How to send money to Lithuania in 2026: euros in seconds from the EU and in 1-3 business days from other countries, to family and for a flat
A 20-character Lithuanian euro account receives money in 5 ways: instantly and around the clock from the European Union, as an ordinary payment by the next business day, in 1-3 business days from other countries, and through an electronic money institution in anything from seconds to 1 business day. In 2026, from $10,000 the bank checks the sum against your account profile and asks for a statement or a salary certificate.
In short
- A Lithuanian account number has 20 characters, and an instant euro transfer arrives in seconds.
- A gift from close relatives is tax-free at any amount.
- From anyone else, up to $2,800 (€2,500) a year is tax-free.
- A flat is paid for through the notary's deposit account; the notary's fee is 0.45% of the price.
- Deposits are insured up to $120,000 (€100,000) at each bank.
In detail
How money reaches Lithuania: overview on 8 October 2026
On 8 October 2026 there are 5 routes for sending money to Lithuania, all ending in a euro account. An instant euro transfer from another EU country arrives in up to 10 seconds, from elsewhere it takes 1-3 business days. Dollar amounts use the European Central Bank rate of 7 October 2026, $1.1177 per euro, rounded up.
| Route | Works | Credited in | Limit | Time | What you need |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instant euro transfer from an EU country | yes, around the clock | euros | the sending bank's daily limit | up to 10 seconds | the 20-character account number and the holder's name |
| Ordinary euro transfer from the EU | yes | euros | not set by law | next business day | the account number and the holder's name |
| Transfer from a country outside the EU | yes | euros or the payment currency | not set by law | 1-3 business days | the recipient bank's code, the payment purpose and, for a large sum, a document on the source of the money |
| Transfer to an account at a Lithuanian electronic money institution | yes | euros | the institution's limits | seconds to 1 business day | a Lithuanian account number and an online identity check |
| Money transfer service | yes | euros | the operator's limit per transaction | minutes to a day | the recipient's passport and a reference number |
Which route is faster and cheaper depends on the sending country and bank. Tell a manager where you are sending from and how much: they will check the route with your bank and suggest which Lithuanian account is best for receiving the money.
The Lithuanian account number and the recipient name check
A Lithuanian account is recognised by its 20-character international number: the country code, 2 check digits, a 5-digit bank code and the 11-digit account number. Lithuanian electronic money institutions licensed by the Bank of Lithuania issue the same number, so for the sender there is no difference: the payment travels under the same rules as to a bank. Lithuania has long been one of the EU's hubs for such institutions, and their accounts are opened online.
Since 9 October 2025 a sending bank in the euro area shows, before the money leaves, whether the recipient's name matches the account number. So the name is written exactly as it appears at the Lithuanian bank: in Latin letters, in full, with both surnames if there are two. For a payment from outside the EU you add the bank's 8- or 11-character international code, which the recipient will find in the banking app or on a statement. A Lithuanian bank credits dollars and other currencies to a euro account at its own rate, so for a large sum it pays to open an account in the payment currency in advance or compare the exchange rate at the sending bank.
If you are moving, it is easier to open the account before the first large transfer: the bank assesses the client's ties to Lithuania, and a residence permit, a job or studies confirm them. Grounds for moving are covered in the Lithuania residence permit article.
A gift to family in Lithuania: no tax and no limit on the amount
Money from a spouse, children, parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents and grandchildren is not taxed in Lithuania at any amount, and the same rule applies to adopted children and parents. Gifts from anyone else, such as a cousin or a friend, are tax-free up to $2,800 (€2,500) in total per calendar year. Above that, the recipient pays the tax through the annual return by 1 May of the following year.
The gift is explained to the bank with two papers: the payment purpose says it is a gift, and the recipient keeps at hand a birth or marriage certificate confirming the relationship. If a relative sends savings or money from selling a home, a statement or the sale contract goes with it, and then the recipient's bank does not hold up the crediting. The taxes a Lithuanian resident pays on other income are on the taxes in Lithuania page.
Example: a mother sends her daughter in Kaunas $34,000 (€30,000) for the down payment on a flat. There is no tax, because it is a gift from a close relative, and it does not need to be declared. In the payment purpose the mother writes that it is a gift to her daughter for buying a home, and the daughter attaches her birth certificate and her mother's savings statement to her reply to the bank.
A flat in Lithuania: a contract at the notary and payment through the notary's deposit account
A home purchase in Lithuania is certified by a notary: without the notary's signature the deal is not valid, and before signing the notary checks the seller, the flat and any encumbrances in the state registers. The notary's fee is 0.45% of the price under the state tariff. The deposit under a preliminary contract is usually 5-10% of the price.
The buyer transfers the main sum in one of 2 ways: directly to the seller or to the notary's deposit account. The second route is safer for both sides: the notary holds the money and releases it to the seller only after the buyer's ownership is recorded in the real estate register. A flat in Vilnius for $230,000 (€200,000) is paid for this way in a single transfer on the day of the deal.
If the purchase is made without a mortgage, the bank, the notary or the seller will ask where the money comes from: the sale contract of your previous home, statements for the year, tax returns. How to put together such a file after selling a flat in another country is covered in moving home sale proceeds abroad, and choosing a home and the costs of the deal in buying a flat in Lithuania. Paying for a flat from another country? A manager will tell you which source-of-funds documents the Lithuanian bank and notary will accept.
We will help you send money to Lithuania
Mistakes cost more than fees: the recipient's name not matching the Lithuanian bank's records, a gift from a friend above €2,500 with no tax worked out, a flat paid for outside the notary's deposit account, a large sum without source-of-funds documents. We will help you avoid them: we will choose the route to Lithuania, prepare the source-of-funds documents and the payment purpose, and agree the flat payment with the notary.
Details and terms are with a manager in the chat: much depends on the sum, the bank and your situation.
Tiers by amount: from the first transfer to selling a business
- Up to $10,000. The account number, the name and a clear purpose are enough: money to family, rent, studies. A Lithuanian bank credits such sums without questions if they match the purpose given when the account was opened.
- $10,000-100,000. The bank compares the sum with the income in your profile and, on the first large incoming payment, asks for an explanation and a document: a statement, a car sale contract or a salary certificate. Replying with the papers the same day speeds up crediting.
- From $100,000. You need a full source-of-funds file: the sale contract for a flat or a business stake, tax returns, the account history. The state insures $120,000 (€100,000) per person at each bank, so large capital is split between 2-3 banks. Tell a manager about the sum and its source, and they will suggest how to structure the transfer. Every legal way to move capital is on the capital relocation page.
The general rules for source-of-funds papers are in proof of source of funds, and how large sums leave the sending country in sending large sums abroad.
A Lithuanian account as a starting point: where money goes next
From Lithuania money moves on in seconds if the recipient is in the EU, because a Lithuanian account works under the same rules as any euro account. Most often it goes on in 4 directions.
- To Poland: family across the border, work and business in zloty.
- To Germany: work, children's studies and buying a home through a notary.
- To Spain: a warm country for the next move and a home by the sea.
- To Portugal: a tax number, an account and a residence permit for those looking for a new country.
A transfer back home follows the rules of the recipient country's bank, and the route differs for each country; a manager will check it for your case.
Sending money to nearby countries
- How to send money to Poland: zloty, euros and a flat without a ministry permit
- How to send money to Estonia: an account for a company and tax-free gifts
- How to send money to Belarus: BYN, foreign currency and accounts
- How to send money to Latvia: a residence permit through a company
- How to send money to the Czech Republic: koruna, euros and Czech thresholds
- How to send money to Sweden: krona in 1-3 business days, tax-free gifts
Every legal way to move capital is on the capital relocation page.
FAQ
Is money sent by parents taxed in Lithuania?
How much can a friend give you tax-free in Lithuania?
How many characters does a Lithuanian account number have?
Can a flat in Lithuania be paid for through a notary?
How much does a notary charge for a flat purchase in Lithuania?
How much of a Lithuanian account balance does the state insure?
Can you send money from Belarus to Lithuania?
We will suggest the best way to send your money
We will choose a transfer method for your amount and country, prepare the documents on the origin of the money for the bank, make the transfer through licensed partners and follow it until the money is credited. Ask your question in the chat - the manager will suggest the best terms and the cost. The legal side with banks and government bodies is handled by Murblz specialists and locally licensed partners.
Details and cost are with the manager in the chat. Describe your situation and we will reply right away.
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