The Lithuanian government has adopted a significant decision that substantially alters the conditions for obtaining and extending temporary protection for Ukrainian citizens of conscription age. Under the new requirements, draft-age Ukrainian men are now required to provide documentary confirmation of military service or official exemption from it in their homeland when applying for or renewing their migration status in the Baltic republic.

New Migration Policy Requirements

As specified by the Lithuanian Ministry of the Interior, relevant agencies will accept marks of legal border crossing of Ukraine, stamps in foreign passports, and officially executed certificates of exemption from military service as official confirmation. This measure is designed to streamline migration flows and align national legislation with current wartime legal realities.

Exceptions to the Rules and Transitional Period

At the same time, the government has provided a number of exceptions for citizens who managed to secure their legal status in the European Union earlier. The new stringent requirements will not affect those Ukrainians who were granted temporary protection in any EU member state before August 4 of this year, provided they maintain continuous status. A similar exemption applies to individuals who submitted their document packages to Lithuania's migration authorities before the specified date but are still awaiting a final decision on their cases.

Extension of Protection and Administrative Relief

In addition to introducing additional certificates for men, the Cabinet of Ministers of Lithuania officially approved the Ministry of the Interior's initiative to prolong the temporary protection regime for Ukrainian refugees for another year — until March 4, 2028. New residence permits will be issued taking this extended period into account. The ministry emphasizes that increasing the validity horizon of documents will significantly reduce the administrative burden on the Migration Department, which currently continues to process dozens of new applications daily.