The decision of the Migration Department was illegal

We represented a client in an administrative case in which we challenged the decision of the Migration Department to revoke the permanent residence permit in Lithuania. The Migration Department made such a decision on the basis that the client had been away from Lithuania for more than 12 months without interruption – he was studying in a non-European Union country under the study programme of one of the Lithuanian universities.

Of 14 June 2025 The Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania ruled that the decision of the Migration Department was unlawful and annulled it. The court noted that the client had spent more than a year abroad for an important reason – higher education studies under the programme of the University of Lithuania, therefore he had not lost his connection with Lithuania. In addition, the court noted that the client could not return to Lithuania earlier due to the COVID-19 pandemic, during which strict restrictions on movement were in force.

Although the court of first instance rejected the complaint, believing that the decision of the Migration Department was disproportionate, we went to the end. In the end, we achieved a victory in the Supreme Administrative Court, which upheld the appeal.

In this case, the client was represented by Valdas Kavaliauskas

, an attorney-at-law of Vis Legis.

Published: 2026-03-14