will be carried out by the State Border Guard Service and the Reception and Integration Agency. The ministers of interior and social security and labor will be tasked with defining specific roles during the screening process. The amendments also introduce a revised vocabulary:

• asylum seekers will now be referred to as ‘applicants’;
• the process will be called a ‘request for international protection’.

Additionally, Lithuania will contribute €1.14 million to the EU’s solidarity reserve, with payment due by the end of the first quarter of 2027. The country has also agreed to take in 58 migrants currently located in Cyprus. A government decision from December 2025 stated that Lithuania will receive half of these migrants and pay for the other half. Furthermore, the deadline for submitting assessments regarding a foreigner’s potential threat has been extended from 28 to 42 calendar days.

Lithuania’s Interior Minister, Vladislav Kondratovich, announced that ‘a request will be made to fast-track the approval of the proposed rules,’ adding that he hopes Parliament will adopt them by June.

According to the Migration Department, as of May, over 218,000 foreigners held valid residence permits in Lithuania.

These developments mark a significant step in Lithuania’s ongoing efforts to bring its national legislation in line with EU migration and asylum standards. The changes are expected to reshape how international protection claims are processed and how migrants are accommodated, reflecting Lithuania’s commitment to a unified European approach. They also underscore the country’s drive to enhance security and control amid rising migration challenges across Europe.

As Lithuania implements these significant changes to its asylum procedures, the situation along its border remains tense. Recently, authorities discovered an underground tunnel from Belarus, which was used by 38 illegal migrants attempting to enter the country. This incident underscores the ongoing challenges Lithuania faces in managing migration and securing its borders amidst the new legislative framework.