Lithuania will require some Ukrainian citizens subject to military service to show that they have fulfilled their service obligations or are legally exempt when applying for temporary protection. The new condition applies to new applicants, not Ukrainians who already hold continuous protection status.
A Lithuanian government resolution introduces proof of military status for some applicants, Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT reported. Acceptable documents may include proof of lawful departure from Ukraine, an exit stamp in a passport, or an official record confirming that a person has completed military service or is exempt from it, the Interior Ministry said.
The condition follows an EU Council decision extending temporary protection until March 4, 2028. The decision says that people applying for temporary protection for the first time who are subject to Ukraine’s military obligations must provide proof that they have fulfilled them, where applicable. The rule does not automatically cancel protection already granted to people who have kept that status continuously.
Lithuania’s Migration Department said on Oct. 5 that it would begin replacing the digital residence permits held by Ukrainian refugees. The department said renewals would follow the same process used over the previous three years, with no new conditions or additional requirements. Existing permits are being extended through March 4, 2028, while permits currently in circulation had previously been valid through March 4, 2027.
The department said more than 52,000 Ukrainian refugees currently hold valid temporary-protection residence permits in Lithuania. It has registered nearly 109,000 refugees since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, though some have since left Lithuania or obtained residence permits on other grounds. The department also reports receiving 30 to 40 new applications for temporary-protection permits each day.
The new military-status documentation therefore concerns new applicants to whom the service obligation applies. The official Lithuanian notice on permit replacement says the rule does not add requirements for refugees who are renewing existing permits.