Working in Lithuania from Cameroon: Visa, Permit, Costs (2026)

Moving from Cameroon to Lithuania for trade or manual work is a real path, but you must follow exact legal steps. Lithuania is a Northern European country with a growing economy that hires foreign workers for specific technical and manual roles. However, Lithuania has established strict annual work quotas for non-EU citizens. If you need a job immediately within a few weeks, Lithuania can feel slow because of processing times, and a country like Poland might handle higher volumes of work permits. But if you have a real contract offer from a Lithuanian company, the legal process is structured and secure.

To succeed, you need patience, clean paperwork from Yaoundé or Douala, and an official Lithuanian sponsor. You cannot travel on a tourist visa and convert it to a work permit after arrival. Here is how the legal process works for a Cameroonian national moving to Lithuania.

The official visa and work permit route for Lithuania

For Cameroonian nationals, the application process always starts in Lithuania, not in Cameroon. Your future employer must take the first legal steps on your behalf.

• Employer clearance: Your employer in Lithuania must register the job opening with the Lithuanian Employment Service (Užimtumo tarnyba). If the position cannot be filled by a local or EU citizen, or if the role is listed on the official shortage occupation list (Trūkstamų profesijų sąrašas), the employer receives approval to hire from abroad.
• MIGRIS approval: The employer submits an application through the Lithuanian Migration Department online system (MIGRIS). MIGRIS reviews the request and issues an official approval or work permit decision.
• National Visa D application: Once MIGRIS approves your employer's application, you apply for a National Visa D (visagrandė nacionalinė visa D). This multi-entry visa allows you to enter Lithuania legally and work while your physical Temporary Residence Permit (TRP) card is processed.
• Who applies first: The employer in Lithuania always applies first. You cannot apply for your visa until your employer secures approval from Užimtumo tarnyba or MIGRIS.

Submission, Cameroonian document legalisation, and costs

Lithuania does not maintain a full operational embassy in Cameroon. Cameroonian citizens must submit their visa applications, original documents, and biometrics at the nearest Lithuania embassy or visa centre serving Cameroon in the region.

Before you travel or submit your file, your Cameroonian documents must undergo strict verification:

• Passport validity: Your Cameroonian passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned stay in Lithuania and contain at least two blank visa pages.
• Police clearance certificate: You must obtain a fresh Extract from Criminal Record (Extrait du Casier Judiciaire - Bulletin No. 3) from the Ministry of Justice or competent court in Cameroon.
• MINREX legalisation: Because Cameroon is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention, your documents cannot receive an Apostille. Instead, your police certificate, trade certificates, and birth records must be legalised by the Ministry of External Relations (MINREX) in Yaoundé, followed by legalisation at the diplomatic mission serving Lithuania.
• Certified translations: Documents in French must be officially translated into English or Lithuanian by a certified sworn translator.
• Medical insurance and proof of skill: You must present valid travel medical insurance covering emergency costs in the Schengen area, along with trade certificates or work reference letters proving your work history.

Personal costs on the Cameroon side and official Lithuanian fees include the following estimated ranges:

• Police clearance (Casier judiciaire): Approximately 5,000 XAF to 15,000 XAF (about €8 to €23).
• MINREX legalisation in Yaoundé: Approximately 10,000 XAF to 20,000 XAF per document (about €15 to €30).
• Certified translations: Approximately 10,000 XAF to 25,000 XAF per page (about €15 to €38).
• Medical exam and certificate: Approximately 25,000 XAF to 60,000 XAF (about €38 to €90) depending on the approved clinic.
• National Visa D official fee: Set by Lithuania, approximately €140 (about 92,000 XAF). You should verify exact rates on the MIGRIS website.
• Flight ticket from Cameroon to Vilnius: Approximately 400,000 XAF to 750,000 XAF (about €600 to €1,150) depending on seasonality and routing.

Processing times range from approximately 2 to 6 weeks for employer clearance in Lithuania, and approximately 3 to 8 weeks for MIGRIS and visa processing once your file is submitted.

Placement fees, scam warnings, and trades in demand

Under European Union and Lithuanian labor laws, no agency or employer may legally charge a worker a fee for getting a job. Recruitment expenses are the legal responsibility of the employer in Lithuania.

Be extremely cautious with local agencies in Douala, Yaoundé, or online claiming to offer guaranteed European work permits in exchange for massive upfront fees. Scammers frequently request between 1,000,000 XAF and 3,000,000 XAF for fake job offers.

• Never pay for a job offer: A genuine employer pays the recruitment agency. You should only cover your personal document costs, legalisations, medical check, visa fee, and travel.
• Verify MIGRIS notifications: Always check any work approval letter directly on the MIGRIS portal using the official reference code provided by your employer.

Lithuania actively recruits international talent across specific manual and skilled trades:

• International truck drivers: Transport firms hire experienced heavy goods vehicle drivers holding C+E licenses for long-haul routes across Western Europe.
• Construction trades: Building companies hire specialized welders, concrete formworkers, and bricklayers for commercial and residential construction projects.
• Warehouse logistics operators: Logistics centers in major hubs hire order selectors, material handlers, and forklift drivers to manage distribution networks.

Myths vs facts

• Myth: You can travel to Lithuania on a tourist visa and apply for a work permit after arriving.
  Fact: Working on a short-term tourist visa is illegal and will lead to arrest, deportation, and a multi-year ban from entering the Schengen region.
• Myth: An agency in Cameroon can issue a Lithuanian work permit directly to you.
  Fact: Only the Lithuanian Migration Department (MIGRIS) inside Lithuania can grant work permission, and the request must come directly from a registered Lithuanian employer.
• Myth: You must pay millions of XAF to buy an employment contract.
  Fact: Charging job seekers for placement is illegal under EU rules, and legitimate Lithuanian employers cover their own recruitment fees.
• Myth: Standard Cameroonian diplomas are accepted in Lithuania without legalisation.
  Fact: All Cameroonian public documents must go through MINREX legalisation in Yaoundé before Lithuanian immigration authorities will review them.

Before you sign

Protect yourself before signing any contract or sharing your personal identification details by following this verification checklist:

• Check company details: Verify that the hiring company is officially registered in the Lithuanian Register of Legal Entities (Registrų centras).
• Review salary and hours: Confirm that the contract details your exact job title, basic gross monthly wage, weekly working hours, and physical work location.
• Confirm accommodation terms: Ask whether the employer provides housing, whether rent is deducted from your wage, or if you must find accommodation yourself.
• Validate the MIGRIS code: Ask your employer for the official MIGRIS reference number and check the status on the official Lithuanian immigration portal.
• Keep your original documents: Never hand over your original Cameroonian passport or original diplomas to an agent. Only share scanned copies.

Take your next step with Workuro

If you want to work legally in Lithuania, build a complete and detailed profile on Workuro. List your practical trade skills, your work experience, your language skills, and indicate that your Cameroonian passport and police clearance preparations are ready. When verified employers in Lithuania search for workers, a transparent profile lets them find you directly without middleman fees.

Workuro is free for workers - employers pay to search the register, and nobody may charge you for a job.