This section contains up-to-date information on Guardianship (curatorship) benefit, Targeted guardianship (curatorship) benefit supplement, Lump sum child benefit, Child benefit, Lump sum settlement benefit, Benefit for a child of a serviceman in mandatory primary military service, a Lump sum benefit for a pregnant women, Child care benefit for those in training or education, Benefit for multiple births, Child temporary care benefit, Child adoption benefit, procedures for calculating and the awarding of these payments.

Law of the Republic of Lithuania on Benefits to Children of 3 November 1994 (No. I-621).

In what situation can I claim?

You can receive these benefits, based on the following definitions:

• Guardianship (curatorship) benefit (Globos (rūpybos) išmoka) is payable for each child cared for in a family, social family, foster centre or childcare institution;
• Targeted guardianship (curatorship) benefit supplement (globos (rūpybos) išmokos tikslinis priedas) is payable for each child placed under guardianship in a family, social family or foster centre;
• Lump sum child benefit (vienkartinė išmoka vaikui) is payable for each new born or adopted child, irrespective of whether a benefit for a new-born child has already been paid;
• Child benefit (išmoka vaikui) is payable for every child from birth to the age of 18 and up to 23 if they are in education, irrespective of family income. For low income families raising one or two children, families raising three or more children and for disabled children, an additional child benefit is paid.
• Lump sum settlement benefit (vienkartinė išmoka įsikurti) is granted to those who have been placed under guardianship (curatorship), upon termination of the guardianship of the child because of them reaching the age of majority or getting married;
• A monthly benefit is payable for each child of a serviceman in mandatory primary military service (išmoka privalomosios pradinės karo tarnybos kario vaikui);
• Lump sum benefit for women who are pregnant (vienkartinė išmoka nėščiai moteriai) is payable if the woman is not eligible for maternity allowance under the Law on Sickness and Maternity Social Insurance;
• Child care benefit for person in training or education (Išmoka besimokančio ar studijuojančio asmens vaiko priežiūrai) is payable if the person is not eligible for a childcare benefit under the Law on Sickness and Maternity Social Insurance;
• Benefit for multiple births (Išmoka gimus vienu metu daugiau kaip vienam vaikui) is payable when two or more children are born.
• Child adoption benefit (išmoka įvaikinus vaiką).
• Child temporary care benefit (vaiko laikinosios priežiūros išmoka).

What conditions do I need to meet?

You may claim these benefits if:

• you are a permanent resident in Lithuania;
• you are a foreign national with a permit of a long-term residence from Lithuania in the European Union;
• you are a foreign national residing in Lithuania legally appointed as a guardian (foster carers) of a child who is a Lithuanian citizen;
• children residing in Lithuanian with foreign nationality and whose guardianship according to law has been assumed by a competent authority in the country;
• you are a foreign national with a temporary residence permit enabling you to work in Lithuania in a highly-qualified position;
• you are foreign national with a temporary permit to reside and work in Lithuania and you are in employment or have been employed for a minimum period of six months and you are registered as unemployed, except if you are foreign national who has been admitted for study purposes;
• you are a citizen of an EU Member State or an EEA country or a family member who has the right of residence. The additional requirement for family members is that they have been living in Lithuania for three months or more. This requirement does not apply if you or a member of your family are citizens of one of the countries mentioned above and work in Lithuania;
• you are a foreign national with a temporary residence in Lithuania in the framework of an intra-corporate transfer for a period not less than 9 months;
• you are a foreign citizen who is granted asylum and temporary protection in Lithuania.
• you are a person for whom the Republic of Lithuania Law on Benefits for Children is applicable under the EU regulations on the coordination of social security systems;
• you and your family members are citizens of Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand or South Korea and are granted temporary residence permits and live for at least three months in Lithuania. This requirement does not apply, if you are a citizen of one of the countries mentioned above and work (as employed or self-employed) in Lithuania.

What am I entitled to and how can I claim?

Lump sum benefit for a pregnant woman

A pregnant woman who is not entitled to maternity allowance under the Law on Sickness and Maternity Social Insurance is entitled to a lump sum benefit that amounts to 6.43 times the basic social benefit (hereinafter - BSB) (EUR 315.07) 70 days before the scheduled childbirth date.

Each new-born or adopted child, irrespective of whether a new born child benefit has already been paid, is entitled to a lump sum child benefit payment of 11 times BSB (EUR 539).

Lump sum child benefit is payable to one or other of the child's parents, single parent, adoptive parents or guardian.

Benefit for multiple births:

In the event of multiple births, a specific benefit is payable. In the case of twins, the monthly amount is four times BSB (EUR 196) and the same amount is paid for each additional child born.

This benefit is paid from birth up until the age of two.

Child benefit is payable as follows:

For every child from birth to the age of 18 years and up to 23 if studying under the general curriculum regardless of family income. The child benefit amounts to 1.75 BSB (EUR 85.75).

Low-income families raising and/or fostering one or two children whose income per person is less than 2 times the State supported income (EUR 258), families raising and/or fostering three or more children or disabled children are entitled to an additional child benefit amounting to 1.03 of BSB (EUR 50.47) for every child.

Child care benefit for person in training or education:

• if one of the child’s parents, adoptive parents, or guardian attends a formal vocational training programme, or is a full-time student at a higher education institution or are doctoral or medical residency student and is not entitled to a child care benefit, they are entitled to a monthly benefit of 6 BSB (EUR 294) during the period of training or studies and for 12 months after completion.
• This benefit is paid during the period of child care from the date of birth of the child until 2 years of age. The child care benefit shall not be granted to persons in training or education, if the other parent (adoptive parent) or guardian of the child has been granted a child care benefit for the same child.

Guardianship (curatorship) benefit and Targeted guardianship benefit supplement

For each child in care in a family, social family, social care institution or foster centre a monthly guardianship (curatorship) benefit is paid:

• for children under 6 years: 5.2 BSB (EUR 254.80);
• for children from 6 to 12 years: 6 BSB (EUR 294);
• for children from 12 to 18 years of age and those with a disability level: 6.5 BSB (EUR 318.50);
• for those under the age of 24 who are studying: 6.5 BSB (EUR 318.50).

A child who continues the studies according to the general education curriculum and/or the formal vocational training programme and who, during a school year, receives overnight accommodation, food and other services in a general education school, vocational training establishment or a children’s socialisation centre, is entitled to a monthly guardianship (curatorship) benefit:

• for children under 6 years: EUR 127.40;
• for children from 6 to 12 years: EUR 147;
• for children from 12 to 18 years of age and those with a disability level or for those under the age of 24 who are studying: EUR 159.25.

For each child placed under guardianship in a family, a social family or foster centre a monthly targeted guardianship benefit supplement is payable, amounting to 4 times BSB (EUR 196) per family.

If, at the end of the child’s guardianship, as a result of adulthood, emancipation or marriage, persons still receive overnight accommodation, food and other services in a family, social family or foster centre and are enrolled in a general education programme, they may receive a targeted guardianship benefit supplement per month of 4 BSB (EUR 196) which is granted and paid to family, social family and foster centre.

Lump sum settlement benefit

Upon the expiry of the foster care due to attaining the age of majority, emancipation or contracting a marriage, the person is granted a lump sum settlement benefit amounting to 75 BSB (EUR 3,675) to acquire a dwelling or to redeem part of the loan for the acquisition, or building of a dwelling (dwelling-house, apartment), to pay utility charges for a rented or owned dwelling, to repair or renovate a dwelling, to purchase furniture and domestic appliances, or to acquire a PC, to pay tuition charges or to purchase a plot of land.

Apart from guardianship (curatorship) benefit, benefits are payable by the local municipal council in the area where a person lives.

Guardianship (curatorship) benefits and targeted guardianship benefits supplement for a child's guardian (curator) are paid by the local government authority under whose protection the child was placed or, after 1 January 2007, the administration of the children's social care centre designated by the leader of the local authority.

Guardianship (curatorship) benefits for those who have reached the age of majority and who are studying in public schools, vocational schools and higher education establishments are paid by the administration of the local authority in the area where the educational institution is located. If someone who is officially resident in Lithuania is studying in a general education, vocational or higher education establishment abroad, a guardianship (curatorship) benefit is paid to them by the local municipal council in the area where they have declared residence.

Benefit for a child of a serviceman in mandatory primary military service

Each child of a serviceman or woman in compulsory primary military service is entitled to a benefit of 1.5 times BSB a month (EUR 73.50).

If both the father and mother perform mandatory primary military service at the same time, the amount of the benefit for mandatory primary military service serviceman’s child is not increased.

Child adoption benefit

In the case of adoption of a child, one of the adoptive parents is entitled to a monthly benefit equal to 8 BSB (EUR 392) which is paid for 24 months, but at most until the child turns 18 except in cases where the parents are entitled to a child care benefit equal to or above the Child adoption benefit.

If the amount of the Child care benefit is less than the Child adoption benefit, the latter is calculated as the difference between the two benefits.

The Child adoption benefit is not paid when:

• one of the child’s adoptive parents is entitled to child care benefit paid to the same adopted child under the Law on Sickness and Maternity Social Insurance of the Republic of Lithuania;
• a child is adopted by a new spouse or partner of the child’s parent.

The child adoption benefit is granted and paid from the day on which an individual is entitled to the allowance but for no more than 24 months before the submission of all documents for entitlement to the allowance to the municipality’s administration.

Child temporary care benefit

It is paid to the carer during the period of temporary guardianship of a child amounting to 6 BSB (EUR 294).

Jargon busters

• Basic Social Benefit (BSB) (bazinė socialinė išmoka, BSI) – monthly amount of benefit set by the Government - (EUR 49);
• Age of majority - the attainment of legal responsibility for their own actions by those reaching the age of 18;
• Guardian of a child - a natural or legal person who, in accordance with the procedure laid down by law, has been entrusted with supervision, upbringing, protection of rights and interests and representation of a child deprived of parental care.

Forms you may need to fill in

You will need the following documents (choose those which apply to your specific situation):

• application form;
• proof of identity;
• proof of guardianship and letter of appointment as guardian;
• family, social family, private child care home, state or local authority children's home, foster centre registration document;
• a court decision on the awarding of child maintenance, where maintenance was awarded;
• certificate of schooling when a child (person) is accommodated in secondary school or vocational training establishment boarding house;
• a school certificate where a person aged 18 or over is in education;
• a bank current account;
• other documents presented according to the circumstances.

Applicants do not need to submit the above documents if a municipal authority receives data from the state and departmental registers and state information systems.

Know your rights

European Commission publications and websites:

• Family Benefits: Your Rights as an EU Citizen Abroad  

Who do you need to contact?

Information is supplied by the social support departments of local authorities. Most local authorities have an internet address - [name].lt (e.g. vilnius.lt).

Ministry of Social Security and Labour