At present, there are no controls at the airports or the seaport. While people arriving from the worst-hit countries should forward their data to the National Public Health Center, surveys are no longer completed at ports - data can be submitted online before arriving.

Nevertheless, the situation in mid-March was slightly different. Temporary border control was introduced on 14th March. This also meant new requirements - passenger control, changed safety rules during trips - these were the challenges that the State Border Guard Service had to face.

Challenges of the pandemic: passenger traffic management and safety

Giedrius Mišutis, Head of the Prevention Unit of the State Border Guard Service, emphasized that the change in conditions has forced the resumption of document checks of persons crossing the internal EU borders by planes or ferries.

‘The time when flights were completely suspended was the most difficult period for travellers. The airports were empty because they were closed. At one time, only one ferry was left in the seaport. The traffic was very intense, ferries were overcrowded, so the control was difficult too, ‘ recalls Mišutis.

Lithuanian citizens working abroad faced difficulties in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mišutis pointed out, that these people had to present some documents like an employment contract if they wanted to leave Lithuania.

According to Mišutis, it is very important to understand the situation and familiarize yourself with the rules that change very often before going abroad and before arriving in Lithuania. Even today, when all the rules are more or less clear, we recommend that everyone checks what are the requirements and what should be expected when coming from abroad, ‘ underlined Mišutis.

At present, as he emphasized, the border is not so crowded compared to the beginning of the pandemic: the number of both travellers and vehicles has decreased.

‘The checkpoints in Nida and Ramoniškiai remain closed so far, while checkpoints in Panemunė and Kybartai are open, but a very small number of people have the right to cross the border in this place and go to Russia or back. And the traffic is not intense at all, ‘ explained Mišutis.

Mišutis pointed out that nowadays security officers have some problems in airports, i.e. people, who do not have the right to enter Lithuania, ignore this. ‘There are cases when we cannot allow to enter our country. Meanwhile, these people, who are waiting for another flight or departure, must still stay somewhere, therefore each stage has its difficulties, ‘ he said.

People who came back from the coronavirus outbreaks

While most offices continued to work remotely, the Migration Department was one of the few offices whose employees did not avoid direct contact with the coronavirus because they had to work with people who had returned from the illness outbreaks. Evelina Gudzinskaitė, director of the Migration Department was happy, that it was possible to ensure the continuity of the services provided and at the same time secure the safety of employees.

‘We did not suspend our activities and continued to provide services, however, we only served clients who have registered prior to their arrival. This way we could avoid queues and crowds, ‘ said Gudzinskaitė.

In order to limit contacts with clients, the Migration Department introduced temporary rules that allowed foreigners’ documents to be collected by their employers, and seniors' documents were collected by their relatives holding a power of attorney.

‘We made it possible for the most vulnerable group - drivers – to complete the formalities related to the residence permit via Internet, thus avoiding the need to physically appear at the Migration Department, ‘ underlined Gudzinskaitė.

At the beginning of September, the Migration Department also created the possibility of submitting an electronic application for granting citizenship to the Republic of Lithuania, taking the oath to the Republic of Lithuania, issuing certificates confirming Lithuanian origin or the right to restore citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania. From the beginning of September, people can also handle matters related to the citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania of their children and other matters online.

Customers can submit electronic applications after logging into the MIGRIS system (Lithuanian Migration Information System). For the convenience of users, 32 templates of applications were created and instructions for using the platform were prepared both in Lithuanian and English.

‘People should also remember to book a time of visit before arriving at the Migration Department. Many people use this option, because it is a convenient solution, but registration is also possible upon arrival too,’ said the director.

Information of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania