Permanent residence permit in Luxembourg is an indefinite resident status granted to those who have spent 5 years or more in the country with a temporary residence permit. A permanent residence permit is issued to prosperous, law-abiding foreigners with no criminal records. Its holder gets the opportunity to stay in the state for an unlimited period of time (which is not available with a residence permit), officially work, enjoy social privileges, conduct commercial activities. With a permanent residence you can travel without a visa in the Schengen zone, to arrange reunification with family members, to apply for citizenship by naturalization.

Why everyone goes to Luxembourg

According to various sources, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is one of the most prosperous and developed countries on the planet. It is the richest country in the world - according to the IMF (International Monetary Fund) statistics, GDP per capita here is 141,080 USD. In the prosperity index Legatum, which evaluates different categories of development (infrastructure, social capital, health, education, labor market, ease of doing business) Luxembourg ranks 7th out of 167 possible. The Duchy is also now leading in the world quality of life ranking by Numbeo.

Luxembourg is on the first place by the level of wages in the European Union. The average income of the population here is 6800 EUR per month - it is higher than in Denmark, Ireland and Belgium. The country has three official languages - Luxembourgish, German and French, which facilitates adaptation of immigrants from different parts of the world. The stable economy attracts foreign businessmen and investors. Migration policy here is one of the most loyal in the EU, for example, it is possible to get a residence permit without knowing the national language and passing the integration exam.

Apart from the advantages of moving to Luxembourg, there are also disadvantages, the main ones being the high cost of living in general and high real estate prices. For example, 1 m² of housing here costs from 7500 to 10 000 EUR. Also, not everyone is satisfied with the lack of English among the state and a limited list of grounds for opening a residence permit.

You can move to Luxembourg and without looking for a reason to open a residence permit. For example, you have the opportunity to obtain an EU passport under an accelerated program for 4-14 months and with it immigrate to the Duchy without additional conditions. Find out more about this at our free legal consultation.

Main ways of immigration to Luxembourg

If you want to move to Luxembourg for permanent residence, you must first obtain an immigration-type residence permit. Short-term residence permits also allow you to stay temporarily in the Duchy, but do not count towards naturalization and do not entitle you to apply for permanent residency. For example, a permanent residence is not granted to those who live in the country as a seasonal, seconded or internally transferred employee, student or intern, volunteer or au pair. Therefore, the main programs for emigration from other countries to Luxembourg include the following:

• Wage labour.
  It is possible to move to Luxembourg for those who have filled a vacancy with a local employer. Foreigners are employed on a residual basis, unless the Employment Development Agency has offered the company an employee from among the residents of the Duchy. You must have work experience and education in your field of specialization, as well as receive at least the minimum salary for your chosen profession (from 2700 EUR per month, depending on the position).
• Independent activities.
  Common relocation programs include starting (or purchasing) a business in Luxembourg. You can also immigrate as a sole proprietor or self-employed foreigner. You must submit a business plan, have the means to implement it, as well as relevant experience and professional qualifications. A residence permit will be issued if your activity is recognized as economically beneficial for the country.
• Investment in the economy.
  Business immigration to Luxembourg is also possible with an investment of 500,000 EUR or more in an existing or newly established company. It is possible to invest from three million EUR in a management or investment organization or to deposit at least 20 million EUR in a local bank. The Ministry of Economy assesses whether your financial contributions are appropriate for the country and then approves or rejects the residence permit request.
• Highly qualified work.
  Like other countries of the European Union, Luxembourg provides Blue Card - a special residence permit for highly qualified foreign specialists. To obtain it, you need to find a job in the Duchy for a period of more than 6 months with a salary of at least 59,000 EUR per year. You will also need to prove your specialized education and/or relevant experience. The Blue Card gives you special privileges, such as the right to work in other EU countries.
• Special activities.
  You can move to Luxembourg to perform work outside the standard employment contract. For example, a residence permit is granted to researchers to participate in research at the invitation of the relevant institute. Residency is granted to foreign athletes and coaches who have signed a contract with a local club. Religious figures and missionaries can also immigrate.
• Moving in with a relative.
  Emigration from abroad to Luxembourg is available to children, parents, spouses and de facto partners of local residents. The inviting relative undertakes to provide you with accommodation, take out an insurance policy and assume financial responsibility. It is possible to move in with the holder of a Duchy passport or residence permit, as well as with a temporary resident, provided that he or she has been living in the country with an immigration-type residence permit for at least one year.
• Humanitarian reasons.
  Less common ways of moving include applying for refugee status or subsidiary protection in Luxembourg. To do so, you need to prove that you have been forced to leave your home country, for example because of military action or personal persecution. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, refugee status in the Duchy is approved for about 60% of applicants, mostly coming from states where armed conflicts are taking place (Syria, Eritrea, Afghanistan).

Requirements for obtaining a permanent residence in Luxembourg

To start moving to Luxembourg, you need to submit your immigration request in person to the consulate or submit it through the online service on the official website of the Ducal Ministry of Interior. After the application is approved, you move to the country, if necessary - get a visa in advance at the diplomatic mission. Upon arrival, you should register in the municipality, undergo a medical examination and apply for a residence permit at the General Directorate of Immigration (online or by mail). Later you will be invited to the authorized body to submit biometric data and issue a resident card.

A Luxembourg residence permit is usually valid for up to 12 months. To continue to live in the country, you must keep the reason for this and for 5 years timely renew the document, applying to the General Directorate of Immigration. After five years of residence in the Duchy, you have the right to obtain a residence permit, if you meet the accompanying conditions for its granting.

Conditions for the granting of a permanent residence

You can apply for a permanent residence permit five years after moving to Luxembourg. During this period, you may not leave the country for more than six consecutive months or more than 10 months in total. The exception is traveling abroad for a maximum of one year for important reasons such as medical treatment or study. In addition to complying with the residency period, you will need to:

• prove your identity with a valid passport and provide other required documents;
• have a permanent source of livelihood to support yourself and family members (for example, a child) without having to apply for social benefits;
• not pose a threat to public order and national security;
• have a health insurance policy for yourself and relatives who live with you;
• have suitable accommodation for the whole family in the Duchy (including rented accommodation).

If you have an EU passport, you do not need to fulfill these requirements to immigrate to Luxembourg. Apply for a second EU citizenship to move to Luxembourg without long waiting times, large costs, or taking an integration exam. Book a free legal consultation to check your chances of participating in the simplified program.

Documents for moving

To move to Luxembourg permanently, you need to prepare the following documents:

• personally completed applications at each of the immigration stages;
• a valid passport for travel abroad with copies of all pages;
• proof of sufficient means for the previous 5 years (for example, tax return);
• proof of housing in the State (e.g., lease agreement or certificate of ownership);
• a certificate of registration with the Joint Welfare Center;
• a recent certificate of no criminal record on Luxembourg territory;
• any available evidence of your integration into local society (for example, language certificate or information on membership of local associations);
• a receipt for payment of the required administrative fees;
• a health insurance policy for you and your family members.

If the documents are not in German, French or English, an official translation by a sworn translator must be added to the originals.

Financial side of immigration

Moving to Luxembourg for permanent residence is possible only for those who have sources of livelihood and do not apply for social support in the state. Requirements for the amount of finances depend on the type of residence permit, but in any case, the monthly income must be equal to or exceed the minimum subsistence level in the Duchy - 2637.79 EUR. Money can come to you in the form of a salary (including remote employment), profits from business, dividends on shares, sponsorship.

To calculate how much it costs to move to Luxembourg, you must take into account state duties, purchase of transportation tickets, transportation of personal belongings. Separately pay for the services of a notary and sworn translator, assistance of immigration lawyers. National visa D will cost you 50 EUR, residence permit and each extension of it - 80 EUR. Permanent resident card is also paid at the rate of 80 EUR.

The process of applying for a Luxembourg permanent residence

1. Submitting an application - online or by post.
   You can apply for a residence permit in Luxembourg electronically via the MyGuichet.lu website, or you can send the application together with the documents by post to the Ministry of the Interior.
2. Receipt.
   After acceptance of your request, the Luxembourg Directorate General of Immigration issues you a document with a personal file number, which replaces the temporary residence permit and allows you to reside in the Duchy until a decision is made regarding the issuance of a residence permit.
3. Registration of a permanent residence.
   The Luxembourg Ministry of the Interior is obliged to make a decision on the request within a maximum of 6 months, of which you will be informed by letter. This will include the date and time of the reception at the Directorate General of Immigration, during which you will be fingerprinted and photographed for a residence card.
4. Issuance of a permanent residence card.
   The Luxembourg permanent residence card is issued within a few days from the date of biometric data submission. You can pick it up in person at the Ministry of Internal Affairs by appointment. The document is issued for 5 years with the right to unlimited re-issuance.

Life in Luxembourg after obtaining a permanent residence permit

It is worth moving to Luxembourg to obtain permanent residency rights - they are practically the same as those of Luxembourg citizens. You can legally work in the state with a high level of salaries, as well as count on a full social package, including the receipt of retirement pension in the future. Permanent residents legally open and conduct business within the European Union, apply for grants and subsidies in private and public investment funds of the EU. The holder of a permanent residence permit is also entitled to:

• study at national universities and qualify for a scholarship;
• receive qualified medical care under the basic policy;
• count on state support for integration into society;
• invite close relatives to live with them;
• to open visas to different countries of the world, including the USA, in a simplified procedure.

Luxembourg residents are obliged to adhere to the local laws and constitution. If you plan to be away from the country for longer than six months, you must inform the local municipality and submit your residence permit to the Ministry of the Interior. If you leave the Duchy for 6 years or more (but remain within the EU), or leave the EU for more than 12 months, your residence permit will be revoked.

Permanent residence permit also gives you the opportunity to apply for Luxembourg citizenship by naturalization. To do this, you need to live in the country for at least 5 years (12 last months of them - without leaving the country). Passport is issued to those who have successfully passed the exams on integration course and knowledge of the Luxembourg language, as well as demonstrates good behavior and has no criminal record.

Main destinations for relocation

Among the popular cities in Luxembourg for permanent residence are:

• Luxembourg.
  The capital of the same name is the main center of the duchy and the most populous city of the small country. Luxembourg ranks 2nd in the world rating of quality of life, second only to The Hague in the Netherlands. The average salary (after tax deduction) here is 5500 EUR with living expenses for one person about 1100 EUR per month. Prices for renting real estate start from 1500-1800 EUR, for buying a home - from 7500 EUR per square meter. There are many investment funds and international banks in Luxembourg.
• Esch-sur-Alzette.
  Luxembourg's second most populous city is located in the southwest of the duchy and borders France. It is the administrative center of the canton of the same name, and in 2022 it was recognized as the European Capital of Culture. The average income of the population here is lower than in the capital - up to 4000 EUR per month, as there are no large enterprises and offices of international corporations in the province.  However, life here is cheaper, for example, you can buy real estate at a price from 5000 EUR per 1 m².

Luxembourg is one of the smallest countries in Europe. Its area is only 2,586.4 km², which is smaller than cities like Istanbul or Beijing. The majority of the population is concentrated in the capital, with commuters often coming here to work even from the surrounding areas. The small towns are unlikely to attract immigrant workers, but will appeal to wealthy foreigners who prefer a sedate lifestyle. You can go to Luxembourg for permanent residence and choose a small town like Dudelange or Differdange, from where it is easy to get to the capital for work or business.

Individual selection of immigration program

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

Book a consultation

Risks of illegal residence

Luxembourg authorities refuse to issue a residence permit to those who do not meet any of the requirements or provide incomplete information about themselves. A residence permit or permanent residence permit may be revoked if it turns out that the document was issued fraudulently. Illegal immigration to Luxembourg is fraught with forced expulsion from the country with a ban on re-entry. In this case, information about the violation is also entered into the Schengen Information System (SIS), which will be an obstacle to future obtaining a visa or residence permit in the European Union.

The process of immigration to Luxembourg requires proper preparation of documents, passing a medical examination, address registration. It is necessary to know where to apply and how to communicate with representatives of the authorities. According to the majority of foreigners, it is worth moving to Luxembourg with the help of international law specialists. Specialized lawyers will choose the best immigration program for you and help you at every stage. Get a personalized plan of action according to your situation - for this purpose sign up for a free consultation.

Why specialists` help is important when immigrating

According to the feedback from foreigners who have moved to Luxembourg, the standard naturalization procedure here is quite complicated. In order to qualify for a passport of the Duchy, you will need to learn a rather difficult national language, to delve into the cultural peculiarities of society, as well as to have a considerable official income for five years. It is possible to get all the rights of a Luxembourg citizen faster and easier, if you enlist the support of immigration specialists. Specialized lawyers provide comprehensive assistance in moving to the territory of the European Union in a short period of time and without significant costs.

International law specialists will analyze your request and documents, and then advise you on the best way to move to Luxembourg. The lawyers will tell you in detail about the pros and cons of different immigration programs so that you choose the most suitable one. For example, you can obtain a passport in an EU country in a maximum of one year without having to take an integration exam, provide information on financial security and renounce your previous citizenship. Get detailed information by making an appointment for a free consultation right now.

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.