Table of Contents
EU citizens: register your right of residence โ non-EU citizens: get a residence permit โ asmens kodas issued automatically with it โ 11 digits, free, never expires โ unlocks banking, Sodra, healthcare, tax
What is an Asmens Kodas?
Asmens kodas means "personal code." It's the 11-digit identification number the Lithuanian state uses to identify you across every public system โ tax, healthcare, social insurance, education, property.
It's Lithuania's equivalent of a US Social Security Number, a UK National Insurance number, or Poland's PESEL. It's held in the Population Register (Gyventojลณ registras), maintained by the Centre of Registers.
Without one, you can't sign an employment contract, register with Sodra, access public healthcare, file a tax return, or open an account at a traditional Lithuanian bank. It's the key that unlocks almost everything else.
The most important thing to understand
You don't apply for an asmens kodas as a standalone thing. It's issued automatically as a by-product of legalising your residence โ when an EU citizen registers their right of residence, or when a non-EU citizen is granted a residence permit. Get the residence status right and the code arrives with it.
Who Needs an Asmens Kodas?
If you're going to live, work or study in Lithuania for more than a short visit, you'll need one. It's required for:
You can start banking before you have one. Revolut, Paysera and Wise all open accounts with just a passport โ no asmens kodas, no residence permit. This is the single most useful thing to know on arrival, because it means a missing personal code doesn't leave you without a way to get paid. See how to open an account โ
How the Number Works
An asmens kodas isn't random โ every digit carries meaning. It's structured differently from Poland's PESEL, notably in that the first digit encodes both your gender and the century you were born in.
| Position | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gender + century of birth | 4 |
| 2โ3 | Year of birth (last two digits) | 95 |
| 4โ5 | Month of birth | 03 |
| 6โ7 | Day of birth | 15 |
| 8โ10 | Serial number | 123 |
| 11 | Check digit (calculated) | 4 |
4 = female, born in the 20th century ย ยทย 950315 = 15 March 1995 ย ยทย 123 = serial ย ยทย 4 = check digit
What the first digit means
| First digit | Gender | Born |
|---|---|---|
1 | Male | 1801โ1900 |
2 | Female | 1801โ1900 |
3 | Male | 1901โ2000 |
4 | Female | 1901โ2000 |
5 | Male | 2001โ2100 |
6 | Female | 2001โ2100 |
Most working-age foreigners in Lithuania will have a code starting with 3 or 4. The final digit is a checksum derived from the other ten using a weighted modulo-11 calculation, which is how systems catch typos instantly.
How to Get an Asmens Kodas โ Step by Step
Which route applies to you depends entirely on your citizenship.
Route 1: EU/EEA citizens โ register your right of residence
As an EU citizen you have the right to live and work in Lithuania without a visa. If you're staying longer than three months, you declare your right of residence with the Migration Department, and your personal code is issued as part of that.
- Book an appointment with the Migration Department (Migracijos departamentas)
- Prepare your passport or national ID card
- Prepare evidence of your basis for staying โ employment contract, study enrolment, or proof of sufficient funds
- Prepare proof of your Lithuanian address
- Attend the appointment and submit the application
- Receive your certificate confirming right of residence, which carries your asmens kodas
- Declare your place of residence at the municipality to complete registration
Route 2: Non-EU citizens โ via your residence permit
For third-country nationals, the personal code comes with your temporary residence permit (leidimas laikinai gyventi). You don't apply for it separately โ it's assigned when the permit is granted and printed on the card.
- Apply for your temporary residence permit on the grounds that apply to you โ work, family, study or business
- Submit the application through the Migration Department's online system
- Attend your biometrics appointment in person
- Wait for the decision โ processing takes months, not days, so start early
- Collect your residence permit card; your asmens kodas is printed on it
- Declare your place of residence at the municipality
See our temporary residence permit guide for the full process, grounds and documents.
โ Verify before publishing. Current processing times, fee amounts, appointment booking mechanics and the exact document list must be checked against the Migration Department (migracija.lrv.lt) and the Centre of Registers before this page goes live. These change regularly and this is exactly the kind of page where a stale figure destroys trust.
EU vs Non-EU Citizens
๐ช๐บ EU / EEA citizens
- โ National ID card or passport is enough
- โ No visa required
- โ Evidence of employment, study or funds
- โ Proof of Lithuanian address
Cost: free
Difficulty: straightforward
๐ Non-EU citizens
- โ Valid passport
- โ Temporary residence permit required
- โ Grounds must be documented โ job, study, family
- โ Biometrics appointment in person
Cost: permit state fee applies
Difficulty: the permit is the hard part
The gap that catches people out
There's often a stretch of weeks or months between arriving and holding your asmens kodas โ especially for non-EU citizens waiting on a permit decision. During that window you still need to receive money and pay for things. Open a fintech account with just your passport on day one and the gap becomes a non-issue.
Get banking sorted while you wait
A Lithuanian IBAN with just a passport โ no personal code needed.
Keep It Safe
Your asmens kodas identifies you across every Lithuanian system, so treat it the way you'd treat a national ID number. Share it when an employer, bank, doctor or government office genuinely needs it โ and not otherwise. Never post it publicly or send it to someone who contacted you unprompted. If you think it's been misused, contact the police and your bank.
Common Mistakes
Waiting for your asmens kodas before doing anything
The single most common delay. You don't need one to open a bank account with Revolut, Paysera or Wise โ start there and let the personal code catch up while your residence process runs.
Applying for it as a standalone thing
There's no separate "asmens kodas application." It's issued automatically when your residence status is granted โ chase the residence permit or right-of-residence registration, not the code itself.
Assuming it expires when your permit does
It doesn't. The number is yours for life, even if you later leave Lithuania. What lapses is your access to services tied to current legal residence, not the code itself.
Treating it as a low-stakes number
It identifies you across tax, healthcare, banking and property records โ share it only when an organisation genuinely needs it, the same discipline you'd apply to a national ID or Social Security number.
Forgetting children need their own
Each resident child gets their own code โ it's not inherited from a parent's, and it's required for school enrolment and healthcare.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get an asmens kodas without a residence permit?
Not as a standalone application in the normal case. For non-EU citizens the personal code is assigned when a residence permit is granted. EU citizens receive one when they register their right of residence. Certain narrow circumstances create exceptions โ check with the Migration Department if you think yours is unusual.
Does it ever expire?
No. Once assigned, the number is yours permanently, even if you later leave Lithuania. Your residence permit expires; the code doesn't. What you can lose is access to services tied to it, such as public healthcare, if your legal residence ends.
Is it the same as a tax number?
For individuals, effectively yes โ your asmens kodas serves as your taxpayer identification number with the tax authority (VMI). Businesses have separate company and VAT identifiers.
Do I need one to open a bank account?
For a traditional bank such as Swedbank, SEB or Luminor โ generally yes. For Revolut, Paysera or Wise โ no, a passport is enough. This is why most new arrivals start with a fintech account.
How long does it take?
For EU citizens, it comes with the right-of-residence registration, which is comparatively quick. For non-EU citizens, it depends entirely on residence permit processing, which typically runs into months. Verify current timelines with the Migration Department.
Where do I find my number?
It's printed on your Lithuanian residence permit card or right-of-residence certificate, and appears on official correspondence and your e-government profile.
Do children need one?
Yes. Children resident in Lithuania need their own personal code โ it's required for school enrolment and healthcare. Children born in Lithuania are assigned one at birth registration; for children arriving from abroad, parents apply alongside their own residence process.
What if my details change โ marriage, name change?
Your asmens kodas itself doesn't change. You update your recorded personal details with the Centre of Registers and the Migration Department, but the number stays the same for life.
Related Guides
Disclaimer. This is general guidance, not legal advice. Immigration rules, fees and processing times change. Always confirm current requirements with the Migration Department before acting. Some links on this page are affiliate links, which may earn us a commission at no cost to you.