Immigration law in Luxembourg

Luxembourg applies national immigration law together with European rules. The Direction générale de l’immigration of the Ministère des Affaires intérieures handles most residence procedures. The relevant commune manages arrival and registration formalities, ADEM is involved in several employment procedures, and the Ministère de la Justice handles nationality matters. Protection cases involve ONA and the competent asylum authorities, while the Administrative Tribunal and Administrative Court hear legal challenges. EU, EEA and Swiss nationals who stay longer than 90 days generally register with their commune. They submit a declaration d’arrivée within 8 days of arrival and apply for a registration certificate within 3 months. They do not normally need an authorisation de séjour temporaire. Their basis of residence may be employment, self-employment, study, sufficient resources with health insurance or family membership. A non-EU family member usually applies for a residence card within 3 months and may need an entry visa. Third-country nationals generally follow a two-step procedure for stays longer than 90 days. They first apply for an authorisation de séjour temporaire, or AST, before entering Luxembourg. After entry, they submit the declaration d’arrivée within 3 days, complete the required medical checks and apply for a titre de séjour within 3 months. A visa D is required when the person is subject to a visa obligation. Applications can be filed with the Direction générale de l’immigration through MyGuichet.lu or by post. Common requirements include a valid passport, biometric photograph and fingerprints, proof of the relevant purpose of stay, health insurance, housing, financial resources and, depending on the category, criminal-record certificates. Documents may require authentication, legalisation or an apostille. Documents that are not in German, French or English generally need a sworn translation. The main employment categories include salaried work, self-employment, the EU Blue Card, research, intra-group transfers, seasonal work, au pair placements, private reasons and posted work. For salaried work, ADEM normally receives the vacancy declaration and performs a labour-market check lasting at least 3 weeks. The first permit is generally limited to one year, one profession and one sector; from the first renewal, a permit may last up to 3 years and cover all professions and sectors when the required employment is proven. In 2026, the EU Blue Card salary threshold is EUR 65,652 and the employment contract must normally last at least 6 months. Self-employed applicants provide a business and financing plan, economic resources, qualifications and any required business authorisations. Students need admission to full-time higher education and may generally work an average of up to 15 hours per week, subject to the applicable exceptions. After a Luxembourg Master’s or PhD, a person may obtain a permit for job searching or entrepreneurship for up to 12 months, with the activity related to the education. Researchers need an approved host institution and hosting agreement. Seasonal work is limited to seasonal activities and may last up to 5 months in a 12-month period. An au pair placement is limited to ages 18 to 29, requires ministerial youth approval and a host agreement, and does not allow other paid or freelance work. Family migration usually requires the sponsor to intend long-term residence, have stable and regular resources at least at the reference level for the average monthly minimum wage of an unskilled worker over the previous 12 months, suitable housing and health insurance. Eligible family members generally include a spouse or registered partner aged at least 18 and unmarried dependent children under 18, with limited special cases. The first family-member permit is generally valid for one year and gives access to education, guidance, training and the labour market. A family member may obtain an autonomous permit after a maximum of 5 years or earlier in cases such as family breakdown, death, divorce or domestic violence. International protection covers refugee status and subsidiary protection. Temporary protection is an exceptional separate status. From 12 June 2026, ONA is the reception authority and provides accommodation and social reception, while ONE deals with unaccompanied minors. Reception may include accommodation, food, hygiene, healthcare and social or educational support under the applicable rules. An international-protection permit is generally valid for 5 years. A final refusal normally allows 30 days for voluntary departure; failure to leave can lead to forced removal, detention and a Schengen entry or stay ban of up to 5 years. Integration measures include the Welcome and Integration Contract, known as CAI, and the pacte citoyen du vivre-ensemble interculturel. These are formal integration offers and are not a general prerequisite for every residence permit. Luxembourgish language and civic evidence become relevant in nationality procedures. Naturalisation generally requires adulthood, at least 5 years of lawful residence with the final 12 months uninterrupted, a Luxembourgish language test, the Vivre ensemble course or test and good repute. The procedure is free, the application is made in person at the commune and the ministerial decision may take up to 8 months. Other nationality procedures include option, recouvrement and cases based on descent, marriage, schooling, CAI or protection. A 20-year residence pathway has a specific 24-hour Luxembourgish course requirement, while registration for the language test costs EUR 75. Permanent residence rights depend on status. Third-country nationals may generally apply for résident de longue durée status after 5 years of lawful uninterrupted residence, subject to absence limits that generally remain below 6 months at a time and 10 months in 5 years. Certain absences may extend to 12 months. Seasonal workers, posted workers, intra-group transferees, students, vocational trainees and holders of certain limited temporary permits are excluded. The long-term resident permit is valid for 5 years. EU citizens generally acquire a permanent right of residence after 5 years, and an EU permanent residence document has unlimited validity, although absence rules apply. EU Blue Card periods in the EU can be aggregated when the last 2 years were spent in Luxembourg. Applications and permits carry category-specific deadlines. A common residence-card fee is EUR 80, and renewals are generally filed no later than 2 months before expiry. A person leaving Luxembourg for more than 6 months must normally declare the departure to the commune and surrender the permit. An application receipt preserves lawful stay only where the applicable category provides that effect. Incomplete or forged evidence can lead to refusal. A refusal can usually be challenged through an optional non-contentious appeal and, in many cases, an action before the Administrative Tribunal within 3 months. A lawyer is generally required for proceedings before that tribunal. A timely non-contentious appeal can suspend or restart the judicial time limit, but an appeal does not automatically suspend every immigration measure. Interim suspension may be available where serious and irreparable harm and a serious legality concern are shown. Visa C refusals generally have a 3-month challenge period through a lawyer. Asylum deadlines differ: an ordinary refusal and removal decision generally have a single suspensive appeal within 1 month, while accelerated or inadmissibility decisions generally have a 15-day period. Withdrawal of protection can generally be challenged within 20 days, with suspensive effect only in specified cases. The applicable deadline and remedy must therefore be checked against the exact decision and residence category.