Obtaining a Residence Permit in Luxembourg - 2023 Update
Obtaining a Residence Permit in Luxembourg
Updated on Thursday 23rd November 2023 Rate this article
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People around the world are attracted by Luxembourg for investment of employment reasons. In order to come here, they must apply for one of the visas or permits which allow them to live in Luxembourg for short or long periods of time. When individuals want to stay more than three months in Luxembourg, they must obtain a residence permit. This document will allow them to legally spend more time in the country to study, work or live with their family.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Temporary residence permit types | - employment-based permits, - self-employment permits, - family reunion visas for EU and non-EU members of Luxembourg residents |
| Time needed to obtain the temporary residence permit (approx.) | 4 months |
| Temporary residence permit validity | 1 to 5 years |
| Documents for obtaining temporary residence | - valid passport, - proof of local address, - temporary authorization to stay form |
| Mandatory registrations with state authorities (i.e. with the population/municipality register) | Yes, registration with the communal administration is required |
| Dependents can join the temporary permit holder | Yes |
| Temporary or permanent residency for investment purposes | Yes |
| Minimum temporary residence before applying for permanent residence | 5 years |
| Documents for obtaining permanent residence | - valid passport, - special application form |
| Naturalization requirements | Living in Luxembourg for 5 uninterrupted years |
| Citizenship after permanent residence | It can be obtained after 5 years of living in the country or after 3 years by marriage. |
An individual who decides to live in Luxembourg needs to register with the local authorities from the areas where he or she will live and obtain an identity card which must be carried at all times. Our lawyers in Luxembourg can help you with the formalities for obtaining a residence permit if you are a foreigner who wants to live in this country.
With a vast experience in relocation matters, our immigration lawyers in Luxembourg can help foreign citizens who want to relocate to the Grand Duchy.
Different requirements for obtaining a Luxembourg residence permit
Applying for a residence permit for Luxembourg is possible for everyone, however, under the immigration legislation, there are various requirements for each individual depending on the country of provenience. Obtaining a Luxembourg residence permit will imply different criteria, among which:
- if the foreign citizen is a national of a European Union country, the requirements are less severe;
- if the foreign citizen is a national of a non-EU country, the documentation to be prepared is more extensive;
- if the foreign national plans on staying in Luxembourg for less than 3 months;
- if the foreign national plans on relocating to Luxembourg for more than 3 months.
No matter the reasons for which a foreign national comes to Luxembourg, a valid ID is required in the case of EU citizens, while a valid passport is needed in the case of a third-country citizen.
Our immigration lawyers in Luxembourg will carefully analyze each case in order to propose a good solution for those interested in acquiring a residence permit in the Grand Duchy.
Residence permits for EU nationals
EU nationals and citizens of Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland do not need to apply for a residence permit, instead, they will need to obtain a registration certificate from the local authorities where their place of residence is located, within three months of arrival.
EU/EEA citizens who wish to stay longer than three months in Luxembourg need to be employed by a Luxembourg company, be self-employed or enrolled in some form of education and have enough resources to sustain themselves. Some citizens may still need to obtain a work permit. If a family member is not an EU citizen, he or she will need to provide additional documents in order to be able to join you. Our lawyers in Luxembourg can help you obtain the necessary permits and bring other family members in this country.
After an uninterrupted period of three years, individuals have the right to become permanent residents.
If you need assistance in moving to the Grand Duchy, you can rely on our immigration lawyers in Luxembourg who specialize in such matters.
Residence permits for non-EU nationals
Non-EU citizens who want to stay in the country for up to three months need to obtain a visa. After this time, they can submit an application to the immigration office belonging to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to obtain a residence permit.
The documents needed in order to make the application are:
- a valid passport;
- health certificate;
- proof of housing and employment;
- police record (if applicable).
All documents submitted for residence permits in Luxembourg must be in French, German or English and certified by a notary public. Certified translations are necessary for documents which are not originally in one of these languages. Moving to this country implies respecting various rules and regulations that can be explained by our immigration lawyer in Luxembourg. We also invite you to read our infographic below:
Obtaining a residence permit for working in Luxembourg in 2023
Foreign citizens who want to relocate to Luxembourg for employment purposes must first secure a work contract with a local company if they come from non-EU countries. It will be the Luxembourg company’s job to apply for the work permit on behalf of the future employee, but not before making sure it has done everything possible to find a national or an EU citizen to fill out the position.
In the case of EU citizens, they can relocate to Luxembourg without applying for the residence permit during the first 3 months of living here. They have the possibility of working in a local company or operating as sole traders in Luxembourg.
Our attorneys in Luxembourg can help foreign entrepreneurs who want to relocate here with the purpose of setting up businesses in 2023. If you need details on how to choose a visa, our immigration lawyer in Luxembourg can advise you.
Moving to Luxembourg through family reunification
Luxembourg welcomes foreign citizens from all over the world, which is why it has an important community of expats from EU and non-EU countries. One of the ways through which foreign citizens can move here is through family reunification.
In the case of EU citizens who have family members already residing in Luxembourg, coming here is quite simple, as the ID or valid passport is sufficient.
In the case of non-EU citizens who want to move to Luxembourg to live with family members who are already lawful residents of this state, the valid passport and a tourist visa will suffice if the stay does not exceed 3 months (90 days). For those who travel to Luxembourg from another EU country (based on an EU residence card), no additional formalities need to be completed.
Foreign citizens moving to Luxembourg from a non-EU country for more than 3 months must complete the same formalities as the family member (s) who already live here. In some case an employment offer, or a business plan to set up a company are required. The rest can be handled by our immigration lawyer in Luxembourg.
When relocating to Luxembourg with the spouse who is a resident of this country, the following documents must be filed with the local authorities:
- a copy of the valid passport;
- the copy of the residence card or registration certificate of the foreign citizen living in Luxembourg;
- the marriage certificate (the civil partnership agreement can also be used for those who have chosen this path of forming a family).
Our lawyers can help you draft and file the necessary documents for immigration to Luxembourg.
The residence permit for foreign investors in Luxembourg
At the beginning of 2017, the Luxembourg government has enabled the Quality Investors Residence Visa program, under which foreign nationals from non-EU countries can apply for residence permits by investing in making specific investments. The conditions for obtaining a residence permit as a foreign investor from a third-country in Luxembourg are:
- the foreigner must invest at least 500,000 euros in a Luxembourg company and keep that investment for a minimum period of 5 years;
- the foreign must invest 500,000 euros in registering a company in Luxembourg which will undertake a commercial or artisanal activity and to create at least 5 jobs in maximum 3 years after opening the business;
- the foreigner can also invest 3 million euros in an existing Luxembourg company or to open a new company which carries out investment and management activities;
- the foreign citizen is also welcome to invest at least 20 million euros in a Luxembourg investment fund and keep the investments for at least 5 years.
Only of the above-mentioned conditions must be met by third-country nationals seeking to apply for a residence permit in Luxembourg under this program. The applicant must also live at least 6 months per year in Luxembourg. In 2023, they can do that with the help of our immigration lawyers in Luxembourg.
The main rights obtained based on a residence permit in Luxembourg
Luxembourg is a very appealing country to live in, as it is one of the most important business centers in Europe. With a great economy and financial stability, the Grand Duchy also offers important employment opportunities.
Obtaining a residence permit in Luxembourg comes with various benefits, among which:
- EU residency which is the most important advantage when moving here;
- the possibility of moving here with family members;
- free travel to all other EU states, as well as in Schengen countries;
- similar rights to those of Luxembourg citizens;
- the right to relocate to other EU states and live, work or start businesses there.
It should also be noted that in certain cases, Luxembourg has specific agreements with other EU countries, among which Croatia: citizens of this country must prove they have a remunerated activity before moving here (an employment offer, a job or sole proprietorship activity).
Another benefit of moving to Luxembourg is that the country has an agreement with all EEA countries (Liechtenstein, Norway, and Iceland), as well as with Switzerland in respect to free movement.
If you need more information on why you should move here, our immigration lawyer in Luxembourg can provide additional details.
Obtaining permanent residency and citizenship in Luxembourg
Moving to Luxembourg determines a lot of foreigners to decide and live here forever. The first step to do that is to obtain a permanent residence permit.
The procedure implies applying for a temporary residence permit in the first 3 months of arrival, then waiting for 5 years until the permanent one is issued.
It is important to note that applying for a residence permit in the first months of arriving to Luxembourg is a time-sensitive matter, as it can take up to 6 months before the visa is issued.
Obtaining a permanent residence permit for Luxembourg is not complicated in terms of documents to prepare, however, the length of the procedure must be carefully considered.
When it comes to applying for citizenship in Luxembourg, a new law was passed in 2017 and under it a Luxembourg passport by naturalization can be obtained after 5 years, however, specific conditions apply. One of the conditions is for the foreign person to have lived in this country for 5 uninterrupted years.
Obtaining permanent residence or citizenship can enter the attention of our immigration lawyer in Luxembourg for those interested in having full benefits in this country. For any questions, do not hesitate to address our law firm.
Immigration services offered by our lawyers in Luxembourg
Our law firm in Luxembourg can help foreign citizens who want to relocate to the Grand Duchy by providing them tailored and targeted support in various immigration matters. We can help those who want to obtain work and residence permits in Luxembourg, and we can also assist foreign investors who want to move here with the purpose of starting their own businesses.
Our assistance consists in preparing all the documents needed to be submitted with the Immigration Office. We can also revise any previously drafted documents and make sure they are complete, and they comply with the requirements of the Immigration office.
Those who have obtained a residence permit and are interested in applying for Luxembourg citizenship can also request the specialized services offered by our immigration lawyers.
We offer personalized legal services to foreign citizens from both EU and non-EU countries interested in relocating to Luxembourg through a residence visa in 2023.
We also invite you to watch a video on immigration to Luxembourg and the residence permit:
Why immigrate to Luxembourg in 2023?
Foreign citizens seeking to move to Luxembourg and obtain residence permits in 2023 can apply for the type of visa they need with the help of our lawyers.
Immigrating to Luxembourg in 2023 can be a good opportunity for those who want to set up a business in one of EU's most appealing countries from an economic point of view. You can rely on us for guidance in obtaining the desired residence visa.
The procedure of applying for a residence permit in Luxembourg at the level of 2023 has not changed and visa application are processed in a few weeks.
According to the United Nations, Luxembourg's latest migration rates are as follow:
- in 2020, Luxembourg's net migration rate was 12.908 per 1000 people, down 11.72% from 2019;
- in 2021, the Grand Dychy's net migration rate stood at 11.196 per 1000 people, a 13.26% decrease from 2020;
- in 2022, Luxembourg's net migration rate was 9.483 per 1000 people, a 15.3% decrease from 2021;
- in 2023, the country's net migration rate will be 7.770 per 1000 people, an 18.06% decrease from 2022.
Also, at the level of 2022, Luxembourg's population was of 650,364 inhabitants. Statistics also indicate that it has grown by 1.64%. If you are looking to move to the Grand Duchy, you can rely on our immigration lawyers who can offer information about the main pathways you can follow.
If you are interested in investing in Luxembourg and want to know more about the policies for investments and legislation for foreign entrepreneurs, you can contact our law firm in Luxembourg.
