Vilnius stops accepting applications in Russian: what will change for residents

Vilnius City Council will no longer accept written applications, appeals and complaints in Russian. The decision was made as part of the policy of strengthening the role of the state language and integrating foreigners into Lithuanian society.

This was reported by LRT.

Russian language to be excluded from official communication

From now on, written applications to the Vilnius City Council will be accepted only in the state language or other languages ​​stipulated by law.

City Hall employees will be able to provide information in Russian and other languages ​​of countries that are not members of the European Union only orally – provided that the specific employee speaks the relevant language.

In addition, Russian has already been removed from the official website of the city administration and the electronic queue system for visitors.

Part of the integration policy

As explained in the Vilnius City Council, the changes are being implemented as part of the Integration Plan for Residents of Foreign Origin and are aimed at strengthening the position of the Lithuanian language.

Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas noted that the city authorities are consistently implementing the decision made this spring to expand the use of the state language.

According to him, in just a few months, the capital has managed to significantly expand the opportunities for learning the Lithuanian language, and the number of preschool groups with instruction in Russian has decreased by about 40%.

Free courses and language clubs

In 2026, the Vilnius authorities plan to teach more than a thousand foreigners the Lithuanian language through free courses and distance learning programs. An additional 300 thousand euros have been allocated for the implementation of this initiative.

Language clubs will start operating in various districts of the city in the fall, and an online platform for independent study of the Lithuanian language will be launched by the end of the year.

Lithuania strengthens language policy

Strengthening requirements for the use of the state language is part of the country’s broader language policy.

In early July, the Lithuanian Seimas authorized the government to establish a mandatory level of Lithuanian language proficiency for taxi and ride-sharing service drivers. The new requirements are set to come into effect in 2028.

Other Baltic countries have followed suit. In particular, the Estonian parliament recently passed amendments to its language legislation that will increase penalties for insufficient proficiency in the state language.