Migration Department

Following the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights, Lithuania is changing its rules and will issue residence permits to foreigners who entered into same-sex marriages with Lithuanian citizens abroad.

Interior Minister Eimutis Misiūnas thinks that Lithuania could recognize same-sex marriages.

The Lithuanian Constitutional Court will hold on Thursday a public hearing on a case regarding the rights of same-sex persons who married abroad.

Lithuania will have to accept another four refugees, implementing the international agreement, the public radio has announced.

Three refuge families -- 18 people in total -- have been relocated to Lithuania after a break of ten months, the country's Migration Department said.

Economy Minister Virginijus Sinkevičius believes that Lithuania benefits from labor immigration, saying that Ukrainians and other foreigners who come to work to the country are not driving down local wages.

As Lithuanian construction companies are experiencing a growing lack of qualified specialists, vacant job are more and more often filled by Ukrainians.

Russian journalist Yevgeni Titov says he is happy to have received political asylum in Lithuania despite the lengthy procedures.

Lithuania has granted asylum to Russian journalist Yevgeni Titov, the Migration Department said on Wednesday.

Asylum seekers from the Middle East might come to Lithuania in the fall following a break of more than six months, the head of Lithuania's Migration Department said.

Nongovernmental organizations hope the European Court of Justice's Tuesday ruling will pave the way for homosexuals from third countries, married to EU citizens, to get residency in Lithuania.

Russian political activist Yuri Gorsky has appeal against the Lithuanian Migration Department's refusal to grant him political asylum.

Lithuania's Migration Department this week rejected a political asylum application submitted by nationalist Yuri Gorsky who fled Russia last year. He plans to appeal.

Amid a rapid increase in immigration from Ukraine, the Lithuanian government decided on Wednesday to introduce quotas on foreign workers in certain professions.

Lithuania's Migration Department made decisions on 700 national visa applications in March, compared to around 300 a month earlier, the Ministry of the Interior says.

The heads of the Lithuanian Interior Ministry and the Migration Department signed on Monday decrees barring another 44 Russian citizens from entering the country.

The Lithuanian Cabinet approved on Wednesday principles for a migration system reform that envisages making one body responsible for citizenship matters and visa and identity document issuance.

The Lithuanian Interior Ministry proposes to establish a new Migration Service by merging the capacities of the police, border guards and the current Migration Department.

Seventeen refugees have been sent back to Lithuania from other countries of the European Union (EU) after being relocated to Lithuania under the EU program but violating the requirement to settle in the country.

Lithuanian Interior Minister Eimutis Misiūnas thinks that the Migration Department should be a separate agency, but he will in mid-March present the government with several alternative options for overhauling the existing system.