Lithuania travel advice

Travel Summary

• There are confirmed human case of the H1N1 virus - Swine Flu in Lithuania. There are currently no quarantine or medical screening processes on entry to Lithuania. You should monitor local media reports for any developments and advice. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website at: www.who.int/ has further details. There is a dedicated Swine Flu page for further information. Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be obtained on the UK Department of Health website at www.dh.gov.uk.
  
  
• There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
  
  
• There has been a recent increase in petty crime, notably pickpocketing in bars and restaurants. We advise you to take extra care of your belongings in busy locations. See the Crime section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• Road traffic accidents are common. Extra care must be taken at all times when driving, particularly when driving at night. Car drivers must carry original car registration documents (copies are not acceptable). See the Road Travel section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• You should seek medical advice about inoculations against rabies and tick-borne encephalitis if you intend to visit forested areas. See the Health section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• Increasing numbers of British tourists visit Lithuania every year. The main types of incident for which British nationals required consular assistance in Lithuania in 2007 were: dealing with hospitalisations; and replacing lost and stolen passports. You should leave your passport in a safe place and keep a copy of it with you for identification purposes. If you need to contact the emergency services in Lithuania call 112.
  
  
• We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.

Safety and security

Terrorism

There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

For more general information see Terrorism Abroad.

Crime

There has been a recent increase in petty crime, notably pickpocketing in bars and restaurants. We advise you to take extra care of your belongings in busy locations. There is a risk of mugging, pickpocketing and bag snatching, particularly on public transport. Avoid poorly lit streets, parks and secluded areas after dark.

Be wary of accepting food and drink from strangers in bars, nightclubs and restaurants. Some visitors have been drugged and subsequently robbed.

Car theft, particularly of/from new or expensive cars, is rife. Lock unattended vehicles: conceal all contents (and radios, if possible). Major cities have guarded car parks: use them if at all possible, especially overnight.

We are aware of a number of recent thefts of bicycles in Vilnius. Make sure your bicycle is securely locked when leaving it unattended.

For more general information see Victims of Crime Abroad.

Political Situation

Lithuania Country Profile

Local Travel

Tickets for buses and trolley buses in Vilnius and Kaunas are best bought from a news kiosk (spauda). They cost more if bought from the driver. Tickets should be franked on the machine on board. If they are not - or you are travelling without a ticket at all - you may be fined by undercover inspectors.

Taxis are widely available in the major cities and are reasonably priced. However, do make sure there is a visible meter and that it is being used. It is cheaper and safer to phone for a taxi from a recognised company rather than to hail one in the street. Ask your hotel reception to call one for you if necessary. Do not use taxis that are unmarked; they are illegal and usually cost a lot more than registered taxis.

Tourists walking along the Curonian Spit should be aware that after a short distance the Spit forms part of Kaliningrad, which is Russian Federation territory.

Road Travel

In 2007 there were 739 road deaths in Lithuania (source: DfT). This equates to 21.8 road deaths per 100,000 of population, compared to the UK average of 5.0 road deaths per 100,000 of population in 2007.

If driving into Lithuania in winter, equip your car for severe conditions. Winter tyres are a legal requirement in Lithuania between 10 November and 1 April. Dipped Headlights are also compulsory all year round.

The speed limits, unless otherwise indicated, are 50km/h in towns, 90km/h on country roads and 110km/h on highways.

If you do not have a UK photocard driving license you will need to also carry either an international driving licence or your passport.

Do not drink and drive. The legal blood-alcohol limit is 0.04%. Those found over the limit face a fine and possible imprisonment.

When travelling by car, border officials will ask for the following documents:

• A passport with a validity of at least six months;

• Original car registration documents (copies are not acceptable);

• International vehicle insurance (Green Card).

You will also need to have appropriate car insurance valid for Lithuania.

For more general information see Driving Abroad.

Air Travel

The revised EU-wide security measures that came into effect for all passengers departing from UK airports in November 2006 are also being implemented in Lithuania. For more details about this see Airline Security

Local laws and customs

You should not become involved with drugs. Possession of even very small quantities of drugs can lead to imprisonment and/or heavy fines.

For more general information for different types of travellers see Travel Advice Relevant to You.

Entry requirements

Visas

Holders of British Citizen passports do not require visas to enter Lithuania. Holders of other categories of British passports may require visas and should contact the Lithuanian Embassy in London.

Passport validity

Passports should have at least three months' validity remaining when you leave Lithuania.

Staying for three months or longer

British Citizens intending to live and work in Lithuania for a period longer than three months in any calendar half-year from the first day of their entry into Lithuania should apply for an EC Residence Permit from the Migration Department under the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Lithuania.

Travelling with children

Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country. For further information on exactly what will be required at immigration please contact the Lithuanian Embassy in London.

Health

There are confirmed human cases of the H1N1 virus - Swine Flu in Lithuania. There are currently no quarantine or medical screening processes on entry to Lithuania. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website at: www.who.int/ has further details. Check Swine Flu for further information. Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be obtained on the UK Department of Health website at www.dh.gov.uk.

The Form E111 is no longer valid. You should obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK. The EHIC is not a substitute for medical and travel insurance, but entitles you to emergency medical treatment on the same terms as Lithuanian nationals. It also does not cover you for medical repatriation, on-going medical treatment or treatment of a non-urgent nature. For more general information see EHIC.

Tick-borne encephalitis is common to Lithuania, especially if you intend to visit forested areas in the summer months

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 2,200 adults aged 15 or over in Lithuania were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 0.1% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Lithuania and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel Health.

General

Insurance

We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. For more general information see Travel Insurance.

If things do go wrong when you are oversees then this is How We Can Help.

Registration

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency. More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here.

Issuing replacement passports

The British Embassy cannot issue passports locally but it can issue temporary passports in an emergency. UK passport applications from customers living in Lithuania will be handled by the British Passport Processing Centre in Düsseldorf which is part of the British Consulate General, Düsseldorf, Germany. It is recommended that the application is sent by courier (this will be at your own expense). We aim to issue a replacement passport within 15 days. For more details please go to http://ukingermany.fco.gov.uk/en/passports/welcome.

Travel to Klaipeda, Nida & Palanga

Those wishing to travel to Klaipeda, Nida and Palanga should be aware that we now have an Honorary Consul, Mark Uribe, to assist you should you have any difficulties. His number is: 8-699 33210 and the address of the Honorary Consulate is: Zveju 2/513, Klaipeda.

If you intend to walk along the Curonian Spit you should be aware that after a short distance the Spit forms part of Kaliningrad, which is territory of the Russian Federation.

Customs Regulations

Travellers entering the UK from European Union countries do not normally pay any UK tax or duty on excise goods they have bought tax and duty paid in EU countries for own use. But there are special rules for cigarettes and some other tobacco products from some EU countries.

The UK is maintaining limits on the amount of cigarettes and some tobacco products that travellers are able to bring in to the UK for own use from nine European Union Member States (including Lithuania), without paying UK duty.

The limits are:

Estonia - 200 cigarettes or 250g of smoking tobacco.

Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia - 200 cigarettes.

Anyone who is carrying more than the limits should pay UK duty on those goods by entering the Customs red channel or by using the red point telephone. If travellers enter the Customs blue channel with more than the limits, then all of their tobacco may be seized.

Money

New legislation on the controls of cash entering or leaving the EU will apply in all Member States from 15 June 2007. Any person entering or leaving the EU will have to declare the cash that they are carrying if this amounts to 10,000 euros or more; this includes cheques, travellers' cheques, money orders, etc. This will not apply to anyone travelling via the EU to a non-EU country, as long as the original journey started outside of the EU nor to those travelling within the EU.

The official currency of Lithuania is Litas (Lt). Major credit cards are widely accepted and ATM machines can be found in most banks and hotels. There are numerous currency exchange kiosks in the capital Vilnius and travellers' cheques can be cashed at some banks.

You should ensure that any Sterling you take to Lithuania is in Bank of England notes. Banks and Bureaux de Change have refused to exchange Scottish or Irish notes, as they do not recognise them as Sterling.