pursuant to Article 8(3) of the Convention, it retains the right to recognize the person as having lost the citizenship of Lithuania in accordance with paragraphs 4 and 6 of Article 24 of the Law on Citizenship (the person is in the service of another State and exclusion clauses). This report assumes that the Lithuanian law will be interpreted in accordance with the requirements of the 1961 Convention. 4.3.5 Reduction of statelessness 4.3.5.1 NATURALIZATION Article 32 of the 1954 Convention provides, “The Contracting States shall as far as possible facilitate the assimilation and naturalization of stateless persons. They shall in particular make every effort to expedite naturalization proceedings and to reduce as far as possible the charges and costs of such proceedings.” The Law on Citizenship does not facilitate the naturalization of stateless persons generally. However, stateless persons who were born in Lithuania benefit from a reduced residence requirement, as described under section 4.3.1.1 of this report Applications for the acquisition of citizenship are examined by the Citizenship Commission under the President’s Office and, if approved, are ultimately granted by the President of the Republic. Acquisition of citizenship through naturalization in Lithuania is subject to a number of conditions.373 The applicant must permanently reside in Lithuania for at least ten years on a lawful basis and have the right of permanent residence at the time of submission of the application and the decision. This term is reduced to seven years if the person is married to a citizen of Lithuania and has lived with the spouse during that time.374 The applicant shall pass an examination on the knowledge of Lithuanian and on the basics of the Constitution, unless he or she is over 65 years of age, is incapacitated, is of retirement age and has high or moderate special needs, or has a serious chronic mental disorder.375 Unless the applicant is stateless, a refugee, or a foreigner who automatically loses his or her original citizenship upon acquisition of Lithuanian citizenship, applicants must provide written evidence that they will renounce their original citizenship after obtaining Lithuanian citizenship.376 The applicant cannot be granted citizenship if: nn he or she has prepared, attempted to commit or committed international crimes such as aggression, genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, or criminal acts against the Republic of Lithuania; nn prior to arrival to Lithuania the applicant has been sentenced to imprisonment in another State for a premeditated crime which is a grave crime under laws of Lithuania; nn he or she has been punished for a grave crime in Lithuania, irrespective of whether or not the conviction for the crimes specified in this subparagraph has expired; nn he or she in accordance with the order determined by the laws does not have a right to obtain the document confirming his right to permanent residence in Lithuania.377 Even if the person meets all the conditions for naturalization and does not fall under the conditions of exclusion, citizenship is granted “having regard to the interests of the Republic of Lithuania”.378 Although 373 Law on Citizenship, Article 18(1). 374 Ibid, Article 19(1). 375 Ibid, Article 18(4). 376 Ibid, Article 18 (1) (6) and 18 (5). 377 Ibid, Article 22. 378 Ibid, Article 18(6). U N H C R S TO C K H O L M , M AY 2 0 1 6 81