Support for Ukrainians

Lithuanian institutions provide and will continue to provide all possible assistance and support to Ukraine – its fearless soldiers and brave people.

Humanitarian aid and defence support

• We provide regularly humanitarian aid to Ukrainian people and we have donated to Ukraine items of defence, civil, medical and COVID19 protection.  2 voluntary missions of Lithuanian medics were sent to Ukraine, Kyiv region.

Support for Ukrainian refugees in Lithuania

• For the war refugees from Ukraine in Lithuania provide social benefits, allowances and compensations, food cards, education of Ukrainian children and students, health services, relocation.

Expert support to Ukraine

• Team of Lithuanian forensics experts have assisted Ukrainians in the investigations of victims of war atrocities.
• Lithuanian euro-integration experts provided consultations for Ukrainian institutions on filling-out EU membership questionnaire.
• Lithuanian Ministry of Justice has delegated an expert to International Criminal Court, to send additional staff to assist in the investigation of Russia’s war crimes and crimes against humanity.
• 8 Lithuanian experts had participated in working groups under National Council for the Recovery of Ukraine, developing the Post-War Recovery and Development Plan for Ukraine, identifying and preparing the proposals for priority reforms, the implementation of which is necessary in the war and post war periods.
• On 12th July, LT Ministry of Economy and Innovation has held the conference „Rebuilding Ukraine“ – Lithuanian and Ukrainian politicians, officials of European Commission and European Parliament, representatives of Lithuanian and Ukrainian businesses have discussed plans of Ukraine‘s reconstruction.

Legal and international actions (outside the scope of EU and NATO framework)

• We help challenging Russia and Belarus over their war crimes and crimes against humanity: Lithuania has turned to Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court accusing Russia and Belarus of these crimes.
• Together with the Prime Ministers of Latvia, Estonia, and Poland, we sent a letter to the leadership of the world’s biggest media companies calling on them to prevent Russia’s misinformation about the war in Ukraine from spreading across these platforms.
• Lithuanian Ministry of Justice, together with Justice and Democracy Center, on 6th May, 2022, held 1st International conference on criminal accountability for crimes of aggression. Vilnius Communique was adopted, urging to continue international discussions on criminal accountability of Russian and Belarussian authorities for crimes of aggression and on possibility to establish Special International Tribunal for this purpose.
• Lithuania also took national action – the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Lithuania carries out a prie-trial assessment of the aggression against Ukraine perpetrated by the heads of state or government of the Russia and  Belarus.
• Together with ministers of Health of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania we have addressed World Health Organisation with the request to support Ukrainian health system, assist in ensuring medical services to Ukrainian people, suffering the atrocities of war; also, with an opinion that Russia should not be the member of WHO managing institutions or participate in decision making processes.
• Lithuanian Ministers of Finance and Minister of Foreign Affairs have addressed the Finance Ministers and Foreign Affairs Ministers of the G7, calling for the immediate and indefinite suspension of Russia’s and its ally Belarus’ membership in international financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG).
• Ministers of Social Affairs of Ukraine, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Slovak Republic, Poland and Czech Republic have issued a Joint Statement on condemnation of illegal actions of the Russian Federation against children of Ukraine, addressed to Secretary-General of the United Nations, High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations, UNICEF and other UN institutions, strongly condemning the intentions of the Russian Federation to simplify the procedures for adopting children, forcibly removed from Ukraine, and call for international organisations, mandated to protect children rights to immediately counter such intentions.
• In order to support the efforts of the international community to mitigate the negative effects of the ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine and help victims, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania has allocated EUR 200 000 for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) humanitarian assistance activities in Ukraine.

In 2022 February 24 a new phase of Russian military aggression began, resulting in extensive destruction of Ukraine's infrastructure. Lithuania is ready to continue cooperation and partnership with Ukraine and implement infrastructure reconstruction projects. Projects which are necessary in order to help Ukraine suffering from the war.

More information here.

Migration hotline +370 5 271 7112 (I–IV 7.30–16.30, V 7.30–15.15) www.migracija.lrv.lt

Humanitarian aid hotline +370 684 98 688 (24 hours a day)

Accommodation hotline +370 677 22 222 (24 hours a day) www.stipruskartu.lt

Accomodation and information about aid 1827  www.stipruskartu.lt

Emergency number 112 (24 hours a day), www.112.lt

Information about work in Lithuania 1883, +370 661 10 885, www.uzt.lt/ua

Information about health services +370 5 232 2222,  www.ligoniukasa.lrv.lt

Vaccination against COVID-19 1808 (from non-Lithuanian number +370 66 01 1808), www.koronastop.lrv.lt

Emotional support in Russian 1809, or +370 664 65 792 (I-V 18.00-21.00; VI-VII 12.00-15.00). Video consultations of psychologists in Rusian and Ukrainian: www.manodaktaras.lt/slava-ukraini

Helpline for victims of trafficking in human beings 8 800 91119 (from non-Lithuanian number +370 61691119)

After the registration, you will be able to get free health services at a medical establishment of the municipality where you are registered. Contact information:

• information on health services tel.: +370 5 232 2222, www.ligoniukasa.lrv.lt
• emergency medical aid tel.: 112
• vaccination against COVID-19 tel.: 1808, if you call from a non-Lithuanian number, dial: +370 66 01 1808

Other important information:

• Memo of health care services
• "Lietuvos Draudimas" offer a free health insurance for Ukrainian minors
• Association Diabeto IQ provides free diabetic care supplies (insulin, needles, glucose test strips and glucose monitors) for Ukrainian people with type 1 (juvenile) diabetes. Supplies available everywhere in Lithuania. Learn more here.

Information on labour relations is provided by the State Labour Inspectorate under the Ministry of Social Security and Labour. All relevant information is available on the website: https://www.vdi.lt/.

Register and ask questions at the Employment Service, tel.: 1883 or email: [email protected], also:
+370 658 26 755 Vilnius
+370 374 09 882 Kaunas
+370 672 28 204 Jonava
+370 672 98 949 Alytus
+370 658 24 346 Klaipėda
+370 610 38 727 Panevėžys
+370 616 46 608 Šiauliai
+370 607 54955 Marijampolė

For more information, visit: www.uzt.lt/ua.

You can start working:

• If you have a biometric passport, you can start working immediately. You do not need a work permit.
• If you do not have a biometric passport, you will be able to start working after registering procedures. You do not need a work permit.

Ukrainian refugees wishing to provide their services can find more information here. 

Self-employed

A Ukrainian resident who had been running his freelance services in Ukraine and paying taxes there, but who came to Lithuania due to the war situation in Ukraine and continues his freelancer services in Lithuania in accordance with the contracts he had entered into in Ukraine with his clients prior to his arrival in Lithuania, i.e. he does not enter into any new contracts in Lithuania, continues to pay tax in Ukraine. For more information see here.

With and employment contract

If you work remotely from Lithuania on a work contract in Ukraine, you pay taxes to Ukraine.

Ukrainian residents will not be liable to pay income tax in Lithuania on wages received for work in Lithuania from a Ukrainian company or another foreign company not established in Lithuania. 

Recognition of professional qualifications

More information in English you can finde here.

• To have your child enrolled in school - contact the Reception Desk of the municipality where you are staying. You will find more information and contacts of education coordinators here. 
• If you want to study in Lithuania you will find more information on the website www.studyin.lt .
• About free language courses you can find information here.

• Emotional support in Russian: 1809, or +370 664 65 792 I-V 18.00-21.00; VI-VII 12.00-15.00 
• Video consultations of psychologists in Rusian and Ukrainian: www.manodaktaras.lt/slava-ukraini
• Self-help www.samopomi.ch

Banks operating in Lithuania are ready to open accounts and provide basic banking services to war refugees from Ukraine free of charge.To open an account in a credit institution, a Ukrainian citizen’s passport - biometric or ordinary - will be enough for the purpose of identification. Other required documents may differ bank to bank. Credit and electronic money institutions where accounts are opened free of charge for Ukrainian citizens:

• Bankera (Pervesk, UAB)
• AS „Citadele banka“ Lithuanian branch
• Luminor Bank AS Lithuanian branch, more information here
• Paysera LT, UAB
• Revolut Payments, UAB, more information here
• SatchelPay, UAB, more information here
• AB SEB bankas, more information here
• „Swedbank“, AB
• Šiaulių bankas, AB

Currency exchange offices that exchange hryvnia into euro:

• EXCHANGELT 
• Florinus
• Top Exchange 
• Valiuta24.lt 
• Valiutų mainai

Information in Ukrainian, English and Russian here.

Travel by train

Ukrainians can travel by train in Lithuania free of charge 3 months after obtaining of a temporary residence permit in Lithuania. More information here.

Travel by Vilnius public transport

Ukrainian citizens can use public transport free of charge in Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Šiauliai, Panevėžys, Alytus. More information here. 

I want to use vehicle registered in Ukraine in the territory of Lithuania. How should I do that properly and what is worth to know?
 
Compulsory motor third party liability insurance is mandatory in order to use a vehicle in Lithuania. Proper insurance documents are the ones where it is indicated that they are valid and provide insurance coverage in the territory of Lithuania (e.g. Ukrainian Green Cards, Polish or Lithuanian Frontier insurance policies). If you want to insure a vehicle that is registered in Ukraine you can do that remotely in these Ukrainian insurance companies or you should contact any insurer in Lithuania which provides compulsory motor third party liability insurance documents.
 
As all vehicles must be insured in Lithuania – it is prohibited to use a vehicle which has no compulsory motor third party liability insurance. Nevertheless, participating in the road traffic with an uninsured vehicle can cause administrative liability.
 
More valuable information and recommendations in English language can be found on the official website of Motor Insurers‘ Bureau of the Republic of Lithuania: “Information for Ukrainian drivers“.

Lithuania support Ukraine’s creative artists and will continue to do it for as long as necessary. Ukrainian artists and artistic groups are constantly being invited to Lithuania. Some of Ukrainian artists had been granted a monthly stipend already. 

We also invite Ukrainians to attend cultural activities free of charge.

Cultural activities and leisure

Free of charge visit to:

• libraries, where you will find computers with internet, also leisure spaces, etc.
• national and state museums
• cultural centres
• most performing arts institutions 

For more information, please visit: www.lrkm.lrv.lt

Free SIM cards and lower tariffs

• refugees from Ukraine can get free SIM cards at all refugee coordination centres in Lithuania or at the operators’ customer service desks
• operators do not charge or charge lower tariffs (usually at cost) for international calls and SMS to Ukrainian numbers, outgoing/incoming calls, SMS and internet data for customers in Ukraine

Bringing pets to Lithuania

The State Food and Veterinary Service has facilitated the entry of pets. Ukrainians whose pets are properly marked, vaccinated, have a valid animal passport, and meet all the requirements for the entry of pets into the EU will follow the usual procedure for crossing the border. Animals coming from Ukraine that are not micro-chipped or have not been vaccinated against rabies will be micro-chipped and vaccinated, and therefore subjected to simpler quarantine conditions.

The State Food and Veterinary Service notes that the recent changes regarding the entry of pets into the EU apply exclusively to Ukrainian natural persons and not to legal entities such as sellers or breeders - the arrangements for the commercial entry of pets into the EU remain unchanged.