REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA
LAW
ON THE STATE BORDER OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA
CHAPTER 1
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 1. The State Border of the Republic of Lithuania
The State Border of the Republic of Lithuania is the line
and the vertical surface lying along this line, defining the
limits of the territory of the Republic of Lithuania -its land,
waters, entrails of the earth, and air space.
The state border of the Republic of Lithuania is inviolable.
The state border of the Republic of Lithuania may be
realigned only by an international agreement to which the
Republic of Lithuania is a party.
Article 2. Protection of the State Border of the Republic
of Lithuania
The protection of the state border shall be the aggregate
of measures guaranteeing the inviolability of the state border.
The protection of the state border shall be ensured by the
Government of the Republic of Lithuania pursuant to this Law and
other laws of the Republic of Lithuania.
Article 3. The State Border of the Republic of Lithuania
The state border of the Republic of Lithuania shall run:
1) on land -- according to a line passing the points
established by international agreement;
2) in the sea -- according to a line which limits
territorial sea;
3) in navigable rivers until the delta -- through the
centre of the fairway; in non-navigable rivers (rivulets)
through the centre of the river or the riverbed; in lakes or
other bodies of water -- according to the line which connects the
intersections of the state border with the shoreline of a lake
or other body of water. The state borderline of the Republic of
Lithuania running through rivers (rivulets), lakes or any other
bodies of water shall not change when the riverbed or water
level in the lake or other water body changes;
4) through bridges or other structures passing over
frontier water bodies -- along the centre or technological axis.
In districts, the state border of the Republic of Lithuania
shall be marked by frontier signs. The form, size, and posting
procedure of frontier signs shall be established by the
Government of the Republic of Lithuania, pursuant to the laws
and international agreements to which the Republic of Lithuania
is a party.
Article 4. The Territorial Sea of the Republic of Lithuania
The territorial sea of the Republic of Lithuania shall be
the waters seaward to a line 12 nautical miles distant from the
Lithuanian coastline. The extent of the territorial sea shall be
measured from the straight line drawn between the two outermost
points of the shoreline. The geographical coordinates of these
points shall be approved by the Government of the Republic of
Lithuania.
An international agreement of the Republic of Lithuania may
establish a different limit of the territorial sea of the
Republic of Lithuania.
Article 5. The Internal Waters of the Republic of Lithuania
The internal waters of the Republic of Lithuania shall be:
1) sea waters extending landward from the territorial sea;
2) port waters limited by the line connecting the most
remote points of hydro-technical or other port structures in the
sea; and
3) rivers, lakes, bays and other bodies of water, the shores
of which belong to the Republic of Lithuania.
CHAPTER 2
THE STATE BORDER REGIME OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA
Article 6. The State Border Regime of the Republic
of Lithuania
The state border regime shall be:
1) the procedure for crossing the state border;
2) the procedure for the carrying of freight and other
goods across the state border;
3) the procedure for the navigation and sojourn of
Lithuanian and foreign vessels in territorial sea and in the
Lithuanian part of waters of frontier rivers, lakes, bays, or
other bodies, as well as the procedure for entry and presence of
foreign vessels in the internal waters and ports of Lithuania;
4) the procedure for aircraft flights;
5) the procedure for maintaining the state border, and for
carrying out various jobs, commercial and other activities at
the state border.
The state border regime of the Republic of Lithuania
specified in this law shall be established by this and other laws
of the Republic of Lithuania, as well as by standard acts and
international agreements to which the Republic of Lithuania is
a party.
Article 7. Crossing Points of the State Border of the
Republic of Lithuania
The crossing points of the state border of the Republic
of Lithuania shall be established by international agreement
to which the Republic of Lithuania is a party, or by the
Government of the Republic of Lithuania.
Border check posts and customs posts shall be established
at the crossing points of the state border of the Republic
of Lithuania, as well as at the international sea or river ports
and airports.
Article 8. Procedure for Persons and Motor Vehicles Crossing
the State Border of the Republic of Lithuania and
for the Carrying of Freight and Other Goods
Across the State Border
The state border of the Republic of Lithuania may be crossed
only at the established points.
Persons crossing the state border must present their
passports or any other documents conforming to international
requirements to passport control.
Foreign citizens crossing the state border of the Republic
of Lithuania must have a visa of the Republic of Lithuania. The
Government of the Republic of Lithuania, provided that the
Supreme Council has no objections, may establish a simpler
procedure for foreign citizens crossing the state border of
the Republic of Lithuania.
Persons, motor vehicles and freight shall be permitted to
cross the border after customs inspection.
Article 9. Procedure for Crossing the Border by Aircraft
Airplanes and other aircraft shall cross the state border of
the Republic of Lithuania by special air corridors in accordance
with the rules established by this Law and other laws of the
Republic of Lithuania, international agreements to which the
Republic of Lithuania is a party, and by competent state
institutions. An aircraft or airplane may cross the state border
of the Republic of Lithuania by ways other than the air
corridor only upon obtaining prior permission from an institution
authorized by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.
Upon entering into the airspace of the Republic of
Lithuania, aircraft may land or take off for departure only in
or from international airports.
Article 10. Peaceful Navigation in the Territorial Sea of
the Republic of Lithuania
Navigation in the territorial sea of the Republic of
Lithuania shall be considered peaceful when there is no intention
to enter the internal waters of the Republic of Lithuania or
when there is intention to enter or leave the internal waters or
ports of the Republic of Lithuania.
During peaceful navigation, a vessel may stop or come to
anchor if it is necessary for regular navigation or when
rendering aid to persons, vessels or aircraft in distress.
Sea vessels or river boats shall cross the state border of
the Republic of Lithuania according to the procedure established
by this and other laws of the Republic of Lithuania,
international agreements to which the Republic of Lithuania is a
party, as well as by rules established by competent state
institutions. Those states, which have been granted
authorization for the peaceful navigation of foreign warships,
shall also be granted the right to peaceful navigation in the
territorial sea of the Republic of Lithuania according to
the standard act of the Republic of Lithuania.
The Government of the Republic of Lithuania may designate
sea corridors for vessels carrying dangerous cargo, tankers, and
ships with nuclear engines.
Authorized state institutions shall establish special rules
for the navigation of such vessels, providing them with sea
charts with clearly marked sea corridors.
While crossing the state border of the Republic of Lithuania
and during navigation in the territorial sea of the Republic of
Lithuania, foreign submarines and other submarine transport must
be on the surface and must display the national flag of their
state.
Article 11. Procedure for Entry of Foreign Vessels into the
Internal Waters and Ports of the Republic of Lithuania
Foreign vessels shall have the right to enter the roads and ports
of the Republic of Lithuania, the list of which shall be
established by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.
State institutions authorized by the Government of the
Republic of Lithuania shall establish:
1) the rules for entry and sojourn of foreign vessels in
the internal waters, roads and ports of the Republic of
Lithuania;
3
2) the rules for servicing passengers and cargo;
3) the rules for the communication between vessels and
shore, and disembarkation of the crew members of a vessel;
4) the procedure for visiting a vessel by persons who are
not free members of a crew;
5) the rules for entry and sojourn of foreign vessels in the
internal waters and ports of the Republic of Lithuania in the
Lithuanian part of waters of frontier rivers, lakes, and other
bodies of water.
Article 12. Prohibition of Carrying Nuclear or Other Weapons
of Mass Destruction Across the State Border of the Republic of
Lithuania
It shall be prohibited to carry nuclear or other weapons of
mass destruction across the state border of the Republic of
Lithuania by any means of transport.
Article 13. Military Transit across the State Border of the
Republic of Lithuania
Army contingents of a foreign state and military freight may
be carried in transit across the state border of the Republic of
Lithuania only according to the procedure established by an
international agreement to which the Republic of Lithuania is
a party.
Article 14. Temporary Restrictions or Closure of
Communication across the State Border Due to the
Spreading of Infectious Diseases
In the event of a threat of the spreading of a particularly
dangerous infectious diseases in the territory of the Republic of
Lithuania or of a foreign state, the Government of the Republic
of Lithuania may:
1) temporarily restrict or close communication across the
state border;
2) enforce quarantine on persons, cattle, birds, and
animals crossing the border, as well as on vegetable or animal
products and on other freight being carried across the border.
Article 15. Violators of the State Border of the Republic
of Lithuania
Violators of the state border shall be:
1) persons who violate the procedure of crossing the state
border while crossing or attempting to cross the state border of
the Republic of Lithuania;
2) foreign vessels that violate the established rules of
entry upon entering into the territorial sea or the internal
waters of the Republic of Lithuania as well as into the
Lithuanian part of waters of frontier rivers, lakes, or other
bodies;
3) airplanes or other aircraft that cross the state border
of the Republic of Lithuania without consent or that
otherwise violate the rules of crossing the state border of the
Republic of Lithuania;
4) means of land transport that cross the state border of
the Republic of Lithuania without consent or that otherwise
violate the rules of crossing the state border of the Republic
of Lithuania.
Article 16. Institution of Legal Actions against Violators
of State Border
Violators of the state border of the Republic of Lithuania
shall be pursued and apprehended pursuant to the laws of the
Republic of Lithuania. Persons who have violated the Law on State
Borders of the Republic of Lithuania shall be liable according to
the laws of the Republic of Lithuania. Foreign citizens who have
violated the state border of the Republic of Lithuania may be
extradited from the territory of the Republic of Lithuania.
CHAPTER 3
FINAL PROVISIONS
Article 17. The Procedure for the Publication of Documents
Regulating the Regime of State Border of
the Republic of Lithuania
Documents regulating the crossing of the state border of the
Republic of Lithuania shall be made available to the public ac
cording to the general procedure established for the publication
of standard acts. They may also be published in special
information bulletins.
Article 18. International Agreements Establishing other
Norms
Provided that an international agreement to which the
Republic of Lithuania is a party establishes other norms or
rules than this law, the norms and rules established by this
agreement shall be applied.
Vytautas Landsbergis
President
Supreme Council
Republic of Lithuania
Vilnius
25 June 1992
No.I-2671