Procedures to be followed by individuals returning from abroad

1. How to enter the territory of the Republic of Lithuania?
Crossing of the borders are carried out at the international state border crossing points: roads, railways, airports, seaports. Border crossings are specified in the Resolution No. 207 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of March 14, 2020, “On the Announcement of Quarantine in the Territory of the Republic of Lithuania”:

2. What are the obligations upon arrival from abroad in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania?
Individuals who have returned or arrived from foreign countries are obliged to self-isolate for 14 days from the day of returning to Lithuania and to perform a COVID-19 test no later than within 48 hours after arrival (reigister by phone 1808).

In accordance with the Law of the Republic of Lithuania on the Prevention and Control of Human Communicable Diseases non-compliance of the individual with the requirements regarding isolation result in: administrative liability — according to Article 45 of the Code of Administrative Offenses or criminal liability — in accordance with Article 277 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania depending on the consequences.

Requirements for self-isolation do not apply to:
The following foreign nationals:
1. Citizens of the Republic of Poland and persons legally residing in this country, who have returned or arrived for work, business or study purposes;
2. Citizens of the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia and persons legally residing in these countries, who arrived to the Republic of Lithuania from these countries but not from other countries in transit through the Republic of Estonia or the Republic of Latvia.
The citizens of the Republic of Lithuania:
1. Citizens of the Republic of Lithuania who have returned or arrived from the Republic of Poland for business or study purposes and not from other countries in transit through the Republic of Poland;
2. Citizens of the Republic of Lithuania and persons legally residing in this Lithuania, who have returned or arrived from the Republic of Estonia or the Republic of Latvia and not from other countries in transit through the Republic of Estonia or the Republic of Latvia.
Certain professionals:
1. Healthcare professionals providing transplant services,
2. Journalists coming to the Republic of Lithuania with the permission of the Minister of Foreign Affairs,
3. Members of official delegations, diplomats, special couriers working on transit trains;
4. Drivers and members of crews, who are employed in Lithuanian companies operating international commercial freight transportation or who carry out international commercial freight transportation by all the means of transport are obliged to self-isolate from the day of arrival in the Republic of Lithuania until departure from its territory, but not longer than 14 days.

3. When and how can permission to leave the place of isolation be obtained?
You can apply to the National Public Health Centre under the Ministry of Health Care (NPHC) for permit to leave the place of self-isolation in the following circumstances:
1. To organize the funeral, transportation of the corpse of a relative and/or to participate in the funeral ceremony/funeral of a relative (this does not apply to infected persons);
2. To travel to a mobile COVID-19 disease (coronavirus infection) testing station for nasopharynx and pharynx smear test;
3. To change the place of self-isolation for other specific causes;
4. To go to work, study or for other business purposes for foreign citizens who have arrived in the Republic of Lithuania for work, business or study purposes, and who are obliged for 14 days of self-isolation.
You can submit motivated request to issue permit to leave your self-isolation place by e-mail info@nvsc.lt. It will soon be possible to fill in the application form on the NPHC website (no need to e-mail letter).

4. What are the procedures at the points of entry?
(the procedures may vary at different points of entry.).
1. Medical masks are issued to travellers if they do not have them or want to change them.
2. Control over persons and vehicles crossing the state border is carried out by State Border Guard Service at the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania (SBGS).
3. Travelers are provided with information on compilation of electronic isolation consent forms following these links:
a. For persons arriving by planes: https://keleiviams.nvsc.lt/lt/form
b. For persons arriving by roads: https://vezejams.nvsc.lt/lt/form
c. For persons arriving by boats (electronic application form not yet available).
4. Persons are informed of the obligation to register for a COVID-19 disease laboratory test within 24 hours from arrival by calling 1808.
5. Quick response (QR) code from isolation consent document of each traveller is scanned, surveillance of COVID-19 disease symptoms (temperature measurement, symptom survey) is performed. The surveillance of symptoms is not performed for citizens of the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia and for citizens of the Republic of Lithuania who have returned from these countries if they are not travelling from other countries in transit through Estonia or Latvia. This applies also to persons legally residing in these countries.
6.If no symptoms of COVID-19 disease are observed individual is asked to answer questions about the place of self-isolation and means of transportation to this place. Advice is provided in case other issues are raised. If municipal premises for isolation or municipal transport to travel to the place of self-isolation is not required, the person is allowed to travel to his residence (can be brought home by a relative or drive his/her own or rented car, ensuring the use of safety measures; it is forbidden to travel by public transport, taxi or carrier).
7. Travellers who are citizens of foreign countries and who have not filled in electronic isolation consents are submitted paper forms. The process then proceeds in the same way as described before.

5. What happens if fever or other symptoms of COVID-19 disease are observed?
1. SBGS shall not allow to enter the Republic of Lithuania individuals who experience symptoms of COVID-19 disease and are crew or crew members of international commercial freight transportation means, or who carry out international commercial freight transportation by all the means of transport in transit through the territory of the Republic of Lithuania. Exception is made for citizens of the Republic of Lithuania and persons who are entitled to reside in the country.
2. Citizens of the Republic of Lithuania or persons entitled to reside in Lithuania who experience symptoms of COVID-19 disease shall be escorted to an isolation room or other isolation place, ambulance shall be called in and the individual shall be transported to health care facility.
6. Is it still necessary to isolate 14 days from the day of returning to Lithuania after receiving a negative smear test result?
Yes, isolation shall be continued and ended only 14 days from the day of returning to Lithuania, regardless of the negative result of the laboratory test. 14 days is the maximal incubation period, at the beginning of which onset of characteristic symptoms may not be observed and sufficient viral load in the nasopharynx may not be produced. Over the time, COVID-19 virus can multiply in infected human and laboratory test may turn into the positive, so it is necessary to isolate and monitor your health within the period of 14 days.

7. How to prepare for arrival in Lithuania if coming from Latvia, Estonia or Poland (for work or study purposes)?
1. Fill in the electronic isolation consent form:
a. For persons arriving by planes: https://keleiviams.nvsc.lt/lt/form
b. For persons arriving by roads: https://vezejams.nvsc.lt/lt/form
c. For persons arriving by boats (electronic application form not yet available).
2. Decide on a suitable self-isolation place: the individual returning from abroad shall self-isolate in a separate apartment/house or on a well-isolated other floor of an individual apartment/house with a separate sanitary unit (bathroom, toilet). Other healthy persons shall not live together with the self-isolated individual.
3. Take care of transportation to the place of isolation (if such place if available). Use of public transport, taxis or carriers is forbidden. If the person has rented a vehicle, rental documents shall be provided at the point of entry to the country.
4. If a person does not possess a suitable place of self-isolation or means to travel to the place of isolation, it is recommended before the trip to apply to the municipality in which the person has declared residency with the request to provide place of isolation or to transport to the place of self-isolation. Contacts of each municipality is placed under the link: https://koronastop.lrv.lt/lt/kontaktai.