American ice dancer Allison Reed has been granted Lithuanian citizenship thanks to her contributions.
Together with her partner, Saulius Ambrulevičius, Reed has represented Lithuania in the European Championships 2023, where the couple secured the bronze medal, Schengen.News reports.
Reed was granted citizenship following a recommendation from the Citizenship Commission, while the President signed the decree on November 21, 2024.
3rd Time’s a Charm: American Athlete Obtains Lithuanian Citizenship After 2 Failed Attempts
Reeds had twice applied for Lithuanian citizenship – in 2022 and 2023 – but failed to obtain the burgundy passport.
The athlete was highly acclaimed by President Nauseda, who, in a press release, had noted the successes Reed and her partner obtained throughout the course of seven years, crowned with a bronze medal just recently.
Reeds welcomed the decision, expressing her gratitude for attempts to become a Lithuanian citizen – a journey that does not only include filing the application but also achieving language proficiency.
Among those that recommended that Reeds’s merits be recognised and rewarded with the Lithuanian passport included the National Olympic Committee, the Skating Federation, Canada’s embassy, and the chairwoman of the Lithuanian Canadian Community, as Reed and Ambrulevičius currently live and train in Canada.
The President’s office also pointed out that the recommendations noted how involved Reed is in the Lithuanian Canadian communities, her ties to Lithuania and progress in learning the language.
According to Lithuanian law, foreign citizens can be granted Lithuanian citizenship for their merits, which contribute to the country’s reputation.
In other words, Reeds was granted citizenship due to her outstanding merits, as the law states that “any activities of a foreign citizen or a stateless person which significantly contribute to the consolidation of the statehood of the Republic of Lithuania, as well as to the strengthening of its power and authority in the international community”.
Lithuanian Population Reached 2.8 Million in 2024
According to Lithuania’s Official Statistics Portal (OSP), as of 2024, Ukrainian and Belarusian are the two largest resident nationalities in Lithuania. There are 52,915 Ukrainians and 38,074 Belarusians living in Lithuania, while Russians are the third largest group (10,945).
In addition, there are 354 Americans residing in the country, as well as 573 Latvians and 327 Poles. Another 307 people are from Germany, and 1,878 are considered stateless. The remaining 3,564 people come from other countries.
Source: https://schengen.news/lithuania-grants-citizenship-to-american-ice-dancer-allison-reed/
