COVID-19: Information for travellers

See full list of countries with more stringent requirements here. The list should be updated on 1st March. 

More stringent self-isolation requirements:

- No walks outside;
- No self-isolation in the same house or apartment with other family members who have not travelled together. In the case of self-isolation with a family, the family members will also have to self-isolate for the same period of time (they will not be issued a sick-leave certificate);
- It is mandatory to follow other requirements for self-isolation.

Leaving the place of self-isolation with the NPHC permission will be allowed in the following cases (no permission is required in the case of emergency):

- To go to another place of self-isolation if it has to be changed for certain reasons;
- To make arrangements for the funeral of a close person and the transportation of the remains and/or to participate in the wake ceremony/ funeral of a close person or visit terminally ill patients;
- To go to a medical facility to have nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab specimen collected for a COVID-19 test;
- To go to a medical facility for health care services;
- To transport those unable to take care of themselves to a medical facility for health care services;
- For high-performance athletes, high-performance sports specialists, high-performance sports instructors and sports medical personnel to go to high-performance sports training, training camps, competitions and institutions or establishments related to their sports activities;
- Those summoned to state institutions (for example, for interviews etc.).

See full list of affected countries here. The list should be updated on 1st March. 

Self-isolation requirements:

- Going outside for a walk within the radius of maximum 1 km from the place of self-isolation while wearing protective equipment covering nose and mouth. No visits to points of gatherings.
- When staying with other people, it is required to self-isolate in a separate room, while those staying together do not have to self-isolate.
- It is mandatory to follow other self-isolation requirements.

Leaving the place of self-isolation with the NPHC permission will be allowed in the following cases (no permission is required in the case of emergency):

-To go to another place of self-isolation if it has to be changed for certain reasons;

Leaving the place of self-isolation without the notification of the NPHC or without its permission will be allowed in the following cases:

-To make arrangements for the funeral of a close person and the transportation of the remains and/or to participate in the wake ceremony/ funeral of a close person or visit terminally ill patients.
- To go to a medical facility to have nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab specimen collected for a COVID-19 test;
- To go to a medical facility for health care services;
- To transport those unable to take care of themselves to a medical facility for health care services;
- For those who have to go to the place required for handling legal matters;
- Those who have their own marriage;
- For high-performance athletes, high-performance sports specialists, high-performance sports instructors and sports medical personnel to go to high-performance sports training, training camps, competitions and institutions or establishments related to their sports activities;
- Those that have to go to state institutions, establishments and organisations when required by them;
- To go to a mobile point to have nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab specimen collected for a COVID-19 test after prior registration with the Coronavirus Hotline at 1808 or with the NPHC, or to transport those unable to take care of themselves.
- For the citizens of and persons lawfully residing in the countries of the European Economic Area, the Swiss Confederation, the Principality of Andorra, the Principality of Monaco, the Republic of San Marino and the Holy See (Vatican City State), foreigners lawfully residing in the Republic of Lithuania and foreigners lawfully residing in countries that have been included in the EU-level list of third countries, for the residents of which temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU should be lifted at external borders, who travel for the purpose of the performance of work functions, to go to the place required for handling work or business matters.

Exemptions have been provided, where self-isolation requirement is not applicable but testing for coronavirus is mandatory with respect to the following individuals travelling for the purpose of performance of work-related functions:

- Those enjoying immunities and privileges under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961), the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963) and under other international agreements and legislation of the Republic of Lithuania, their family members and their service personnel, also members of official delegations, diplomats;
- Those serving in the military units of NATO and of NATO countries and their service personnel, also their family members;
- Officers performing extradition, transfer or takeover tasks.
- Foreigners coming to the intelligence authorities of the Republic of Lithuania for purposes related to ensuring national security, at the permission of the Minister for National Defence of the Republic of Lithuania or the Director of the State Security Department of the Republic of Lithuania, respectively;
- Health care professionals;
- Frontier workers, as well as persons crossing the border between Lithuania and another European Union country on a daily or every working day - business travelers, pupils, students and trainees - must have a COVID-19 survey carried out not earlier than 7 days before returning or arriving in Lithuania, and have a negative test response received. If these individuals do not have a negative test response, they must respond within 24 hours from the time of arrival in Lithuania, apply to the Coronavirus Hotline number 1808 or the institution performing tests for coronavirus infection, register for the test. The current requirement to have 48 hours test is no longer available, the test is performed at the appointed time.
- Seafarers;
- High-performance athletes, high-performance sports specialists, high-performance sports instructors and sports medical personnel participating in international tournaments that are subject to separate international rules for controlling the coronavirus pandemic;
- Lithuanian citizens returning from Belarus: teachers involved in the Lithuanian education in schools in Belarus and clergy performing pastoral work in Belarus.

Testing and self-isolation exemptions for arrivals in Lithuania:

- Those transiting through the territory of the Republic of Lithuania;
- Those holding a medical certificate confirming that they had coronavirus, where the diagnosis was confirmed through the positive PGR test, and that maximum 90 days have passed from the positive testing until the return/entry to the Republic of Lithuania. A certificate from a medical establishment will not be required in the cases where coronavirus was diagnosed in Lithuania and the data have been communicated to the Information System of Electronic Health Services and Cooperation Infrastructure.
- Also, those holding a medical certificate, a country-specific vaccination certificate or an international vaccination certificate confirming that they have gone through a full coronavirus vaccination programme.

Face masks are not required in open spaces, where there are no other people except family members within the radius of 2 metres. Face masks are not required also in the following cases:

• exercising individuals;
• high-performance sports training;
• during the provision of a service where a service cannot be provided when a customer is wearing a mask;
• persons with disability who cannot wear a mask due to their health condition or where it can adversely affect their health condition. They are recommended to wear a face shield instead.
• when outside populated areas (cities, towns, villages, single-homestead settlements and dacha (garden) settlements) and when there are no other people within the radius of 20 metres, except for family members;
• children over the age of 6 who are educated under pre-school, pre-primary and primary education programmes will not be required to wear protective equipment covering nose and mouth (face masks, respirators or other equipment) while in education establishments and/or their territories.

Face masks are mandatory in common areas of accommodation facilities, also during the allowed contact services. Face masks are required indoors.

It is recommended to wear a face mask at a private party, if held, or when socialising with members of other families /households.

There will be no indoor or outdoor commercial or non-commercial cultural, entertainment, sporting events, celebrations, fairs, festivals or other mass gatherings arranged in public locations of a certain duration at a scheduled time except:

• high-performance sporting events without spectators;
• funerals attended by maximum 10 persons except family and/or household members and persons providing funeral services.

Outdoor ski slope services are allowed under the following conditions:

• Electronic distribution of tickets and pre-registration of visitors shall be ensured;
• Restrictions on the flow of visitors shall be ensured at ski slope centres. The maximum number of visitors allowed at a time shall be calculated on the basis of the number of lifts in operation. A maximum of 30 visitors shall be allowed per lift.

It is forbidden to provide ski equipment rentals and non-ski services on outdoor ski slope locations.

IMPORTANT: A trip to an outdoor ski slope centre shall not be a valid reason to travel to another municipality.  

Public catering facilities, restaurants, cafés, bars, nightclubs, other entertainment venues, gambling houses (casinos), amusement arcades, bingo halls, betting and totalisator outlets will be closed except in the case of:

• takeaway food or where food can be otherwise delivered to natural and legal persons;
• catering provided to the staff of enterprises, establishments or organisations working on shifts, in the territories and/or premises of such enterprises, establishments or organisations;
• catering provided in educational, social care, health care, national defence, penitentiary establishments, remand prisons, the Foreigners’ Registration Centre or other establishments, where catering is required by the operational profile of these establishments.

It is prohibited to provide the services of leisure, the use of sports equipment, sports clubs, fitness centres, entertainment, recreation, swimming pools, saunas (except public baths for personal hygiene), discos, dance halls, cinemas and cinema clubs. There will be no visits to leisure establishments, nor will the premises intended for leisure services be leased for arranging private events, celebrations and other gatherings. It will not apply in the case of:

• high-performance sports training.

There will be no visits to cultural establishments, and no physical services will be provided to visitors, except the cases, where the conditions laid down by the ensured State Commander of National Emergency Operations for the management of the flow of people, safe physical distance, and other key requirements for public health safety, hygiene, and the provision of persons with necessary personal protective equipment are ensured.

It is required to stay at home except:

• to go to work (for work purposes);
• to go shopping;
• to go to/from airports, seaports, bus stations serving international passenger routes;
• to go to your real estate property;
• to go to a funeral;
• for health and other essential services;
• for other essential services or for objectively justified reasons where it is absolutely necessary;
• to go for a walk in open spaces only with members of your family or household;
• to attend to the sick or to those unable to take care of themselves.

Passengers travelling by regular public transport (city, long-distance and suburban) will be required to travel seated maintaining the distance of at least one meter between each other.

Transport vehicles other than regular public transport (city, long-distance and suburban) or transport vehicles to commute to/from work, may carry groups of no more than 2 persons or members of one family and/or one household. When providing passenger transportation through a ride-hailing and taxi passenger car services, the driver of the vehicle will not be counted.

From 25 February 2021, it will be allowed to move between ‘inner-ring’ municipalities, where people living in municipalities bordering with Alytus city and district, Kaunas city and district, Klaipėda city and district, Panevėžys city and district, Šiauliai city and district, and Vilnius city and district move between the specified bordering municipalities.

From 16 December 2020, 00.00, until 15 March 2021, 24.00, movement between municipalities other than the ‘inner-ring’ municipalities will be restricted.

Except:

• to go to/from airports, seaports, bus stations serving international passenger routes;
• to go to the municipality where you live;
• for the death of close relatives;
• to do work, where the place of employment is in another municipality;
• for health care services;
• for other objectively justified reasons of urgency, where travelling to a municipality other than the place of residence is absolutely necessary;
• ‘social bubble’ members will be allowed to move from one municipality to another if they are in different municipalities.

This restriction does not apply to members of one family and/or household travelling to a municipality other than the place of their residence where they have real estate property that is owned by a member of that family and/or household.

As of 21 January, two families or two households will be allowed to meet if one of them has no more than one adult person or one person and his/ her minor children, or a household with a person in need of constant care and nursing.

• Such family or household members that are in close contact would not be allowed to have close contact with other persons.
• If the support bubble is with a person who is at risk, it is additionally recommended to wear face masks, keep a distance of 2 meters and air the premises at least once an hour.

Members of the support bubble would be allowed to move from one municipality to another if they are in different municipalities.
It is allowed to be in public places in groups of no more than 2 persons or in groups of one family and/or one household.

It is prohibited:

• to have close contacts between members of more than one family and/or one household (except emergencies, where it is necessary to provide assistance; attending to the sick or to those unable to take care of themselves);
• to hold private parties in public and private venues with the participation of more than one family and/or household.

Retail allowed to reopen:

• As of 15 February 2021, it will be allowed to reopen stores, kiosks and pavilions (except kiosks and pavilions in marketplaces) that have the retail area of maximum 300 m2 and a direct access from the outside or a separate entrance used solely by the customers of that store.
• Outdoor non-food retail from temporary facilities, as well as contracts concluded off the trade premises (doorstep selling).
• Retail stores (including those in shopping and/or entertainment centres), whose main business is the retail of food, animal feed, veterinary, pharmacy products, flowers, optical items and orthopedic technical devices.
• Food retail in marketplaces and other public points of sale.
• e-commerce (by internet or other means of communication), where goods are delivered to natural and legal persons or collected at collection points.
• Funeral stores.

It will not be allowed to reopen stores, including those in shopping and/or entertainment centres, marketplaces and other public points of sale.

It is recommended to:

• refrain from short-term retail promoting measures (sales, discount hours, tastings, etc.) in all stores, shopping centres, marketplaces and other public points of sale and service. This does not apply in the case of e-commerce;
• increase the number of checkout points to reduce the line to five shoppers;
• shopping by one member per family and /or household;
• longer working hours.

Services allowed to reopen:

• as of 15 February 2021, personal care services (including beauty services) where there is a contact only between one service provider and one customer will be allowed, unless these services have been directly outlawed by a Government resolution;
• medical rehabilitation services;
• psychological support and psychotherapy services;
• passenger transportation through ride-hailing or taxi passenger car services;
• provision of legal services by lawyers;
• financial services and provision of qualified certification services by qualified trust service providers, which cannot be provided remotely.

As of 15 February 2021, it will be allowed to resume personal (1:1) training outdoors guided by a physical activity or sports specialist, instructor or a provider of the services of physical activity or sports specialist following the requirements laid down by the Commander of Operations for the management of the flow of people, safe physical distance, and other key requirements for public health safety, hygiene, and the provision of persons with necessary personal protective equipment.

Requirements for accommodation sector:

• accommodation of members of no more than one family and/or one household in one room;
• ensuring that everyone wears a face mask and maintains a distance of at least 2 meters between people or groups of people in common areas;
• ensuring other conditions laid down by the Commander of Operations;

It will not be allowed to rent, sublet or to lend premises intended for accommodation services (owned by both natural and legal persons by the right of ownership or other legal grounds) for arranging private events, parties and other gatherings.

• It will not be allowed to reopen wellness centres that provide recreational services.
• It will not be allowed to visit cultural, leisure, entertainment and sports facilities, nor to provide physical services to visitors, except high-performance athletic training, and physical provision of services in libraries, while ensuring the conditions laid down by the Commander of Operations.

• There will be no visiting of patients in health care establishments, except when visiting terminally ill patients, children under 14 years of age and patients in maternity wards at the permission of the manager of that establishment or his authorised person;
• an outpatient health care professional will have to choose the method of service provision that best suits the patient's interests - contact or remote. Contact services will include:
  -dental services;
  -health care services for pregnant women, mothers and their newborns;
  -vaccination services for children and adults under the National Immunoprophylaxis Programme;
  -disease prevention programmes;
  -preventive health screening services for individuals applying for a job in an area of activity that involves exposure to certain risk factors;
  -psychological support and psychotherapy services.
• Inpatient personal health care services for COVID-19 (coronavirus infection) (hereinafter ‘COVID-19 services’) will be organised on a clustering-territorial principle in accordance with the Annex to this Resolution and in accordance with the requirements laid down within the remit of the Minister for Health and the State Commander of National Emergency Operations. The provision of COVID-19 services will be organised by health care establishments (hereinafter ‘organising health care establishments’) listed in the Annex to this Resolution, which have units for infectious diseases or human resources to organise the containment of infectious diseases, and which organise and coordinate COVID-19 services in the territory of operation specified in the Annex to this Resolution. To ensure the provision of COVID-19 services, the organising health care establishments will mobilise other health care establishments that are in the territory of ​​operation and that are listed in the Annex to this Resolution (hereinafter ‘mobilised health care establishments’) for the provision of COVID-19
  services. Instructions given by the organising health care establishments on COVID-19 services to the mobilised health care establishments will be mandatory (unless otherwise provided by law). The procedure for organising COVID-19 services is laid down within the remit of the Minister for Health and the State Commander of National Emergency Operations;
• The State Commander of National Emergency Operations takes a decision to appoint a coordinator for the activities of the organising health care establishments (hereinafter ‘coordinator’) to coordinate the provision of COVID-19 services. The coordinator organises the provision of COVID-19 services in cooperation with mayors and directors of administrations. The instructions of the coordinator are obligatory for both the organising health care establishments and the mobilised health care establishments (unless otherwise provided by law).
• Mobilising health professionals, university and non-university students and residency students and using infrastructure, regardless of their subordination. If necessary, health professionals and staff working with them (personnel serving the medical staff) may be temporarily transferred to another health establishment or their job functions may be temporarily changed in order to ensure the proper organisation of health services.
• Inpatient health services for patients with COVID-19 (coronavirus infection), will be provided as follows:
  -operational reorganisation in managing patient flows, infrastructure and material and human resources;
  -where necessary, increasing the number of beds and / or the scope of health care services for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 (coronavirus infection) and / or mobilising staff - reducing the scope of routine inpatient and/or outpatient health care services or suspending these services, with the exception of services, where failure to provide them would result in patient’s need for medical emergency or a significant deterioration of his condition.
  -there will be no visiting of patients, except terminally ill patients and children under 14 years of age, at the permission of the treating physician.