Luxembourg citizenship is an official status of belonging to a state, which is granted by right of blood, through repatriation or naturalization. Obtaining civil status by acquisition is possible after 5 years of legal residence in the state and confirmation of knowledge of the local language. Also, candidates for a Luxembourg passport are required to take a training course to become familiar with the history of the country, the basics of the organization of government and law.
Requirements for applicants and conditions for registration are specified in Law No. 289/2017 “On Luxembourg Citizenship” of March 8, 2017. Applicants for a local passport are not required to renounce their previous one in their home country. This means that anyone who is allowed by the legislation of the first state can obtain Luxembourg citizenship as a second one.
What are the benefits of Luxembourg citizenship?
Due to membership in the European Union, a Luxembourg passport provides access to indefinite residence in the EU countries, free education, social and health insurance. The main advantages of obtaining a passport for a citizen of Luxembourg:
- Indefinite stay.
Citizens of Luxembourg have the right to stay in the state permanently without a visa, residence permit or other permits. As EU passport holders, interested parties have the right to move to another EU country. To stay for a longer period within the framework of the association, Luxembourgers only need to register their place of residence with the migration service or the registry office. - Access to medical care.
Citizens have the right to receive services free of charge in public clinics. Health insurance allows you to qualify for surgeries, childbirth, and participation in chronic disease treatment programs. - Visa-free travel.
Passport holders have the right to enter 172 countries around the world without the need for a visa, including the EU, USA, Canada, Australia, UK, Japan and others. - Employment in the EU.
Citizens of the European Union can apply for work in a company in all countries of the union without additional permission. Since firms have the right to hire foreigners only according to a quota and in the absence of suitable candidates among local ones, Luxembourgers receive an advantage in the form of priority employment. - Access to the banking system.
With EU citizenship obtained in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the applicant can open accounts in European banks, apply for loans and take out a mortgage at a rate of 2.1%. - Paying taxes at a reduced rate.
Luxembourgers pay 16% VAT. By comparison, Germany has 19%, France 20%, and Belgium 21%.
Methods and conditions for obtaining Luxembourg citizenship
According to the citizenship law, to obtain a Luxembourg passport, you must have local origin or have lived in the state for at least 5 years (there are exceptions with a reduced residency requirement), as well as know the state language at a level sufficient for communication.
By birth and adoption
If at least one of the child’s parents is Luxembourgish, the newborn automatically receives Luxembourg citizenship. Adopted children also have the right to obtain a passport for their guardians. The status is automatically assigned to a child who was found on the territory of the state, and his parents are unknown.
Through marriage with a native
Spouses of Luxembourgers who reside in the state can obtain Luxembourg citizenship immediately after marriage. To do this, you must confirm your knowledge of the language and take a special course for naturalization. If the family lives outside of Luxembourg, the foreign spouse will receive citizenship after 3 years of marriage. All applicants must meet conditions of a criminal record and not pose a threat to national security. The application review period is 4 months.
By naturalization
Obtaining citizenship in Luxembourg is possible for foreigners who have lived legally in the state for at least 5 years. At the same time, applicants must have been in the country continuously for the last year on one of the grounds approved by law (employment, doing business, getting an education, family reunification, marriage, etc.). Additionally, you must take a special course for naturalization and confirm your knowledge of spoken Luxembourgish at level A2. Applicants for citizenship must not have been convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment of 12 months or probation of 2 years or longer. The processing time for requests for general naturalization in 2023 is approximately 8 months.
On repatriation
Persons who have lost this status or their direct descendants have the right to become citizens of Luxembourg. The presence of indigenous residents of the state in the pedigree allows you to confirm the origin of the applicant. In this case, it is necessary to prove that the ancestor had a state identity card as of January 1, 1900. Applicants for repatriation must not have been sentenced to prison or probation in the past and are not required to reside in Luxembourg. Applicants are not required to take exams or learn the state language. Review of an application for restoration of status takes approximately 4 months. The repatriation program is valid for applications submitted before the end of 2025.
Procedure for obtaining Luxembourg citizenship
- Passing the language test.
Applicants for the naturalization process are required to demonstrate their knowledge of the Luxembourgish language in a state examination. Applicants must pass the oral part of the test at level A2 and above, as well as pass the listening test B1. A certificate of successful completion of the exam will be issued to a participant who scores 50% correct answers in the first stage or in two parts in total. The cost of participation in the test is 75 EUR. - Taking a course for naturalization.
Applicants must attend the 24-hour course “Vivre ensemble au Grand-Duché de Luxembourg” or take the final test without attending the exam. - Completing documents and submitting an application.
The applicant must request a certificate of good conduct from his home country and other states where he has lived for the last 15 years. You should also download the application form from the official website of the Government of the Grand Duchy and fill it out in one of the state languages. The completed package of documents must be submitted in person to one of the nearest registry offices at your place of residence. The civil registry office checks the application, registers it and sends it to the Ministry of Justice. - Obtaining citizenship.
Review of an application for naturalization takes about 8 months. Checking the status of your request online is not available. The decision to grant citizenship comes into effect from the day the order of the Minister of Justice is issued. The applicant is notified of the positive result of the process by letter.
Dual citizenship in Luxembourg
Under current law, candidates for naturalization or repatriation are not required to renounce their previous identity card in another state. Applicants can obtain a second citizenship if their home country allows it. For example, Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians have the right to receive a second status, according to the legislation of their state.
Dual citizenship of Russia and Luxembourg provides for an agreement between the countries on the mutual recognition of the rights and obligations of persons with two passports. However, the governments of these states did not sign such agreements. If you have two ID cards, you can cross borders with either of them, depending on visa requirements.
How much does it cost to obtain Luxembourg citizenship?
It is impossible to purchase citizenship legally, according to current legislation. Obtaining a second passport for investment in Luxembourg is also not provided.
Table of main costs for obtaining civil status:
| Expense item | Cost, € |
|---|---|
| Language test | 75 |
| State fee for ID card | 5–14 |
| Fee for issuing an identity card for traveling abroad | Standard procedure within 7 working days for 30–50 |
| Expedited procedure in 3 working days for 90–150 | |
| Translations | 100 |
| Notary Services | From 400 |
What do you need to become a Luxembourg citizen?
To obtain Luxembourg citizenship, you need to collect a complete package of documents and translate them into Luxembourgish, French or German. Certificates issued by government agencies of other countries must be apostilled.
What documents are needed to obtain citizenship?
To be admitted to citizen status by naturalization, the applicant must prepare the following documents:
- birth certificate with a copy;
- certificate of successful completion of the naturalization course;
- a police clearance certificate from the home country and all states where the applicant has lived over the past 15 years;
- a certificate confirming successful passing of a language proficiency test;
- a copy of a valid identity card for traveling abroad;
- evidence of legal stay in the state for at least 5 years, the last year of which the applicant stayed in Luxembourg continuously;
- a completed biographical questionnaire, which must first be downloaded from Glu.
What documents are needed to obtain a passport?
To obtain an ID card at the municipal administration or the Guichet.lu reception, you must provide the following package of documents:
- letter with a ministerial decree on the successful completion of the process;
- confirmation of payment of the state fee in the amount of 14 EUR for persons over 15 years old, 10 EUR for applicants from 4 to 15 years old and 5 EUR for children under 4 years old;
- photo in 45 x 35 mm format if desired (applicants are photographed on the spot, but they can also use a ready-made photo for the ID card).
You can apply for a foreign passport by presenting the following package of documents to the Population Department:
- identity card (ID card);
- a receipt for payment of the production fee in the amount of 50 EUR per document for 5 years and 30 EUR per document for 2 years (only for children under 4 years old);
- photo in size 45 x 35 mm (optional).
For expedited production of a foreign passport within 3 days, increased fees apply: 150 EUR per document for 5 years and 90 EUR per document for 2 years (only for children under 4 years old).
Registration of citizenship for a child
A minor child is included in the citizenship application of his parents. Birth certificates and identification cards of children who will be naturalized along with the father and mother should be added to the standard package of documents. If only one of the parents undergoes naturalization, notarized consent is required from the second for his child to acquire citizenship of the Grand Duchy.
Applying for a Luxembourg citizen passport
A request for an identity card in the state can be made on the basis of an identification code that is assigned to a foreigner at the stage of a residence permit. Data from the National Register of Individuals is used to confirm the applicant’s first and last name on new documents. An internal passport looks like a plastic ID card with an electronic chip and is required for all citizens over 15 years of age. Procedure for completing documents:
- Receiving an acceptance letter.
- Production of a Luxembourg internal passport at the lu reception (approximately 10 working days).
- Obtaining a Luxembourger foreign identity card from the Population Department or the Office of Passports, Visas and Legalization (up to 7 working days).
Refusal to obtain citizenship – reasons, solutions
Responsible authorities may reject an application for citizenship if the applicant:
- provided false information or forged documents;
- did not comply with legal requirements for candidates;
- entered into a fictitious marriage or committed other fraudulent acts to obtain status;
- was convicted with a prison sentence of 12 months or a suspended sentence of 2 years;
- did not provide additional documents requested by the National Authority for Citizenship within the established time frame.
Interested parties need to collect a complete package of data, in accordance with legal requirements, and also monitor the progress of the case. If it is necessary to provide additional information, this must be done within the prescribed period.