Luxembourg residence permit is a temporary residence card, with which you can stay in the country for longer than three months. Usually, a residence permit is valid for about a year with the right to re-issue it (less often - without it). A residence permit can be obtained for a number of reasons, including employment, self-employment, commercial activity, investment, study, internship at a university, reunification with relatives. The immigration document is granted to those who are physically and mentally healthy, have no criminal record, have a regular income and housing for address registration after moving.

According to Numbeo, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is the country with the highest quality of life in the world. In the state, absolutely all spheres are perfectly developed, including health care, education, labor organization and social policy. For example, the average annual salary there in 2024 amounted to 81 000 EUR - this is the best indicator in the whole Europe. At the same time, the country has a fairly loyal immigration policy, allowing foreigners to obtain residency on a number of grounds and to apply for a local passport in 5 years after moving.

Advantages of obtaining a Luxembourg residence permit

If you want to legally work, study, do business in Luxembourg, it is not enough just to come to the country with a visa. Extended rights immigrants receive only after opening a local residence permit. With it you can live in the territory of the Duchy for about 12 months, and in the future, you will be able to extend the status of resident, if the reason for staying here will still be relevant.

The Luxembourg residence permit gives you all the possibilities for unlimited participation in the public life of the population, including sports activities and civic initiatives, as well as such rights and benefits as:

• official employment under the same conditions (salary, schedule, social support) as the local population;
• quality and comprehensive education, including higher education through scholarship programs and integration courses;
• access to health and social security systems, including formalization of benefits and entitlements according to status;
• the right to invite children under the age of 18 and legal spouses to live together;
• permission to register and develop businesses within the country and abroad, including participation in grant sponsorship programs;
• the right to renew residency, acquire permanent resident status and a local passport upon naturalization;
• the ability to travel freely within the Schengen area without opening a visa.

It is possible to obtain all the rights of a Luxembourg resident in a simplified procedure by issuing an EU passport in just 4-12 months. Make an appointment for a free consultation with an Immigrantinlaw immigration specialist to find out the details.

Who can apply for a residence permit in Luxembourg and under what conditions?

The conditions of residency in Luxembourg are regulated by the national law “On the free movement of people and immigration” of August 29, 2008. The policy of the state in relation to foreigners is softer than in many other countries of Western Europe. In particular, here it is possible to open residence permit through investments in the economy, as a private entrepreneur or self-employed person. The general list of requirements for those who plan to formalize the status of temporary resident is as follows:

• possession of a valid passport and related documents;
• law-abiding behavior, no criminal record in the home country;
• availability of housing (including rented housing) in the territory of the Duchy;
• stable and sufficient financial security;
• not being on the Schengen Information System's persona non grata list;
• successful completion of a medical examination upon arrival in the country;
• having an official reason for long-term residence in the Duchy;
• obtaining health insurance after the move.

In addition, you may be required to have, for example, higher education, work experience in your chosen profession, knowledge of one of the national languages - it all depends on the method of immigration to Luxembourg. Common grounds on which foreigners most often request a residence permit are listed below.

Official employment

A residence permit in Luxembourg is granted to those who take up employment with a local company and have the appropriate professional qualifications. The employer must first advertise the vacant position through the Employment Development Agency (ADEM). If the local labor market has not responded to the offer within 21 days, the employer may request a foreign employment permit. Your activity must be in the economic interest of the country and your salary cannot be lower than the minimum wage for the respective position.

Sole proprietorship

The right of residence in Luxembourg is granted for independent activities. You can start or purchase a company, work as a sole trader and/or self-employed person. You need to have a business plan, economic resources for the realization of the project, proper experience and/or education in your profession. If the profession belongs to the list of regulated professions (for example, doctor or pharmacist), you will also need to undergo the procedure of recognition of qualifications. The residence permit is granted to those whose activities will serve the interests of the Duchy in the long term.

Educational purposes

You can immigrate to Luxembourg for full-time studies. Residence permit is granted to university students, students of technical schools and colleges (for children over 14 years old), participants of advanced training courses and internship programs. Residency is also granted within the framework of international student exchange projects and for voluntary activities in the youth volunteer service. Education can be combined with part-time employment (not to the detriment of the educational process). If the applicant is under the age of majority, he or she must obtain parental consent to immigrate.

Family circumstances

Luxembourg residents who have been living in the country for 12 months or more with the prospect of naturalization may request reunification with family members. The receiving party must provide relatives with a place to stay, commit to their financial security and arrange health insurance. Relocation is possible for spouses or de facto partners, a child under the age of 18 (unmarried). Reunification is approved on an individual basis for parents and adult children of the applicant or his/her husband/wife if they need family support.

Investing in the economy

It is possible to obtain a residence permit by investing from half a million EUR in a new or existing business in Luxembourg. Other options for capital placement are also available - from 3,000,000 EUR in an investment/management structure or from 20,000,000 EUR on deposit in a national bank. You will need to submit a business plan and/or proof of investment to the Minister of Economy, who will decide whether your investment is appropriate for the Duchy. If the request is approved, you can proceed with your residence permit.

Special activities

Luxembourg grants residency to those who will not be working under a standard employment contract, such as:

• foreign researchers who come to perform professional tasks at the invitation of an accredited institute;
• participants in transfer programs to a local branch of an international corporation for long-term employment;
• seconded employees of multinational enterprises who are relocating for more than 3 months;
• highly qualified specialists who are officially employed for a period of six months or more with a salary of more than 58,968 EUR (special preferences such as family immigration and mobility in the EU countries apply to them);
• those who come for seasonal work and can stay in the country for a maximum of 5 months per year;
• foreign young people under 30 years of age who are employed as domestic helpers by local families as part of a cultural exchange;
• athletes and coaches who immigrate at the invitation of an approved sports federation or local club.

Other reasons

A Luxembourg residence permit can be granted for personal and humanitarian reasons. For example, it is granted to recognized refugees, applicants for international and temporary protection, victims of human trafficking or sexual exploitation. Residency is granted to those who need long-term medical treatment in the Duchy or want to stay here as a self-supporting relative of a local resident (who does not meet the requirements for family reunification). Each such request is considered on an individual basis.

The process of obtaining a residence permit in Luxembourg

To apply for a Luxembourg residence permit, you need to go through the following steps:

1. Submitting an immigration request.
   You can apply to the diplomatic mission of Luxembourg on the territory of your country or send an application for a residence permit through the online service of the General Directorate of Immigration at the Ministry of Interior of the state. The maximum term of consideration of the request is 4 months. If approved, you will be granted a temporary residence permit with a validity period of 3 months.
2. Applying to the consulate for a visa.
   After immigration approval, you must open an entry permit to Luxembourg. A D visa is issued at the Ducal consulate/embassy upon personal request. You submit your documents, pay an administrative fee, wait for a decision and collect your passport with entry permit. If you have the right to visit the country without a visa, you can skip this step.
3. Relocation and registration in the municipality.
   As long as your temporary residence permit is valid, you need to get to Luxembourg and, within three working days of entering the country, submit an application for arrival to the territorial municipality. You complete it with your passport, metric documents, rental or purchase agreement. In exchange, you will be given an address registration document.
4. Passing a medical examination.
   To apply for a residence permit, you will need to visit a doctor in Luxembourg who will conduct a comprehensive examination and do a tuberculosis screening. During the medical examination, you are checked for infectious and mental disorders, assess your vaccination status and the results of basic tests. Within a month, doctors review the data obtained during the examination, after which you are given a health certificate.
5. Applying for a resident card.
   As long as you are in the country legally, it is necessary to apply to the Main Immigration Department of the Ministry of Interior for a residence permit. The request is submitted online through the official website MyGuichet.lu (an electronic ID will be required) or by regular mail. Then you will be contacted by the authorities and offered an appointment. On the appointed day, you visit the migration authority, take a digital photo and submit fingerprints.
6. Obtaining a temporary residence permit.
   A temporary resident card is produced within a few days from the moment of submitting biometric data. You can pick it up only in person and by appointment at the General Directorate of Immigration.

In some countries of the European Union, you can immediately apply for citizenship without prior residence with a residence permit, going through tedious immigration procedures and providing information on income. With an EU passport, you will be able to move to Luxembourg with access to all general civil rights for an unlimited period. Analyze your chances of participating in the simplified program together with a specialized Immigrantinlaw lawyer.

Documents to apply for residence permit  

To apply for Luxembourg residency, you need to prepare the following list of documents:

• two recent identical photographs;
• a valid passport recognized by the Schengen countries;
• a completed application form in accordance with the type of residence permit to be obtained;
• proof of means of subsistence (bank statements, cash, credit cards);
• information about the reason for immigration, for example, university certificate, employment contract or investor certificate;
• health insurance policy for the entire period of stay in the country;
• a criminal record certificate from the state where you are currently residing;
• copy of the declaration of arrival issued by the territorial municipality;
• proof of residence in the territory of the duchy;
• a certificate that confirms successful completion of a medical examination;
• a receipt for the payment of the state fee for processing the request;
• metric documents (birth, marriage or divorce certificate).

The general dossier is supplemented by documents related to your reason for moving to Luxembourg. For example, salaried employees provide a university degree, and family members of local residents provide civil status certificates that prove their family ties. All documents must be in Luxembourgish, French or German, or submitted in a notarized translation.

Terms and cost of Luxembourg residence permit registration  

It takes 6-8 months from the moment you prepare your documents until you receive your Luxembourg temporary residence card, depending on your situation. This includes the period of processing the temporary residence permit at the Directorate General of Immigration, opening a visa (if applicable), undergoing a medical examination, waiting for the issuance of a residence card. You also need to take into account the time required to build a file and wait for an appointment with the authorities.

The standard period of validity of a residence permit in Luxembourg is up to one year, but no longer than is necessary to fulfill the stated tasks. For example, if you have a work contract for only 9 months, the residence permit will be issued for a similar period. There are exceptions, for example, an investor is granted a resident card for 3 years at once and it can be extended for another 5 years.

To determine how much it costs to obtain a Luxembourg residence permit, you should take into account the costs of administrative fees, notary services, the assistance of an interpreter and immigration lawyers. Separately paid for the address registration in the Duchy and medical examination. The basic cost of immigration procedures necessarily includes the payment of fees – the prices for 2025 are shown in the table below.

Extension of status and obtaining a Luxembourg permanent residence

You can renew your Luxembourg residence permit if you still have a legitimate reason to live in the country. The extension is usually available for three years at a time, but it depends on how long it takes you to complete your tasks in the Duchy. You must apply to the Directorate General of Immigration 2 months before your current residence card expires. The request is submitted online or by post. Later, you visit the authorities in person to submit your biometric data and obtain a residence permit.

After 5 years of legal and uninterrupted stay in Luxembourg, you can apply for a permanent residence. Permanent residence permit is granted to those who have a constant and stable source of income to support themselves and dependents without applying for social assistance. You will also need to obtain health insurance for the whole family, demonstrate law-abiding behavior and provide information about housing in the Duchy. Permanent residency is also handled by the Directorate General of Immigration.

Naturalization in Luxembourg is possible five years after the move. You must have lived in the country continuously for the 12 months preceding your request. You will need to pass a Luxembourg language test and take part in a special integration course. Citizenship is granted to those who have no criminal record (including those abroad).

Individual selection of immigration program

Get more information about the peculiarities of immigration to the EU at a free consultation

Book a consultation

Reasons for refusal and withdrawal of residence permit

The most common reason for refusal to issue a Luxembourg residence permit is the submission of an incomplete file or violation of the rules for compiling a package of documents. The request is also rejected if it does not meet any of the conditions for granting residency, for example, due to lack of money for self-sufficiency or lack of work experience in employment. A residence permit may be revoked if there is no longer a reason to live in the country, for example, the foreigner was expelled from a university or broke a contract with a company.

Refusals can be challenged with the Luxembourg state authorities, but it is not certain that the appeal will be successful. To avoid difficulties when immigrating to Luxembourg, use the services of specialized lawyers. Step-by-step support of Immigrantinlaw specialists - a guarantee of a successful result.

Feedback from immigrants about obtaining a residence permit in Luxembourg

Moving to Luxembourg has its pros and cons. As immigrants report, there are quite loyal conditions for legalization of stay, but it is necessary to have resources for self-sufficiency, which is not possible for everyone. The Duchy belongs to the countries with a high standard of living and the minimum salary here is 3165 EUR per month. With a lower income you will not be able to move, except in solitary cases.

To find a job or open a business in Luxembourg is quite realistic, but you need to know at least one of the three official languages of the Duchy. The country generally approves the move only of those who have family ties with the locals or whose activities are of interest to the state. Also, judging by the reviews of immigrants, the procedure for opening a residence permit here is quite complicated, so the solution of issues about the documents is better to entrust to lawyers.

Where it is easier to get a residence permit: alternatives for immigration  

Get all the rights of residents and even citizens of Luxembourg can be obtained with a passport of any country of the European Union. In this case, you have the right to move to the Duchy without additional conditions and grounds for opening a residence permit. In some EU states, such as Romania and Bulgaria, it takes up to 14 months to obtain citizenship under a simplified program. You will not need to live in the country before or after the passport is issued, invest in the economy, provide a certificate of income and pass an integration exam.

International law specialists can analyze your background and recommend the most suitable way to move to Luxembourg without large expenses and long waiting time. Cooperation with Immigrantinlaw lawyers will allow you to delegate most of the procedural tasks to them - they will form the dossier themselves, organize an appointment at the state authorities, prepare or accompany you there, check the status of the case and inform you about the readiness of your passport. You can make a request for a free consultation today to start the immigration process without delay.

Get a consultation

Submit an application form and we'll get back to you!

About the author

Diana Weber

Lawyer of international law

Diane Weber is an international law specialist with 10 years of legal practice experience. Her portfolio includes successful stories of citizenship in different European Union countries under simplified procedures. Diana provides detailed advice and helps many people to achieve their immigration goals in a short period of time, including resolving visa issues, assisting in obtaining residence permits and citizenship in the EU countries. In her blog, Diana Weber enjoys providing readers with detailed information about the features of most popular programs for obtaining a second passport.