Starting April 3, by a joint order of the ministers of foreign and internal affairs of Lithuania, the procedure for issuing visas to tourists has been simplified. "The new procedure is consistent with Schengen laws and is based on the practice of Western European countries," the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Now, tour operators or travel agencies accredited at the Lithuanian representation can submit tourists' documents to it. A tourist wishing to obtain a Lithuanian visa through a travel agency only needs to conclude a service agreement with it. After that, one can consider oneself free from red tape and calmly pack one's suitcases.
The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry has also created more favorable conditions for obtaining visas for persons who do not use the services of travel agencies. For example, short-term and transit visas will be issued within 2 days. For those foreigners who agree to pay additional postage costs, documents will be sent by express mail. In addition, a preferential visa procedure has been introduced for businessmen entering Lithuania for the purpose of trading in used cars. Owners of real estate in Lithuania and employees of large foreign companies will be issued multiple-entry visas for up to one year.
Let us recall that another Baltic country had earlier eased its visa regime. Starting from January 1, 2006, a foreigner may be issued a single-entry short-term visa for a period of five days for entry to and stay in Estonia. The one condition is that the tourist's financial situation must allow him to bear the costs of accommodation, stay, and departure from Estonia. In this case, when applying for a visa, one can do without an inviting party. Therefore, already during the New Year holidays, a record influx of foreign guests was registered in Tallinn, Tartu, and other pleasant Estonian places.