Personal accounts: Lithuania
An honest assessment before work starts, the quote is fixed in writing.
| In short | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Without residence | some banks open accounts for non-residents, but Russian citizens almost always need EU residence |
| Visit | a check at a branch or by video, online for residents |
| Currency | euro |
| Deposit protection | up to 100,000 euros, ~$112,100, per depositor per bank |
| Restriction for Russians | deposits capped at 100,000 euros without EU citizenship or residence |
| Russian tax notice | within a month for Russian tax residents |
A personal account in Lithuania is opened at a Lithuanian bank or an electronic money institution licensed by the Bank of Lithuania. For a resident with a personal code it is usually simple, including online. Some banks also open accounts for non-residents, but they ask why the account must be in Lithuania and check the source of funds thoroughly. Dollar amounts use the European Central Bank rate of 5 October 2026, $1.12 per euro.
Can you open an account in Lithuania without residence and without visiting
The law does not require residence for an account, and some Lithuanian banks and e-money institutions open accounts for non-residents. But the bank will ask why you need an account in Lithuania specifically and will check the source of funds thoroughly. In practice Russian citizens without residence in an EU country are almost never given an account.
A Lithuanian resident with a personal code opens an account online. A non-resident is checked at a branch or by video. Since 19 September 2022 Lithuania has not admitted Russian citizens on tourist Schengen visas, so you can come only on a legal ground: residence, a national visa, work or study.
We will calculate online the cost of opening a personal account and maintaining it for a year.
Which banks accept Russians
- Large banks of Nordic groups open accounts for Russian citizens only with residence in Lithuania or another EU country.
- Local banks consider applications case by case: with work, study or residence and transparent payments.
- E-money institutions licensed by the Bank of Lithuania sometimes open a payment account, but check Russian and Belarusian citizens especially strictly.
Documents for the account
| Document | Why the bank needs it |
|---|---|
| Passport | client identity |
| Residence permit and Lithuanian personal code | resident status and lifting the deposit cap |
| Proof of address in Lithuania or your country of residence | place of residence |
| An employment contract with a Lithuanian employer, if any | ties to Lithuania |
| Proof of income and source of funds | origin of money |
| Tax number and tax residency form | automatic exchange of tax data |
Timing and account fees
A resident with a personal code gets an account online in a day or two. For a non-resident the check usually takes one to several weeks, longer if there are questions about money from Russia. Banks charge a monthly account and card fee; a basic payment account costs a capped amount by law. Instant euro payments within the EU arrive in seconds.
Without EU residence Russians are almost always refused in Lithuania
The law does not stop you from applying to a Lithuanian bank on your own. But mistakes cost more than any tariff: applying without residence and a personal code, an e-money institution instead of a bank where a deposit is needed, money without documents on its origin, an expected balance above EUR 100,000 (about $120,000), a missed Russian tax notice. Murblz support removes these risks: we assess the chances before applying, choose a bank or institution for your status, prepare documents and handle the opening to a decision. We guarantee professional work and a transparent process, and in most cases a result on the first application.
Support depends on the bank and your status in Lithuania; a manager will calculate it in the chat.
Deposit protection and sanctions
Bank deposits are protected up to €100,000, about $112,100, per depositor per bank. Money at electronic money institutions is not covered by deposit insurance but is held separately from the institution's funds. Banks do not accept deposits over €100,000 from Russian nationals without EU citizenship or EU residence, under EU Regulation 833/2014, and Russian and Belarusian nationals are checked especially strictly.
Taxes for Russian tax residents
Since 8 August 2023 Russia has suspended the main articles of its tax treaty with Lithuania. A Russian tax resident declares interest on a Lithuanian account themselves and pays Russian tax: 13%, and 15% on the part of deposit and investment income above 2.4 million rubles a year. For those who have moved and become Lithuanian tax residents, Lithuanian rules apply - see below.
Tax data exchange and the Russian tax notice
Lithuania is in the EU and takes part in the automatic exchange of tax information, so the bank will ask about your tax residency. A Russian tax resident notifies the tax service within a month of opening a foreign account and then files a cash flow report by 1 June each year. For accounts in Eurasian Union countries and automatic exchange countries the report is not filed if no more than 600,000 rubles, about $7,100, came into the account during the year or remained at year end. The obligation does not apply to those who spent more than 183 days outside Russia in the calendar year. The fine for an unfiled notice is about $50-60 per account for individuals. The procedure and form are in our article on notifying the tax office of a foreign account.
Personal code and status
- A Lithuanian resident receives a personal code with the residence permit. With it the account opens on standard terms, and state e-services are available.
- A non-resident is served on a passport and foreign address, if the bank works with non-residents.
- A Lithuanian e-resident gets a personal code for e-services, but it is not residence and does not guarantee an account.
- Someone arriving for work or study receives a personal code with the residence permit; before that the account is opened as for a non-resident.
The right to a basic account
As everywhere in the EU, a person lawfully resident in the Union is entitled to a basic payment account. A bank cannot refuse it without legal grounds, and the fee is capped. It is a convenient first step after moving.
Lithuanian tax residency
You become a Lithuanian tax resident by spending 183 days or more in a calendar year, or 280 days or more over two consecutive years with at least 90 days in each. An account does not make you resident, but non-residents' account details are sent to their countries.
Common refusals
- a non-resident with no ties to Lithuania and no clear purpose;
- a Russian citizen without EU residence;
- an undocumented source of funds;
- payments from Russia or Belarus and sanctioned counterparties;
- contradictions in the tax residency form or an unproven address.
What we do
Murblz specialists choose a bank or institution for your status, prepare documents and the source of funds explanation and support the opening until a decision. If you are relocating, we tie the account to your residence and personal code. The decision stays with the bank, but we prepare the application so that it has real chances.
This topic in other countries
- Personal account in Georgia
- Personal account in Turkey
- Personal account in Armenia
- Personal account in Serbia
- Personal account in Uzbekistan
- Personal account in Switzerland
- Personal account in Singapore
- Personal account in Hong Kong
- Personal account in Germany
- Personal account in Kyrgyzstan
- Personal account in the USA
- Personal account in Spain
- Personal account in Portugal
- Personal account in Thailand
- Personal account in Argentina
- Personal account in Paraguay
- Personal account in Uruguay
- Personal account in Cyprus
- Personal account in Panama
- Personal account in Montenegro
- Personal account in Latvia
- Personal account in Estonia
- Personal account in Malaysia
For this country: moving to Lithuania, taxes in Lithuania.
All countries and bank requirements for Russians are in our overview of opening a bank account abroad in 2026.
What we do
- Personal account - opening assistance
See also
Company formation · Business account · Investment property · Country taxes · All country programs
FAQ
Can a non-resident open an account in Lithuania?
Does Lithuanian e-residency give the right to an account?
Is money insured in Lithuanian banks?
When do I become a Lithuanian tax resident?
Do Lithuanian banks open accounts for Russian nationals?
Can I open a personal account in Lithuania online?
Do I need a Lithuanian personal code for an account?
Do you need to notify the Russian tax office of an account in Lithuania?
Want to open a personal account in Lithuania?
We choose a Lithuanian bank or payment institution that fits your status, prepare proof of income and follow the review to a decision. Every country is in the searchable catalogue.
The Murblz consultant replies straight away in the chat on this page. Describe your situation and we will work it out together.
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