Exchange students from non-EU countries
The first important step is to determine whether you need a visa to enter Lithuania, or if you can arrive without a visa and obtain it in Lithuania. You can check this on the webpage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania.
NOTE: If you are a non-EU student currently studying in an EU country and hold a valid residence permit or visa, you do not need an additional visa to enter Lithuania for a stay of up to 360 days.
Depending on whether or not you need a visa to enter Lithuania, please refer to the appropriate section below:
I need a national D-type visa to arrive to Lithuania
The institution responsible for issuing national D-type visa is the Migration Department under the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania.
To submit the visa application:
- First, review the visa application process and the list of required documents here.
- Login to the Lithuanian Migration Information System (MIGRIS) and submit your application for national D-type visa
- Once your application is submitted, you will need to schedule an appointment with an external service provider to present the original documents and provide your biometric data.
When filling out the visa application, you will need:
- A mediation letter number from VIKO – this mediation letter is issued by the coordinator at the International Relations Office (IRO) of VIKO only after your mobility is confirmed with the admission letter. Please contact your IRO coordinator of VIKO to request the mediation letter once you have received your admission letter.
- A document about sufficient means of subsistence – if you are a non-EU student receiving a mobility scholarship from VIKO, this information will be included in your admission letter. In this case, the admission letter can serve as proof of financial means.
- Inviter information in the MIGRIS application – when filling out the inviter information in MIGRIS application, please choose “legal inviter” and enter Vilniaus kolegija as the inviting institution. You can find VIKO’s legal entity code and additional details here.
I don’t need a visa to enter Lithuania, but I must apply for one after my arrival to Lithuania
If you don’t need visa to enter Lithuania, it means you can stay in the country without it for a short period of time. However, since the semester at VIKO lasts approximately 5 months, you must apply for a national D-type visa after your arrival in order to stay in Lithuania legally for the entire duration of your mobility period.
The institution responsible for issuing national D-type visa is the Migration Department under the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania.
To submit the visa application:
- First, review the visa application process and the list of required documents here.
- Login to the Lithuanian Migration Information System (MIGRIS) and submit your application for national D-type visa
- Once you submit your application, a list of available appointment dates will appear. You will use this to schedule your visit to the Migration Department, where you will need to present the original documents and provide your biometric data.
When filling out the visa application, you will need:
- A mediation letter number from VIKO – this mediation letter is issued by the coordinator at the International Relations Office (IRO) of VIKO only after your mobility is confirmed with the admission letter. Please contact your IRO coordinator of VIKO to request the mediation letter once you have received your admission letter.
- A document about sufficient means of subsistence – if you are a non-EU student receiving a mobility scholarship from VIKO, this information will be included in your admission letter. In this case, the admission letter can serve as proof of financial means.
- Inviter information in the MIGRIS application – when filling out the inviter information in MIGRIS application, please choose “legal inviter” and enter Vilniaus kolegija as the inviting institution. You can find VIKO’s legal entity code and additional details here.
The decision to issue a national visa is made within 15 calendar days from the date of the request. This period may be extended by up to 45 calendar days. Therefore, it is crucial that you apply for the visa within the first weeks of your arrival.
PLEASE NOTE: we do consider a valid VISA for the whole study period as a students’ responsibility.