Luxembourg (LU)
Luxembourg is a tiny but remarkably prosperous constitutional monarchy at the heart of Europe — a founding member of both the EU and NATO — celebrated as the world's most productive economy per capita, the EU's premier financial centre, and home to the highest minimum wage on the continent.
Capital: Luxembourg City
Region: Europe
Language: Luxembourgish
Currency: EUR (€)
Cost of living: Very expensive (index 90)
Emergency: 112
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Citizenship & Permanent Residency
Long-term settlement options in Luxembourg.
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Permanent Residency
Name
EU Long-Term Residence Permit / EU Right of Permanent Residence
Eligibility
EU citizens: 5 continuous years of legal residence in Luxembourg. Non-EU nationals: 5 continuous years of legal residence under stable and regular legal status, with sufficient financial resources and health insurance.
Duration
Permanent (subject to continued legal residence in Luxembourg or EU).
Requirements
- ✓EU citizens: present EU registration certificate confirming 5 years residence
- ✓Non-EU: proof of 5 continuous years of legal residence (titre de séjour renewals)
- ✓Financial sufficiency (income above minimum social wage)
- ✓Comprehensive health insurance (if not covered by employment)
- ✓Clean criminal record
- ✓Application to Direction de l'Immigration
EU permanent residence gives the right to reside, work, and access most benefits on equal terms with Luxembourg citizens. For non-EU nationals, the EU long-term resident permit (carte de séjour de résident de longue durée — UE) provides very strong residence security and the right to move to other EU countries. Luxembourg permanent residence is an important stepping stone to citizenship.
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Citizenship
Name
Luxembourg Citizenship by Naturalisation
Eligibility
Continuous legal residence in Luxembourg for 5 years (reduced from earlier requirements). Must demonstrate integration: pass the Sproochentest Lëtzebuergesch (A2 level speaking + B1 level listening comprehension) or civic integration course, and knowledge of Luxembourg society (civic test or integration course). No criminal convictions beyond minor offences.
Duration
Permanent citizenship once granted.
Requirements
- ✓5 continuous years of legal residence in Luxembourg immediately preceding application (previously was 7 years)
- ✓Pass the Sproochentest Lëtzebuergesch: A2 level speaking (oral expression and interaction) + B1 level listening comprehension — two separate components
- ✓Civic integration: pass the tests or complete the approved integration course (Vivre ensemble au Grand-Duché de Luxembourg)
- ✓Sufficient financial resources (self-sufficiency)
- ✓Clean criminal record (casier judiciaire vierge)
- ✓Declaration of loyalty to the Grand Duchy
- ✓Application submitted to the Ministère de la Justice with all supporting documents
Luxembourg allows dual (and multiple) citizenship — one of the very few EU countries to explicitly permit this. You do NOT need to renounce your current citizenship(s) when naturalising. This makes Luxembourg citizenship extremely valuable for expats. Processing time: 12–24 months (returning to ~6–8 months in 2026 as the ancestry-application backlog clears). The Sproochentest has two parts: A2 level oral speaking and B1 level listening comprehension — no reading or writing in Luxembourgish is tested (Luxembourgish has no fully standardised written form).
Other Routes to Residency & Citizenship
Luxembourg Citizenship by Recovery (descent) — DEADLINE EXPIRED
Eligibility
This route was available to persons whose ancestors were Luxembourg citizens and lost citizenship by naturalisation in another country between 1 January 1900 and 31 December 2018. The final deadline to declare reclamation of Luxembourg citizenship under this programme was 31 December 2025. This route is now closed to new applicants.
Duration / Outcome
Permanent citizenship once granted — but no new applications accepted after 31 December 2025
Requirements
- ✓Final application deadline: 31 December 2025 — this route is closed for new applications
- ✓Those who filed before the deadline: proof of Luxembourg ancestor who was a Luxembourg citizen, birth/marriage/death certificates forming the family chain, proof that citizenship was lost due to foreign naturalisation during the qualifying period
- ✓Applications to Direction de l'État Civil et de la Nationalité
The Luxembourg ancestry recovery route closed permanently on 31 December 2025. Persons who submitted declarations before this deadline may still have their applications processed. New applications are no longer accepted. Descendants of Luxembourg emigrants who did not apply before the deadline are no longer eligible for this route. The standard 5-year residence naturalisation pathway remains available.
EU Citizens: Permanent Right of Residence
Eligibility
EU/EEA/Swiss citizens after 5 continuous years of legal residence in Luxembourg.
Duration / Outcome
Permanent
Requirements
- ✓5 years of continuous legal residence
- ✓Application at commune or Direction de l'Immigration
- ✓Valid identification
Distinct from citizenship — gives permanent residency rights without citizenship. No language test required. Many EU expats stop at permanent residence rather than pursuing full citizenship.
🌍 Dual Citizenship
✓
Dual citizenship is allowed — Luxembourg is one of the very few EU countries (alongside France, Belgium, Italy, Sweden, and a handful of others) that explicitly PERMITS dual and multiple citizenship. When you naturalise as a Luxembourg citizen, you do NOT need to renounce your existing citizenship(s). This is a major distinguishing feature — Luxembourg citizenship gives you an EU passport (with Schengen/EU travel and residence rights across 27 countries) without requiring you to give up your original nationality. This makes Luxembourg nationality particularly sought after by high-earning professionals from countries where EU residence is valuable (USA, UK post-Brexit, India, China, Brazil, etc.) who have the qualifying residence period.
Citizenship & Permanent Residency
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