{"id":11209,"date":"2025-04-27T19:24:55","date_gmt":"2025-04-27T16:24:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/belarus.fm\/?p=11209"},"modified":"2025-09-14T00:44:57","modified_gmt":"2025-09-13T21:44:57","slug":"problem-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/belarus.fm\/en\/easier-said\/problem-6\/","title":{"rendered":"What is an asmens kodas and how to live in Lithuania without it? How to open a bank account?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"podcastplayer\"><figure class=\"wp-block-audio podcastplayer\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/anchor.fm\/s\/1004ea470\/podcast\/play\/101839087\/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2025-3-27%2F399158173-44100-2-26acb7a2e0052.m4a\" preload=\"none\"><\/audio><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"mks_dropcap_letter\" style=\"font-size: 72px; color: #dd3c7a; \">L<\/span>iving without an asmens k\u043edas: what can replace a missing personal code in Lithuania while awaiting asylum? How can you communicate with state institutions and get necessary information? And what about opening a bank account and getting a payment card in Lithuania as an asylum seeker?<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>While waiting for a decision on their asylum application, foreigners do not yet have a personal code (asmens kodas), which is usually issued together with a residence permit. Unfortunately, most services in Lithuania rely on this code. Without it, foreigners face limited access to many essential functions. Healthcare, taxes, self-employment, employment \u2014 these and many other areas are tied to electronic services. To access them in some way, alternatives must be found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is an asmens kodas in simple terms?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>An asmens kodas<\/strong> is a unique eleven-digit personal identification number used to identify individuals and ensure compatibility between various registries and state information systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How to easily remember your personal code?<\/strong> The first digit represents the person\u2019s gender and century of birth. The second and third digits \u2014 the last two digits of the year of birth. The fourth and fifth \u2014 the month of birth. The sixth and seventh \u2014 the day of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What to do if you don\u2019t have an asmens kodas in Lithuania?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>During two years of living as an asylum seeker, it was constantly necessary to find alternative ways to handle everyday issues. Along the way, various codes were collected and used in place of the asmens kodas, depending on the situation. The list below may not be complete, as it reflects only specific social needs based on personal experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>ILTU \u2013 a code issued after submitting an asylum application<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>DIK \u2013 health insurance code (Read more about how to get this insurance number <a href=\"https:\/\/belarus.fm\/learn\/asylum\/how-to-obtain-a-health-insurance-number\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a> and check the insurance status on <a href=\"https:\/\/dpsdr.vlk.lt\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">the official platform<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Prototype of asmens kodas at a polyclinic \u2013 used for making medical appointments<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ESI \u2013 for receiving referrals to other healthcare institutions and for prescription medicines at pharmacies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Social security number \u2013 used with Sodra when starting employment<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>KID \u2013 used when calling Sodra<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Payer\u2019s code \u2013 used to pay taxes to Sodra for self-employment (this was mentioned <a href=\"https:\/\/belarus.fm\/ru\/easier-said\/problem-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">in the second episode<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Taxpayer code and PIN \u2013 for accessing services on the VMI (State Tax Inspectorate) website.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Depending on your situation, you might come across other codes. For example, if you enroll your child in school before they receive a residence permit and asmens kodas, a temporary personal code is generated in the Student Registry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>You\u2019re welcome to share your own discoveries about living without an asmens kodas in Lithuania in the comments.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that we\u2019ve explored the different codes used for various purposes, let\u2019s move on to the topic of writing official requests and inquiries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sooner or later, everyone faces situations where they need to contact government institutions to request information or access a service. However, not all inquiries receive responses. This often happens because the requests are submitted incorrectly. As a result, valuable time \u2014 and sometimes even resources \u2014 can be lost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to ask a question properly in Lithuania?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are several ways to request information:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>by phone<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>in person<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>by email (unsigned letter)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>by a signed letter (sent by post or email)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Each method has its pros and cons. Some offer faster response times but less accuracy, while others \u2014 such as signed letters \u2014 may take longer to receive a reply, but the answer is considered official and can even be appealed in court. It\u2019s often necessary to balance between speed and reliability of the information, as the human factor plays a significant role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to write an official request in Lithuania (sample format)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Where to find the right contacts?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Government websites almost always have a \u201cAsmen\u0173 aptarnavimas\u201d (Customer Service) section under their structure and contacts pages. This is where all the procedures and communication methods are listed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In what language?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is best to write your inquiry in the official state language \u2014 Lithuanian \u2014 or in two languages: Lithuanian and your native language. This way, if there\u2019s a translation mistake, staff members who speak your language may still understand your intent. You can write in two columns (like in bilingual contracts) or section by section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What should be included?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>From whom: full name, personal identification number (or substitute), address, phone number, email<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To whom: name of the institution and specific person (if applicable)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Date and city<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Main content: the body of your request<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>List of attached documents, if any<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Signature: qualified electronic signature if sent by email<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You can download the sample request template <strong>we provide here<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/belarus.fm\/docs\/templates\/LT-Prasymo-pavyzdys.docx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">in docx format<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/belarus.fm\/docs\/templates\/LT-Prasymo-pavyzdys.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">in pdf format<\/a>. If you don\u2019t have a program to open these files, <a href=\"https:\/\/view.officeapps.live.com\/op\/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fbelarus.fm%2Fdocs%2Ftemplates%2FLT-Prasymo-pavyzdys.docx&amp;wdOrigin=BROWSELINK\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">click here<\/a> (it will open in your browser).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to obtain an electronic signature in Lithuania without documents or an asmens kodas<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Without a residence permit, asylum seekers cannot access a qualified electronic signature. However, there are alternative third-party services available for signing documents. Based on personal experience, we recommend <a href=\"https:\/\/www.docusign.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">DocuSign<\/a>. [When registering, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.docusign.com\/free-account\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">free version<\/a> is sufficient and no bank card is required.] This is not an advertisement, but documents signed via DocuSign have often been accepted as equivalent to those signed with a qualified electronic signature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the advantages is that the document receives an Envelope ID, and the file becomes unalterable. Metadata also indicates that the document has been signed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More information on how to use the service can be found <a href=\"https:\/\/belarus.fm\/ru\/learn\/asylum\/how-to-obtain-a-digital-signature\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And the last topic for today is opening a bank account and card for an asylum seeker. In the modern world, it\u2019s impossible to get by without an account, because most services are tied specifically to cashless payments. You can look for alternatives, for example, paying for utilities not through a bank, but via Perlas or Maxima, or placing orders with cash on delivery, but this is far from always possible. And in the case of asylum seekers, a number of problems arise that prevent or complicate the opening of accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The main problems along this path are:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the foreigner registration certificate (hereinafter \u2014 URP) is not a document that allows you to open bank accounts (it is not equivalent to a D visa or a residence permit)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the state itself also does not provide payment cards and accounts, as is the case in some countries<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>However, there is an alternative to banks for asylum seekers \u2014 the electronic money institution Paysera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to open a bank account without a residence permit in Lithuania?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Without a passport<\/strong>, it is highly unlikely that you will be able to open an account or get a card. Asylum seekers often either don\u2019t have a passport because they arrived without one, or it has expired, or it is kept at Migration. Previously, it was possible to borrow the passport for 5 working days, but since 2024, the department has started a practice of not returning the passport under any pretext. You can try with a certified copy, but there are no known successful cases yet \u2014 the process gets delayed for a long time due to security checks. If you have had a different experience, please share it in the comments.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>About the account.<\/strong> If you have a passport and an asylum seeker card (URP), you can open an account regardless of the color of the URP (whether you have the right to work or not).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>About the card.<\/strong> With a URP with a red stripe, it is unlikely that you will be able to get a card, since cards are not issued by Paysera itself. With a green stripe, you should try \u2014 chances are 50\/50.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>There is no clear answer.<\/strong> Different employees have had different experiences with opening a card using a URP with a green stripe.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Verifying the information.<\/strong> You can always check the latest information by writing directly to Paysera.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator aligncenter has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>If you would like to be a guest on the Easier Said podcast as a guest or have a question, we invite you to anonymously fill out a feedback form: <a href=\"https:\/\/forms.office.com\/r\/R6zVM97JfP\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">https:\/\/forms.office.com\/r\/R6zVM97JfP<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you would like to participate in the recording, it is possible for those who are in Vilnius, because we record the podcast here. If you are not from Vilnius but want to share your story, we can tell it in the podcast instead of you. In this case, select \u201cHave a question\/suggestion or want to share information\u201d in the second question of the form and tell your story in as much detail as possible, so that it helps other refugees or asylum seekers who have faced a similar problem and have not yet solved it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to contact us but are afraid to use comments, you can send us an e-mail. After that it will be enough to delete your letter from the \u201cSent\u201d folder.<br>Our e-mail address is: <a href=\"mailto:help@belarus.fm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">help@belarus.fm<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While waiting for a decision on their asylum application, foreigners do not yet have a personal code (asmens kodas), which is usually issued together with a residence permit. Unfortunately, most services in Lithuania rely on this code. Without it, foreigners face limited access to many essential functions. Healthcare, taxes, self-employment, employment \u2014 these and many [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":10236,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[386],"tags":[352],"class_list":["post-11209","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-easier-said","tag-audio-in-russian"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/belarus.fm\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11209","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/belarus.fm\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/belarus.fm\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belarus.fm\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belarus.fm\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11209"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/belarus.fm\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11209\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belarus.fm\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10236"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/belarus.fm\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11209"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belarus.fm\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11209"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belarus.fm\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11209"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}