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Do Nigerian Citizens Need a Visa for Lithuania?
Nigerian citizens need a Schengen visa to visit Lithuania.
Yes — Nigerian citizens need a Schengen visa
Apply before you travel. There is no visa on arrival in Lithuania and no airport route to fix this once you have landed — you will be refused boarding long before that.
Lithuania is represented by Belgium in Abuja and by France in Lagos, so applications are lodged at another member state's mission rather than a Lithuanian one.
This is decided by EU law rather than by Lithuania. Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 places every nationality in one of two annexes — Annex I needs a visa, Annex II does not — and Lithuania applies the list as it stands. The consolidated version in force is current to 30 December 2025.
Applying for the Visa
Complete the form in EPM
Lithuania's online Schengen application system, at visa.vrm.lt. You fill it in online and then submit it in person — the form itself is not lodged electronically.
Find the competent mission
Determined by where you habitually live, not by your nationality. Where Lithuania has no mission of its own, another Schengen state may represent it.
Book, minding both deadlines
You may apply from six months before travel, and as a rule no later than 15 calendar days beforehand.
Attend and give biometrics
Fingerprints and a photograph, unless yours were taken for a Schengen visa within the last 59 months.
Wait for the decision
Due within 15 calendar days, extendable to 45 where further scrutiny is needed. Plan around 45, not 15.
Full document list and the detail behind each step: our Schengen visa guide.
What It Costs
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Schengen visa fee | €90 | Adults. Raised from €80 on 11 June 2024 |
| Children aged 6 to 11 | €45 | Half rate |
| Children under 6 | Free | Mandatory waiver |
| Students and accompanying teachers travelling to study | Free | Mandatory waiver |
| Researchers attending a scientific conference | Free | Mandatory waiver |
| Service provider fee | Capped | Half the visa fee in most countries; €80 or €120 where Lithuania has no mission |
| Travel medical insurance | €30,000 cover | Minimum, for the whole stay, across all member states |
Fees set by the Visa Code, Regulation (EC) No 810/2009, as amended by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1415. The Commission reviews them every three years, with the next review due in 2027.
The 90-Day Limit
Ninety days in any 180 — a rolling window, not a calendar period that resets. For any day you are present, count back 180 days and add up every day you spent in the Schengen area within that window. The total must not exceed 90.
Three things that catch people out. The count is across all Schengen states together, not per country — days in Lithuania and days in Spain go in the same total. Your arrival and departure days each count as a full day, however late you land. And leaving the area does not reset anything; the window simply moves with you.
Since EES became fully operational this is enforced arithmetically rather than by an official reading stamps. Overstays are detected by the system, and an entry ban entered by Lithuania goes into the Schengen Information System — which means it blocks entry to every member state, not just this one.
Staying Longer Than 90 Days
The 90-day allowance is for visiting. Living here — working, studying, joining family, founding a company — needs a temporary residence permit, and the permit is what carries the right to work.
Once the permit is granted the practical work starts: an asmens kodas before almost anything else, a Lithuanian bank account, health cover that satisfies the permit condition, and a realistic view of what the month costs — our cost of living guide has the current numbers.
A short-stay entry does not give you work rights
Since 1 July 2024you cannot work in Lithuania on visa-free entry, a Schengen visa, another country's national visa, or another country's residence permit. Work requires a Lithuanian residence permit, with narrow exceptions. A surprising number of employers still describe the pre-2024 position.
From 1 November 2026, a Schengen visa is not enough to apply here
From that date, lodging a work- or study-based residence permit application inside Lithuania requires a Lithuanian residence permit, a Lithuanian national (D) visa, or a residence permit from another Schengen or EU state — or legal visa-free presence, which does not apply to Nigerian citizens. Arriving on a Schengen visa and applying once here stops working. Plan on applying from abroad through an external service provider instead.
The middle option is the national (D) visa, covering 91 days to 12 months for a narrow list of purposes — exchange students, researchers, seafarers, accredited journalists, seasonal workers and posted employees among them. Full-time study and most skilled work moved off the D visa to residence permits on 1 July 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Nigerian citizens need a visa for Lithuania?
Yes. Nigerian citizens are listed in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 and need a Schengen visa before travelling. There is no visa on arrival.
How long can I stay?
90 days in any 180-day period. It is a rolling window: for any given day, count back 180 days and add up your days of presence across all Schengen states — the total must not exceed 90. Arrival and departure days each count as a full day.
Can I work in Lithuania on a short stay?
No. Since 1 July 2024, working in Lithuania requires a Lithuanian residence permit. Visa-free entry, a Schengen visa, another country's national visa and another country's residence permit all fail to give work rights here, with narrow exceptions.
Do I still get a passport stamp on arrival?
No. The Entry/Exit System replaced stamping when it became fully operational on 10 April 2026. Entries and exits are recorded digitally, with fingerprints and a facial image taken at your first crossing.
Is ETIAS required yet?
No. ETIAS is not in operation. In April 2026 the Commission said it was scheduled for the last quarter of 2026, but no start date has been confirmed and the launch has been postponed repeatedly. It will cost €20 and apply to visa-exempt travellers only.
How do I stay longer than 90 days?
Apply for a temporary residence permit, which is what carries the right to work and can be renewed indefinitely. The national (D) visa covers a narrow middle band of purposes for 91 days to 12 months. Full-time study and most skilled work moved from the D visa to residence permits on 1 July 2023.
Related Guides
Disclaimer. General guidance, not legal advice. Visa requirements are set at EU level and applied nationally, and both layers change — the suspension mechanism was revised as recently as December 2025. Confirm your position with the Lithuanian mission responsible for where you live before booking travel.