The minimum cover for a visa
Must include emergency medical care and repatriation. This is a condition of the application, not a recommendation.
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You need €30,000 of cover including repatriation for a Lithuanian visa
Travel insurance for a Lithuanian visa application must cover at least €30,000 in emergency medical costs and explicitly include repatriation — policies missing that word are a common reason applications get refused. A temporary residence permit has a separate, lower €10,000 minimum.
Table of Contents
Two Different Requirements — Don't Confuse Them
This is where people waste money, and it's the single most useful thing on this page.
Lithuania applies two different insurance minimums depending on what you're applying for:
| Application | Minimum cover | Must include |
|---|---|---|
| National visa (to enter Lithuania) | €30,000 | Emergency medical care and repatriation |
| Temporary residence permit | €10,000 | Medical expenses |
The expensive mistake. Many people applying to move to Lithuania buy a €10,000 policy because that's the figure they saw for the residence permit — then discover the visa stage required €30,000 with repatriation. If your route is visa first, then permit, buy cover meeting the €30,000 standard from the outset. It costs marginally more than a €10,000 policy and satisfies both.
Which route applies to you?
Most non-EU nationals enter on a national visa and then apply for a residence permit from inside Lithuania. That means €30,000 first.
Some nationalities and routes can apply for the residence permit directly at a Lithuanian diplomatic mission, skipping the visa. Then €10,000 may suffice.
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their family members are exempt from this requirement entirely — carry a European Health Insurance Card instead.
What Your Policy Must Cover
The coverage amount is necessary but not sufficient. A policy can hit €30,000 and still be rejected.
- Minimum sum insured — €30,000 for a visa, €10,000 for a residence permit
- Emergency medical treatment — the core of it
- Repatriation — including medical repatriation and repatriation of remains. Frequently missing from cheap policies, and a common reason for rejection
- Valid across the Schengen area, not just Lithuania — a Lithuanian visa is a Schengen matter
- Covering your full period of stay, with dates that match your application
- Documentation the consulate accepts — usually a certificate in English or Lithuanian stating the sum insured, the cover, and the dates
Check the word "repatriation" appears explicitly. This is the single most common gap. A policy can advertise €50,000 of medical cover and still omit repatriation of remains — which is a stated requirement. Read the certificate, not the marketing page.
Who Needs This
You need it
- ✓ Non-EU nationals applying for a national visa
- ✓ Non-EU nationals applying for a residence permit
- ✓ Non-EU students before their permit is issued
- ✓ Anyone visiting Lithuania on a Schengen visa
You're exempt
- ✓ EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
- ✓ Their family members
- ✓ Diplomatic staff
- ✓ Persons covered by international agreements
If you're exempt, you don't need travel insurance for immigration purposes — though an EHIC plus a modest travel policy is still sensible for anything the state system doesn't cover, like repatriation.
Choosing a Policy
Two questions, and most people only think about the first.
1. Will the consulate accept it?
- Meets the minimum sum insured for your application type
- Explicitly includes repatriation
- Valid throughout the Schengen area
- Dates cover your entire intended stay
- Certificate in English or Lithuanian, clearly stating all of the above
2. Will it actually help if something happens?
- Direct billing with hospitals, so you're not paying up front and reclaiming
- 24-hour emergency assistance in a language you speak
- Pre-existing conditions — check the exclusions carefully if this applies to you
- Reasonable excess, since a low premium with a huge deductible isn't a bargain
- Baggage and cancellation, if you want more than the immigration minimum
Buy at home or in Lithuania?
For a visa application you'll usually buy before travelling, from an insurer in your own country or an international provider — the consulate simply needs a compliant certificate. For the residence permit stage, a policy from a Lithuanian insurer is often simpler, because it's certain to meet local requirements and easier to use here. The Lithuanian Insurers Association register at draudikai.lt lists licensed providers.
Applying for a visa or permit?
Compare policies that meet the €30,000 standard including repatriation.
Why Applications Get Refused
Buying €10,000 cover for a visa application
The most common and most avoidable. The visa threshold is €30,000.
No repatriation cover
A stated requirement that cheap policies routinely omit. Check the wording.
Dates that don't match the application
Cover must span your intended stay. A gap at either end is a problem.
Cover limited to Lithuania
It needs to be valid across the Schengen area.
A certificate in the wrong language
English or Lithuanian. A policy document in your home language alone may not be accepted.
Buying after submitting
The certificate is a required document at the point of application, not something to add later.
Assuming an existing policy qualifies
A credit card travel policy or an employer scheme may not meet the sum insured or the repatriation condition. Check the certificate before relying on it.
After You Arrive
Travel insurance is a bridge, not a destination. Once you're here, your position changes:
Your permit-stage policy covers the gap
Non-EU permit holders need cover of at least €10,000 until they're in the state system.
Employment brings you into PSD
Once you're working, your employer pays 6.98% health contributions and you enter Lithuania's compulsory health insurance system.
You may be able to drop the private policy
Confirm your PSD cover is actually active, and check your permit renewal requirements, before cancelling anything. Overlap them rather than leaving a gap.
Full detail in our health insurance guide and healthcare guide. Students should read health insurance for students — non-EU students aren't covered by PSD unless they work.
⚠ Still to verify. Actual policy prices from licensed Lithuanian insurers, and which specific products are confirmed to satisfy the €30,000-with-repatriation standard. Source from draudikai.lt before publishing named recommendations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much travel insurance do I need for a Lithuanian visa?
A minimum of €30,000, including emergency medical care and repatriation, valid across the Schengen area for your full period of stay.
Isn't the requirement €10,000?
That's the minimum for a temporary residence permit. The national visa requires €30,000 including repatriation. If you're entering on a visa and then applying for a permit, buy to the higher standard once.
Do EU citizens need it?
No — EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their family members are exempt. Carry a European Health Insurance Card, and consider a travel policy for repatriation and anything the state system won't cover.
What does repatriation mean here?
Getting you home for medical reasons, and repatriation of remains in the event of death. Both are typically required and both are commonly missing from budget policies.
Can I use my credit card's travel insurance?
Possibly, but check the certificate against the requirements — sum insured, repatriation, Schengen validity and dates. Many card policies fall short on at least one.
Can I buy the policy in my own country?
Yes, and for a visa application you usually will. It must meet the requirements and come with a certificate in English or Lithuanian.
When do I need to have it?
Before you submit — the certificate is a required document at the point of application.
Do I still need it once I have a residence permit?
Until you're covered by PSD, yes. Once you're employed and your employer is paying contributions, state cover may replace it — confirm it's active before cancelling.
Related Guides
Disclosure and disclaimer. Some links on this page are affiliate links, which may earn us a commission at no cost to you and do not affect our recommendations. This is general guidance, not insurance advice. Requirements change — always confirm the current minimums with the Lithuanian consulate or the Migration Department, and read your policy certificate before relying on it.