Can I Bring Family to Lithuania as a Student? 2026 Guide

Last updated: October 2026

Who can bring family to Lithuania while studying?

The answer depends on your level of study. Under Lithuania’s family reunification rules, master’s and doctoral (PhD) students are an exception to the usual waiting period, so their close family can apply to join them while they study. Go Vilnius, the city’s official development agency, lists foreigners studying for a master’s or PhD degree, and those who have completed a master’s or PhD in Lithuania, among the exceptions.

Bachelor’s students are not on that list. For most other residents, the general rule applies: the sponsor must have lived legally in Lithuania for at least two years, hold a permit valid for at least one more year, and have reasonable prospects of getting permanent residence. In practice, this means a bachelor’s student should not plan to bring family to Lithuania during the degree.

This difference surprises many people, so it is worth checking your offer letter carefully. A one-year or two-year master’s programme puts you in a very different position from a three-year or four-year bachelor’s degree. Here are the family reunification Lithuania student rules at a glance.

Can students bring family to Lithuania in their first year?

Master’s and PhD students do not have to wait two years, so the family application can follow once your own temporary residence permit (TRP) is in place. Recent legal guidance from Ecovis Lithuania, written after the May 2026 amendments, describes master’s students, doctoral candidates, medical residents and certain recent graduates as able to bring family members “immediately”. The usual order is still your permit first, then theirs, because the family permit is tied to yours.

Who counts as a family member?

When you bring family to Lithuania through family reunification, “family” has a narrow legal meaning. According to the European Commission’s EU Immigration Portal page for family members in Lithuania, the main categories are:

• Your spouse or registered partner. Where the sponsor holds a residence permit, both partners must generally be at least 21.
• Your unmarried children under 18.
• Parents, only in narrow cases where they depend on you and no other family member can support them.

An unmarried partner, a fiancé or fiancée, a sibling or a cousin will not qualify as a family member of a student. If you are engaged, it is usually simpler to marry before you apply, so that your marriage certificate can be properly legalised and translated in time. Do not assume your parents can join you on your student permit; ask the Migration Department before you promise anyone a move.

How the family permit works: spouse visa Lithuania explained

People often search for a “spouse visa Lithuania” route, but there is no separate spouse visa for students’ families. Your spouse and children each apply for their own temporary residence permit on the basis of family reunification. Their permit is normally issued for the same period as yours, so if your permit ends, theirs ends too.

Since 1 July 2023, Lithuania no longer issues national D visas for full-time degree study; degree students travel on the TRP card. Plan for your family to do the same: their permit, not a visa, is what lets them live in Lithuania.

Step-by-step: how to bring family to Lithuania

1. Get your own TRP first. Your permit is the legal basis for theirs. See our Lithuania student visa requirements guide for the student side.
2. Prepare family documents early. Marriage and birth certificates need legalisation or an apostille, plus translation (see the section on documents from Africa below).
3. Arrange housing that fits a family. You will need to show adequate accommodation, and a single dormitory room will not do.
4. Prove sufficient funds for your family members as well as yourself.
5. File each application in MIGRIS, the Migration Department’s online system, and book a visit to give biometrics and original documents.
6. Submit in person at an external service centre in their home region, or at a Migration Department office if they are already legally in Lithuania.
7. Wait for the decision and collect the card before your family relocates.

Documents checklist for a family reunification permit

The exact list appears in MIGRIS when you start the application, and it can change. If you want to bring family to Lithuania, prepare the following, based on the EU Immigration Portal and what the Migration Department asks of other permit holders:

• A completed application in MIGRIS for each family member
• A valid passport for each person
• Proof of the family relationship: marriage certificate, children’s birth certificates
• A copy of your own valid TRP card
• Proof of sufficient funds
• Proof of adequate accommodation, such as a rental contract
• Health insurance for each family member
• A list of trips and stays abroad, if the form asks for it
• A criminal record certificate where the Migration Department requires one
• Consent from the other parent if a child is travelling without them

Biometrics (fingerprints and a photo) are taken when the application is submitted in person.

Money: funds, accommodation and insurance

This is where most plans to bring family to Lithuania succeed or fail. As a student, you already need to show at least €577 per month for the length of your permit, plus €1,153 for a return trip, which is €8,077 for a 12-month permit according to Vilnius University’s 2026/27 TRP checklist. Our guide to Lithuania student visa proof of funds explains how that statement should look.

Your family members need their own proof of funds on top of yours. The Migration Department sets these amounts by reference to Lithuania’s minimum monthly wage, which is €1,153 gross in 2026, and the figure can differ for adults and children. Because the rules for each category change, check the current amount in MIGRIS or with the Migration Department before you move any money. Plan for a bank balance that clearly covers everyone, not just the minimum.

Accommodation is the second test. You must show housing that is suitable for the whole family. Most university dormitories are built for single students, so ask your university whether family rooms exist, and otherwise budget for a private flat. Our guide to student accommodation in Lithuania gives you a starting point for rent.

Each family member also needs health insurance that is valid in Lithuania for the length of their permit. Insurance requirements can differ by permit type, so confirm the minimum cover in MIGRIS rather than copying the figure from your own student policy.

Documents from Africa: apostille or legalisation

To bring family to Lithuania, your marriage certificate and your children’s birth certificates must be accepted as genuine in Lithuania. How you do that depends on where they were issued. Lithuania is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, and the HCCH status table also lists Zimbabwe and South Africa, so documents from those countries can usually be apostilled.

Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Cameroon are not listed as members of the Apostille Convention, so documents from those countries usually need full legalisation instead. That normally means certification by your own government authorities followed by legalisation for use in Lithuania; ask the Lithuanian embassy accredited to your country how it works there. Vilnius University’s checklist, for example, notes that documents from some countries, including Nigeria, need extra attestation.

Documents that are not in Lithuanian or English need a certified translation. Check in MIGRIS which language is required for each document before you pay for translations. Start this process as soon as you accept your offer, because legalisation can take weeks.

Processing time and where to apply

When you bring family to Lithuania, each family member’s application is filed in MIGRIS. Your family then submits original documents and biometrics in person. In Africa, Lithuania uses external service centres in Accra, Pretoria and Harare, which generally serve their own nationals (exceptions exist). Families in other countries may need to travel to a centre or embassy elsewhere, so check where they can submit before booking flights.

For student TRPs, the standard decision time is up to two months, according to Vilnius University’s checklist. The EU Immigration Portal lists up to four months for family members, with a faster decision available for an extra fee. Our article on Lithuania TRP processing time explains why delays happen.

Can your spouse work in Lithuania?

Generally, yes. A 2022 European Migration Network summary noted that family members of master’s and doctoral students in Lithuania have access to the labour market. Since the May 2026 amendments, people living in Lithuania on a family reunification permit are also not counted in the annual employment quota for foreign workers, according to law firms Triniti and Ecovis. Ask the employer and the Migration Department to confirm before signing a contract.

Language matters for jobs. From 1 January 2026, foreigners who sell goods or serve customers must speak Lithuanian at A1 level in their first two years on a residence permit, then A2. Jobs in teaching, healthcare and other regulated fields may also need recognised qualifications, which takes time.

Students who bring family to Lithuania should not build their budget on a spouse finding work quickly. Many families need several months before a second income arrives, and the job market for non-Lithuanian speakers is smaller outside Vilnius.

Life in Lithuania with children: schools and daily life

If you bring family to Lithuania with school-age children, note that state schools teach mainly in Lithuanian. Younger children often pick up the language quickly, but older children may find the switch hard. Vilnius has fee-paying international schools, including Vilnius International School and the British School of Vilnius, and there are international options in Kaunas and Klaipėda too. Fees vary widely, so ask each school directly for current prices.

Winters are long and dark, and family life costs more than student life. A spouse at home without work or friends can feel isolated. Joining community groups, churches or other faith communities, and language classes helps a great deal. We moved here ourselves, from Cameroon and Zimbabwe, and building a circle of friends made the biggest difference.

Will the rules change?

Possibly. Migration is a live political topic in Lithuania. In October 2026, Seimas member Laurynas Kasčiūnas proposed ending the option for master’s students to bring family members, writing that 223 family members of master’s students applied for permits in 2025. That is a proposal, not law. Earlier drafts also suggested tightening family reunification more broadly.

If you plan to bring family to Lithuania, check the rules again just before you apply, and again before you renew. A change made during your studies could affect renewals, so keep your documents and funds ready.

Frequently asked questions

Can I bring family to Lithuania as a bachelor’s student?

Not under the student exception. That exception covers master’s and PhD students. Bachelor’s students fall under the general rule, which requires two years of legal residence and reasonable prospects of permanent residence, so family can usually only visit on a Schengen visa.

Is there a spouse visa for Lithuania?

No. Despite the common search term “spouse visa Lithuania”, your spouse applies for a temporary residence permit on the basis of family reunification, linked to your own permit.

How much money do I need to bring family to Lithuania?

You need your own €8,077 for a 12-month student permit, plus separate funds for each family member. The amount per person is linked to the minimum monthly wage and can change, so confirm it in MIGRIS before applying.

Can my children go to a state school?

Children living legally in Lithuania can attend state schools, where lessons are mainly in Lithuanian. International schools teach in English but charge fees.

Can students bring family to Lithuania on the same day they arrive?

Usually not. Under the family reunification Lithuania student route, your own permit comes first, then theirs. Many students arrive alone, settle in, find family housing and then complete the family applications.

Moving with a family is a big decision, and the paperwork is only one part of it. If you are a master’s or PhD applicant and want to bring family to Lithuania as part of your plans, our visa and immigration support team can help. Book a free consultation and we will talk through your situation honestly.