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Leaving : Lithuania

If you have decided to leave Lithuania, there are a number of loose ends you need to tie up, and also things you need to prepare for in your new country.

Things you need to do before leaving Lithuania:

• Returning to the UK/Moving within Europe 
• Make sure that your Passport is valid 
• Notify the Authorities of your departure date 
• Clarify any outstanding tax issues 
• Make arrangements for leaving your property 
• Notify schools/childcare facilities/Household suppliers of your departure date 
• Check your insurance policies 
• Deregister your car if you plan to take it with you 
• Ensure your pet has all necessary vaccinations 
• Shipping your personal effects / Finding a good removal company 
• Leaving due to death 
• Tie up loose ends 

If you are considering a return to the UK, please click HERE. This is our repatriation page which you will find very useful. Alternatively, should you be considering another European Country, please select the relevant country from the left hand side.

Assuming you have been following the rules of living in Lithuania, then your passport will, of course be valid. However, if it has lapsed, you will need a valid passport. This doesn't just apply to leaving permanently, but whenever it expires. So always make sure that you're fully aware of expiry dates and can take action in enough time to avoid expiry being a problem.

If you do find yourself with an expired passport, then you will need to contact the Consulate in Vilnius who can arrange for a new one. It is recommended that you allow plenty of time.

Foreign Office - Passports

To notify the authorities of your departure, you need to return to the same place you originally registered (the Migration Office). They will be able to tell you if there are certain procedures needed for leaving.

For tax related matters, talk to your employer or if self employed, your accountant.  They will be able to contact the Tax Office for Foreigners to help you tie up any loose ends before you leave.

Home and travel

• Decide which possessions you will take to your new country, which you will leave in Lithuania and which items you can sell before you leave.
• Obtain estimates for the move from at least three removal companies.
• Purchase boxes, labels and bubble wrap. When you pack boxes, list the contents on a label.
• Make sure you have nothing on loan such as videos, library books and if so, return them.
• Have you anything at the dry cleaners?
• Arrange moving date and confirm at least twice.
• Check all the details of your new home purchase. Confirm mortgage and lawyers.
• Make sure you have some cash for your journey and arrival in your new country.
• Notify authorities, banks, building societies etc of your new contact details.
• Check any schooling arrangements for the children.
• Make arrangements for your pets travel and arrival.
• Check passports, travel tickets and car documents. Have you got travel insurance?
• Have you got a green card for your car insurance?

Final Preparations

• Defrost Fridges and Freezers.
• Do a last minute wash.
• Have personal possessions to hand i.e. passports, visas, jewellery.
• Go through any relevant paperwork i.e. Visa's, plane tickets and make sure all are in order.
• Do a last minute meter reading.
• Clean your house or arrange for a professional cleaning company to come in.
• Go through the items like clothing you wish to take with you on the plane, do you have enough clothes to last you until your container arrives?
• Make sure you have also packed some of the children's favourite toys as you need them to feel at home as quickly as possible.
  Make sure you visit your doctor and get enough prescription drugs to see you through until you register with a new doctor. Also get copies of your medical records.
• If you wear disposable contact lenses make sure you have enough to cover you until you can register with an optician. Also get copies of your prescription.
• Parking. Check with neighbours if they will leave room outside both properties for your removal van and resolve any parking problems i.e. arranging permits.
• Dig out all keys for locks, doors, window keys etc.

You will need to remember to notify childcare/schools/colleges and a number of organisations regarding your move.

You can use this as a checklist:

• Services
• Local Authorities
• Tax Office
• Gas
• Electric Company
• Mobile phone operator
• Telephone/Cable/Satellite/Internet Services
• Water
• Post Office - redirection

Firstly check what insurances policies you have and then decide if they can be taken with you, or if they need to be cancelled. In most cases, it will be obvious - eg, house insurance can be cancelled, however, if you're taking your car, you may not want to cancel your car insurance! Make a list of all insurances you have, and then decide one by one if you need to cancel them. Regardless of if you do or not, you MUST inform the insurance company of your new address prior to leaving the country.

For car related matters, check with your local customs office or the traffic police regarding what you are required to do to de-register your car.  Make sure you look into this at least a couple of months prior to leaving.  This should give you enough time to find out the procedures required and fill in necessary paperwork.

Don't forget that trip to the vet! Your pet's vaccinations MUST have been kept up to date while in Lithuania, if not, you could be left with costly quarantine bills! Make sure you do this in plenty of time to arrange any missing vaccinations.

When shipping your personal (household) effects within the EU, they are not subject to normal customs formalities or restrictions.

Please check our Resources section to see if there is any further information on English speaking removal companies.

While in Lithuania, although none of us wants to think about it, it is possible that you could be left to deal with the death of a loved one. There are many decisions to be made and the following website by the British Embassy in Vilnius will be of help.

Foreign Office - Registering a Death
Foreign Office - Help if someone dies 

The British Foreign Office have put together a booklet (PDF) which you can download.

Foreign Office - Death Overseas

There is one other thing you must consider, and that your own death. If you would like to be repatriated to the UK, please click HERE which is the British section of our site where we talk about repatriation under these circumstances.

Although this is not a topic that most wish to discuss, please make it clear to your family and friends regarding your choices in the event of your death.  Ensure that your will is up to date.  Make sure they know if you want to be buried or cremated, and also where. Repatriation can be an expensive process, and if this is not something you wish to do, make sure your family and friends are aware so they don't end up spending money unnecessarily. In addition, if repatriation is something you want, why not check your insurances? Make sure that you have this element of your life (and death) covered so that family & friends need not worry?

Please check our Resources section to see if there is any further information on life insurance or lawyers who can help you make a will.   In addition, please also visit our Repatriation page where we go into this in more detail.