Student visa for Lithuania, for students from South Africa

This is a temporary residence permit, not a visa. Since 1 July 2023 all full-time degree students from outside the EU must hold a temporary residence permit (TRP) for studies. You apply after admission, through the Migration Department's MIGRIS system and, if you are abroad, a visa centre or Lithuanian mission. Your university's international office will tell you which documents it provides.

The fee. The Migration Department's state fee schedule sets the TRP fee at €160 in the general procedure and €320 urgent, with a reduced €80 for a foreigner admitted to study (general procedure). Vilnius University quotes the general process at up to two months and urgent at up to one month. Filing through VFS abroad adds a service fee that Vilnius University puts at €40-€160.

The money. You must show half the minimum monthly wage for each month, which is €577 with the 2026 minimum wage of €1,153, plus a one-off amount for the journey home. Vilnius University states the requirement as €577 x 12 months + €1,153 for the return, about €8,077 for a year. Mykolas Romeris University's page gives a lower travel amount (€924). Universities are reading the same rule differently, so show the higher figure unless the Migration Department confirms otherwise.

Health insurance is mandatory. Vilnius University states a minimum cover of €10,000 for the TRP. Only emergency care is free.

New from 1 November 2026: applications for work- or study-based residence permits filed from inside Lithuania will require a valid legal basis for your stay at the time you apply. Do not plan on entering visa-free and sorting the permit out later.