Lithuania

Location: Northeastern Europe

Broadcast Regulators

At the time of writing, Lietuvos Radijo ir Televizijos Komisija (LRTK) is the relevant broadcast regulator for Lithuania. At the time of writing their website: www.rtk.lt was unavailable.

Currencies

Currency: Euro (EUR)

Q. Are there any requirements, when sending EUR?
A. Just your details, the beneficiary details and the purpose of the payment.

Q. Can I send inbound and outbound payments?
A. Yes, there are no restrictions on sending money into or outside of countries using the Euro.

Q. How much can I send?
A. As much as you want.

Q. How long will it take for my funds to be received?
A. Standard international payment time. However, with the right foreign exchange broker, this can be done as fast as the same day.

Q. Who can I send EUR to?
A. Both individuals and businesses can receive funds for countries sending with the Euro.

Q. Is sending EUR expensive?
A. Not if you use the right currency broker, who will be able to offer you bank-beating exchange rates and significantly lower payment charges.

Q. Can you use forward contracts with EUR?
A. Yes. With the right currency broker, you can book a EUR exchange rate forward, protecting you against any adverse currency movements. With these contracts, you will always know exactly what is coming out of your bank account.


Information courtesy of Currencies Direct 

Film Commissions

European Film Commissions Network (EUFCN) is a non-profit association, which supports and promotes the European film industry and culture.

Kaunas Film Office

Vilnius Film Office

Visas & Permits

Visas & Work Permits

Lithuania is a member of the Schengen area.

UK passport holders can enter Lithuania visa-free for stays of up to 90 days, over a 180 day period, for some business-related activities (such as attending business meetings). However, for longer stays or other types of work, a visa or permit may be required.

Please contact a local embassy, consulate or representative for more information. Alternatively, there are specialist companies that provide visa and immigration support to the media industry who may be able to assist.


Film Location Permits

Lithuania is a very film friendly country.

For small footprint shoots such as b-roll, city permits aren’t required.

Larger shoots requiring exclusive use of public space require permits from relevant authorities, but generally don’t take much longer than a week to process.


Customs

For productions looking to bring in film equipment, Lithuania is an ATA carnet country.

When to Film

When to Film

Lithuania has a typical four season climate, with white winters (December to March), spring in full bloom (April to May), warm summers (June to September) and colourful leaves in autumn (October to November).

Lithuania is a predominately Christian country, so those holidays are observed.


Public Holidays

Public holidays may affect timing, availability and costs. See here for public holiday dates in Lithuania.

Costs & VAT

Lithuania is still one of the least expensive places to film in Europe. On average, it is less expensive than neighbouring Latvia and Estonia.

Depending on the shoot, more specialised crew and equipment may need to be brought in.

The standard VAT rate in Lithuania at the time of writing is set at 21%.

Funding & Tax Incentives

Funding

Cine-Regio is a network of regional film funds in Europe.

Creative Europe is the European Commission's programme for providing support to the culture and audiovisual sectors.

Eurimages

Lithuanian Film Centre

This interactive tool outlines the main EU-related support opportunities for audiovisual and news media sectors. It also covers funding streams beyond the sectoral Creative Europe Programme.


Incentives

Entertainment Partners' Production Incentives Map: Information for Lithuania.

Treaty Documents

At the time of writing, the UK does not have a trade agreement with this country. However, up to date information about UK trade agreements can be found on the GOV.UK website.