Incorrect Restrictions on Lithuanian (LVIA) Records - Official Archive Confirmation
Hello FamilySearch Community and Moderators,
I was directed here by FamilySearch Support (via email) to resolve a critical issue regarding the accessibility of Lithuanian records (Lithuanian State Historical Archives - LVIA collection).
Currently, a massive portion of these records is restricted with the message: "Unable to display this image... due to country laws or contractual agreements."
However, this restriction appears to be an error. The data owner — the Lithuanian State Historical Archives (LVIA) — has issued an official statement in English confirming they have NOT requested any such restrictions.
**Proof - Official Statement (English):**
https://lvia.archyvai.lrv.lt/en/news/regarding-access-to-the-lithuanian-state-historical-archives-documents-on-the-familysearch-platform-7X/
**Quote from the official site:**
"Lithuanian State Historical Archives informs that it has not initiated any restrictions on access to digital images on the FamilySearch platform."
Additionally, many of these restricted records date back to before 1914. According to the Republic of Lithuania Law on Documents and Archives, the restriction periods (100 years for births, 70 for marriages, 30 for deaths) have long expired for these documents.
Could a moderator please escalate this to the Content Management Team? These restrictions are preventing many users from accessing public domain records that the Archives themselves want to be accessible.
Thank you for your help.
Answers
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@SerraNola another 'restrictions' one for you I'm afraid.
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@Amber Puras We do understand your desire to have full access to these records and that recent changes may seem confusing. FamilySearch has updated its policies to better protect personal data, which may mean stricter access even if not legally required. For this reason, only the records of the Lithuanian State Historical Archives that are within the local restriction guidelines are accessible on FamilySearch.
https://www.familysearch.org/en/search/catalog/1000750
Efforts are underway to split DGS so that only restricted years are blocked. If you access these films through the catalog, you may see an error because the link uses the old viewer. (This is an issue engineers are working to resolve.)
If you instead access the film by copying the DGS number and pasting into “Images” (in the Search menu), the unrestricted item numbers are available.
Example: DGS 7788165 in the catalog with date range to 1938:
Clicking on the link from Catalog:
Opening DGS 7788165 in Images, only Item 1 is restricted:
Not all of the films are split, but will be eventually. For those not yet divided, unfortunately the whole film is restricted.
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Thank you for the explanation and the workaround suggestion.
I tried to followyour advice regarding the "Search > Images" feature, butit led to a dead end. Here are the specific links to demonstrate theissue:
1. **The CatalogEntry:**
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/2317996
For the 1910 Birthrecords (Volume 604-38/258), the Catalog lists **DGS 7717040**.However, it now displays a **"Microfilm Reel" icon**,implying these records are only available physically.
2. **The "Search> Images" Failure:**
When I enter thenumber **7717040** into the image search tool, the system returns**"No results found"**. It seems this DGS is completelyde-indexed.
3. **Proof ofPrevious Digital Access:**
Here is the directlink to an image from this book that I accessed and analyzed a yearago:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9BZ-BFFH?i=709&cat=2317996
The fact that thisURL exists proves that the digital images are on the server. However,accessing it now returns an "Image Restricted" error.
Since these recordsare public domain (1910) and were previously open, could this be atechnical error where the digital link was broken or incorrectlyflagged?
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First, to clarify the “workaround”: You can view a film in Images only if the DGS has been split and some item numbers are unrestricted. Completely restricted DGS cannot be accessed in Images. In the Catalog, a microfilm icon means the film is not available online. If you click on a camera icon and receive an error, you may still be able to access unrestricted items in Images.
Regarding your main question, I should have requested a specific example before responding earlier. The Lithuanian State Archives includes many collections, and I did not review the one referenced with DGS 7717040. While restrictions exist for legitimate reasons, there are definitely inconsistencies within the Metrical books, Deanery of Troki collection.
I did not find birth records in this collection that are visible after 1904, so I’m not sure if that’s the cutoff date being used or if there may be metadata errors causing No Access in the code. I’m sorry I can’t provide more definitive answers, but I appreciate you bringing this issue to our attention. It does seem like this needs to be submitted for review.
Please note, also that the prior availability of these films is not relevant to current circumstances. FamilySearch has recently implemented comprehensive updates to permissions.
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Hello SerraNola,
Thank you forlooking into this.
I would like toshare the broader context of how these restrictions are affecting thegenealogy community. This is not just about a few missing images; itis effectively a systemic break in citation links.
Just yesterday, inmy personal database alone, I had to disable 6,854 direct links tospecific FamilySearch records because they are no longer accessible.
The impact on theglobal tree is even more significant. On partner platforms likeGeni.com, there are tens of thousands of profiles for Lithuania thatrely on these specific direct links for verification. By applyingthese restrictions, the referencing structure for the entire regionhas been disrupted, leaving thousands of profiles without theirprimary sources.
Regarding thetechnical side:
You mentioned seeinga visibility cutoff after 1904. You are absolutely correct about thatobservation, but it suggests a configuration mismatch.
It appears thesystem might be applying a generic 120-year restriction (current yearminus 120 years), which is often used as a safety margin. However,the Republic of Lithuania Law on Documents and Archives explicitlysets the restriction period at 100 years for birth records.
Furthermore, theissue seems inconsistent. In collections like the Trakai Deanery,access is blocked for records dating back as far as 1891 (134 yearsago).
We would be verygrateful if you could escalate this matter to the Content Team for adetailed review. We are hopeful that adjusting the metadataparameters to align with the 100-year law and reviewing the filmsplitting logic will resolve these discrepancies. Restoring access tothese public domain records would be a huge help in repairing thebroken data links across the community.
Thank you for yourunderstanding and assistance.
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