Before you start

Unlocked handset
Passport or residence permit card
Personal code and a Lithuanian bank account for postpaid contracts

Step-by-step

1
Use EU roaming as a bridge
Arriving from another EU country, your existing SIM works at domestic rates under roam-like-at-home. There is no reason to buy at the airport.
In personWho: You
2
Buy a prepaid SIM with identification
Telia, Bitė and Tele2 shops in the malls, plus Maxima and Rimi supermarkets and kiosks, all sell SIMs. Registration is compulsory: your name, personal code, address and document details go to the operator.
In personWho: You
3
Check the coverage you actually need
All three networks cover Vilnius comprehensively. If you will spend time in the Aukštaitija lakes or Dzūkija forests, ask about rural coverage rather than assuming parity.
OnlineWho: You
4
Move to postpaid once you have a personal code
Contracts need a Lithuanian personal code and usually a local bank account for direct debit. They are cheaper per gigabyte and come with handset financing.
In personWho: You
5
Keep the number when you switch
Number portability between Lithuanian operators is straightforward and free. Do not let a shop tell you that changing network means changing number.
In personWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport or residence permit card
Personal code and Lithuanian bank account, for postpaid contracts

Things most newcomers don’t know

Anonymous prepaid SIMs ended in Lithuania — this is recent.

Parliament passed compulsory registration of prepaid SIM cards, with the measure taking effect from 2025. Operators must record the buyer's name, personal code, address and identity document. Older guides describing Lithuania as a place you can buy a SIM anonymously from a kiosk are describing the past.

Source: LRT — Lithuania adopts compulsory registration of SIM cards

You can buy a SIM before you have a personal code, but not a contract.

Prepaid registration accepts a passport. Postpaid contracts need the personal code and usually a domestic bank account for direct debit, which means they are only available once your residence permit has come through. Plan for prepaid in your first weeks and switch later.

Source: Lithuanian operator terms, verified August 2026

EU roaming removes any urgency at all.

Coming from another EU country, roam-like-at-home means your existing SIM works here at domestic rates. Use that window to get your personal code and compare the three operators properly instead of buying whatever the airport kiosk has.

Source: EU roam-like-at-home rules

Your Lithuanian number becomes an authentication factor fast.

Banks, the tax office's EDS system and municipal services all send confirmation codes to a Lithuanian number, and Smart-ID enrolment is tied to a device. Changing number later is a small administrative cascade — pick the number you intend to keep.

Source: Smart-ID and Lithuanian e-service practice