View of modern Vilnius
What awaits us in Lithuania?
First, you should decide on a city. Of course, it will be easier in big cities – for instance, in Vilnius. In the capital, it is always easier to settle down and find a job. Moreover, there are more opportunities for any kind of activity. The infrastructure is also developed at a decent level.
Second, there are several ways to obtain temporary residence permit (TRP) status, and subsequently permanent resident status. According to the law, a residence permit is issued for 2 years, and then extended for another two – provided that you meet all the requirements and maintain the basis for issuing the TRP. Accept that no one will be particularly happy to see you in Lithuania, as in any other EU country where there are already a huge number of immigrants.
Permanent residence (PR) status in Lithuania is issued for five years, as in other EU countries. After that, you will need to obtain PR again. PR effectively means citizenship, with the sole exception that you will not have the right to vote in elections; there are no other differences. At the same time, to obtain permanent residence status, you must successfully pass an exam in the Lithuanian language (at the simplest, everyday level, and there are more than three levels in total) and on the basics of the country's constitution. Considering the legislation, you will have enough time to learn the language – five years.
In order to obtain PR, you are required to actually reside in Lithuania for 10 months out of 12 each year, for five years. This is one of the requirements that rarely anyone remembers until the moment of applying for PR. But then it will be too late: if you have not complied with it for all 5 consecutive years, they will not grant you PR.
The processing time for applications for TRP/PR is two months under the expedited (paid) option, and up to 6 months under the standard one. In addition to all documents, your passport must be valid for at least three months after the end of your stay in TRP status in Lithuania.
What are the grounds for issuing a TRP in Lithuania?
As a rule, most of those moving are planning to open their own business here. Or you may have shares in a Lithuanian company. To open your own business in Lithuania, you need to register a company, which will cost you less than 300 euros (if you do everything yourself). However, doing business in Lithuania is many times more complicated and difficult than at home, especially without knowledge of the language. The Russian language is used only in everyday life, and business matters are handled only in Lithuanian.
Work in this country is also a basis for obtaining a TRP. Finding a job in Lithuania is easy, but the problem is different – for any job in the country you need to know Lithuanian, at least at the very first, simple level. Without knowledge of the language, you will not be hired anywhere. It is much easier to go to Lithuania for study – in many universities, after successful study, they will provide you with a job. But do not expect that this will be a position with a high salary level.
If you want to buy land in Lithuania, you will have to wait at least 10 years – until you obtain citizenship, since according to legislation, foreigners are prohibited from buying land. If you really want to, you will first need to register your own enterprise. But even after that, you will not be able to privatize some land plots – for example, land in the coastal strip is not transferred to private ownership. However, most of the land for individual housing construction, agricultural activities, and others can be easily purchased through your company.
Is it worth immigrating to Vilnius?
Undoubtedly, if you have the financial means to rent or buy housing there, the advantage should be given to Vilnius. It is not a very big city – its population is about 600 thousand people, but actually about one million people live in the city. It is very rich in nature: forests envelop almost all districts. Who doesn't dream of having all the opportunities of a metropolis resident, while living in a pine forest?
Importantly, thanks to the climate, which is slightly different from the European part of Russia, there are no mosquitoes, so this will not spoil your stay in the capital. Lithuania does not have cold winters or hot summers. The temperature in summer usually does not rise above 29 degrees Celsius (though a record of 36 degrees), and there is light cloudiness – such weather is perfectly tolerable.
Also, for city life lovers, there are all kinds of entertainment for leisure, and the city has many old-fashioned cafes for every taste and budget. The city itself is quite clean, but the street graffiti that young people are into spoils the impression a bit. You can't bring yourself to call it art.
As for real estate, a one-room apartment in Vilnius, in an old Soviet building, can be bought from about 35 thousand euros; in a new building, the price will be higher – from about 45 thousand euros. Apartments in new buildings are handed over in a "gray shell" state, i.e., ready for finishing.
Citizens of CIS countries will have to forget such a familiar concept as a bribe. Don't even try to "grease someone's palm" – in Lithuania fines are very high, plus loss of position, so no one will take the risk. And the attitude towards you will be biased. Also, do not rely on the state, which, as we are used to seeing in movies, will pay a bunch of benefits that those who are too lazy to work live on. Such times in the European Union are long gone; now benefits are paid under certain conditions, and it is no longer possible to not work and receive benefits for no reason.
Utilities
In recent years, utility bills have increased several times, becoming an unaffordable amount for many residents of Lithuania. For example, you have to pay 70 euro cents per cubic meter for gas, and 14 euro cents per kilowatt for electricity.
For central heating, the calculation is based on the apartment's area, with different rates depending on the type of building – in old non-renovated buildings, the heating bill can reach up to 300 euros per month (for a 50 sq m apartment), but on average it is about 100-150 euros. In new buildings with energy efficiency not lower than class B, the heating cost for an apartment of similar area will be approximately 50 euros per month.
Cleaning of entrances or garbage removal costs from 2 to 7 euros per month, gas pipeline maintenance – from 3 to 10 euros per month, maintenance of courtyard areas – 6 cents per square meter of owned area. But usually the payment is overall for the so-called housing maintenance, which is carried out by the management company, and for a 50 sq m apartment it is about 15 euros per month.
Economy of the country
Lithuania has had the highest economic growth rates in recent years among all EU countries. Although unemployment is quite high, it is due to the high level of emigration of Lithuanian citizens to other EU countries, as low salaries in Lithuania, compared to Germany, do not encourage local specialists to stay. However, it is easy to find a job, but only if you know the Lithuanian language – otherwise, you have no chance of getting a job.
The ideal option when immigrating to Lithuania is to have passive or remote income. For example, a rented apartment in your home country or shares in some company. If you decide to open your own business, you need to be prepared for difficulties – there will be no big profits if it is a small business. But a big plus is that you will cooperate with other European companies.
Regarding the population of Vilnius
Basically, the country is inhabited by Lithuanians, also many Poles and Russians. But do not count on being able to speak Russian freely – only those over 40 know Russian. Young people practically do not know Russian, but almost all speak English at some level. Many know three or even four languages. So understanding each other is not a problem. And to be honest, learning Lithuanian is not difficult; the alphabet consists largely of English letters, and learning it is no harder than any other European language. The main thing is to have the desire.
Visitors are mostly treated with indifference. Still, you can feel that the population is European. They litter less, are more responsive, although, of course, problems exist everywhere. Overall, the city is safe; you can walk calmly in any area at night.
Transport will certainly please you – modern buses, trolleybuses, and minibuses. Tickets cost approximately 1 euro for adults and 0.5 euro for children. Due to Lithuania joining the Eurozone, it has become a transit base for cars. New cars are not in demand here; they are considered wasteful, and used cars are preferred. Car prices are significantly lower than in our country, and even lower than in Germany, from where they are brought here. But gasoline is much more expensive – 1.3 euros per liter. And, of course, the roads are much better here; you will especially enjoy the suburban autobahns with perfect pavement and a speed limit of 130 km/h.
Also, Lithuania is famous for its tasty products, and they are not expensive. An excellent selection of meat and dairy products, delicious bakery items, fruits and vegetables. Very tasty, and most importantly – cheap. Pork, for example, costs from 2 euros per kilogram.
Summary
You can immigrate to Lithuania if all conditions suit you, but you need to have a decent amount of money for living, because finding a job without knowing the Lithuanian language will not be easy. If you are moving with children, you will have the opportunity to send your child to a Russian school; if you want the child to adapt faster in the country and find common ground with Lithuanians, then you should send them to a Lithuanian school.
To obtain a residence permit, you will have to spend about half a year. So, after weighing all the pros and cons, Lithuania can be recommended as a place for further living.