Luxembourg Citizenship in 2026: How to Obtain a Passport

By acquiring Luxembourg citizenship, an immigrant gains the rights and assumes the responsibilities of an EU citizen, as Luxembourg has been a member of the European Union since 1958. Depending on the legal basis for relocation and the applicable government rules, a person may qualify for a national identity document after three to five years of residence in the country.

This guide explains how to apply for a Luxembourg passport and how much the process costs, whether Turkish and Luxembourg citizenship can be held at the same time, and how to check the status of a naturalisation application with the competent authorities.

Luxembourg Immigration and Citizenship Law

The principal routes to Luxembourg citizenship and the requirements applicable to applicants in 2026 are set out in the Luxembourg Nationality Law. Holders of Luxembourg national identity documents have the right to:

• reside in the country without a time limit;
• work and conduct business in the Grand Duchy;
• freely express their views.

The main duties imposed on Luxembourg citizens include:

• respecting the independence and territorial integrity of the state;
• preserving the country’s culture, history and traditions;
• performing military service.

Applicants for a Luxembourg passport are not required to renounce the citizenship acquired in their country of origin, as Luxembourg law does not impose such a condition. A person naturalised in Luxembourg acquires an additional, or multiple, citizenship rather than dual citizenship in the strict legal sense, because Luxembourg has not concluded bilateral agreements with other states on the mutual recognition of the rights and obligations attached to two nationalities.

Benefits of a Luxembourg Passport

A Luxembourg national passport provides its holder with the following rights and opportunities:

• employment with companies registered in the European Union;
• access to healthcare in Luxembourg and other EU countries under the applicable insurance arrangements;
• the right to apply for subsidies and social benefits;
• access to free education in local state schools;
• the opportunity to apply for university scholarships and other education funding programmes in a selected EU country.

Under certain programmes, Turkish citizens may obtain the rights of an EU citizen in as little as 12 months.

Ways to Obtain Luxembourg Citizenship

An applicant may become a Luxembourg citizen on the following grounds:

• by birth, descent or adoption;
• through naturalisation;
• by option declaration;
• through recovery of citizenship.

Citizenship by Birth, Descent or Adoption

Luxembourg citizenship by descent (jus sanguinis) may be claimed by:

• a child whose mother or father is a Luxembourg citizen;
• a minor whose father was a Luxembourg citizen at the time of the child’s birth or at the time of his death.

Citizenship based on birth in Luxembourg may be available to:

• a person whose mother, father or both parents cannot transmit their foreign citizenship to the child;
• a child whose parents, or one of them, do not hold the nationality of any state;
• an applicant whose mother and father have not been legally identified.

Minor adopted children may qualify for Luxembourg citizenship where at least one of the following conditions is met:

• both adoptive parents, or one of them, are Luxembourg citizens;
• one or both parents are in the process of acquiring Luxembourg citizenship through naturalisation, recovery or the option procedure;
• both parents, or one of them, are stateless and hold a Luxembourg residence permit;
• one or both parents are foreign nationals who hold temporary or permanent residence in Luxembourg and are legally unable to transmit their citizenship to the child.

Citizenship by Option Declaration

An adult who did not acquire Luxembourg citizenship may be eligible to apply if at least one parent, adoptive parent, grandparent or great-grandparent is or was a Luxembourg citizen.

Foreign nationals who have lived in Luxembourg for at least five years may also request citizenship through the option procedure where they fall into at least one of the following categories:

• parents of a minor Luxembourg citizen;
• children of residents who are over 12 years of age;
• persons who moved to Luxembourg before reaching adulthood;
• refugees, beneficiaries of international protection or stateless persons.

Volunteer soldiers who have completed at least 12 months of military service in Luxembourg may obtain Luxembourg citizenship after one year of residence in the country.

An adult applicant may also apply for a Luxembourg passport after meeting one of the following conditions:

• completing seven years of schooling in Luxembourg and residing in the country for at least one year immediately before applying;
• completing Luxembourgish language courses and residing lawfully in the country for at least 20 years.

Citizenship by Naturalisation

Turkish citizens and other foreign nationals may legalise their residence in Luxembourg on the following grounds:

• Employment.
  The applicant must secure a suitable position, attend an interview with a Luxembourg employer and sign an employment contract. Employment may provide a basis for a one-year residence permit, with the first renewal generally granted for 24 months and subsequent renewals for 36 months.
• Business establishment.
  An immigrant must register as a self-employed person in Luxembourg and demonstrate that the planned activity will provide an economic benefit to the country. The initial residence permit may be issued for up to three years and may subsequently be renewed for equivalent periods, provided the applicant continues the business activity.
• Family reunification.
  A spouse, registered partner, minor unmarried children of the sponsor and/or the sponsor’s partner may apply for a residence permit valid for at least one year, with the possibility of repeated renewal for similar periods. The sponsor must hold a temporary Luxembourg residence permit, have lived in the country for at least one year and have reasonable prospects of qualifying for permanent residence.

Persons who have lived in Luxembourg with a residence permit for at least five years, including an uninterrupted final year, may qualify for naturalisation without first obtaining permanent residence. A different residence period may apply to the spouse of the sponsor, including a period of at least 36 months in the circumstances described by law.

Recovery of Luxembourg Citizenship

An application to recover Luxembourg citizenship may be submitted by:

• an adult who lost Luxembourg citizenship for reasons beyond their control;
• a woman who acquired a foreign nationality against her will as a result of marriage or because her spouse acquired a foreign nationality.

The standard application file must include evidence of the loss of Luxembourg citizenship. The recovery procedure is free of charge.

Requirements for Luxembourg Citizenship

To become a Luxembourg citizen, an applicant must meet the statutory requirements, including:

• residing in the country for the period prescribed by law;
• passing the Luxembourgish language examination;
• providing criminal record certificates from the authorities of the country of origin and Luxembourg;
• preparing an application file in accordance with the current government requirements;
• completing the «Living Together in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg» course or passing the corresponding examination.

How to Obtain Luxembourg Citizenship: Step-by-Step Procedure

1. Apply for temporary authorisation to stay.
   The applicant must submit a complete file to the Luxembourg embassy or consulate responsible for their place of residence. Processing may take up to four months. Once the application is approved, the applicant receives a temporary authorisation to stay by post. This authorisation is valid for three months.
2. Obtain an entry visa, where required.
   Within 90 days of receiving the authorisation to stay, applicants who require a visa to enter Luxembourg must apply for it through the competent Luxembourg embassy or consulate. The entry visa is valid for three months. Applications are generally processed within 15 days, although the period may be extended to 45 days in exceptional cases.
3. Enter Luxembourg, register and complete the medical examination.
   Within three days of arrival, the applicant must register with the municipality of their place of residence. The applicant must also undergo a medical examination and tuberculosis screening. The Health Directorate then forwards the results to the competent department of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.
4. Apply for a residence permit.
   Within three months of entering Luxembourg, the immigrant must register on the government portal MyGuichet.lu and submit an online application through the portal or mobile application. Applicants who cannot use the electronic services may send the documents to the postal address of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. After approval, the authority sends an invitation for the applicant to provide a photograph and fingerprints. The applicant can then book an appointment to collect the residence permit card. The precise processing time should be confirmed with the competent authority, while the application status may be checked through the applicant’s online account.
5. Pass the Luxembourgish language examination.
   The applicant must register with the National Institute of Languages for an examination assessing spoken Luxembourgish at A2 level and listening comprehension at B1 level. Approximately 15 days before the examination, the institute sends a letter confirming the date and time. Successful applicants receive a certificate to include in the citizenship application file.
6. Complete the «Living Together in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg» course or pass the examination.
   The applicant must register online for the course or examination through the service provided by the Ministry of Education. The course covers the rights of Luxembourg citizens, the country’s state and municipal institutions, and the history of the Grand Duchy. Applicants may skip the course and register directly for the examination. Those who pass receive a certificate to include in the application file.
7. Submit the citizenship application.
   The applicant must prepare the required documents and apply to the civil registry office in the municipality of residence. An authorised official reviews the file and forwards it to the Nationality Department. The Minister of Justice makes the final naturalisation decision within eight months. The citizenship certificate is sent to the postal address stated in the application.
8. Apply for a passport and identity card.
   On the basis of the citizenship certificate, the applicant may request a Luxembourg identity card through the municipality of residence and a passport through the Passport, Visa and Legalisation Office or another competent authority. Standard processing takes approximately one week. An expedited document may be issued within three days for an additional fee. Documents issued to adults and children over four are valid for five years, while documents for younger children are valid for 24 months.

Documents Required for Luxembourg Citizenship

An applicant for Luxembourg citizenship must prepare the following documents:

• a copy of the birth certificate;
• a biographical notice completed on the official government form;
• a certificate confirming completion of the «Living Together in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg» test;
• a copy of the international passport;
• a certificate confirming successful completion of the Luxembourgish language examination;
• criminal record certificates from the country of origin and from any country in which the applicant lived for 15 years or more after reaching adulthood and before the application date;
• authorisation allowing the Ministry of Justice to obtain Criminal Record Bulletin No. 2 from the Luxembourg Public Prosecutor’s Office, completed in the second section of the biographical notice.

Parents applying on behalf of minor children must supplement the standard file with:

• the children’s birth certificates;
• the children’s international passports;
• authorisation from the guardianship judge to initiate the naturalisation procedure, where applicable.

All copies of submitted documents must be translated into one of the following languages:

• French;
• Luxembourgish;
• English;
• German.

Document copies must be certified by a sworn translator, whose details may be found on the website of the Luxembourg Ministry of Justice, or by a competent public authority abroad.

The application file for a passport or identity card includes:

• the naturalisation certificate;
• the application form;
• proof of payment of the state fee.

A passport application requires one photograph measuring 35 × 45 mm. Applicants requesting an identity card do not need to provide a photograph, as it is taken by the competent authority during the appointment.

Cost of Obtaining Luxembourg Citizenship

In 2026, immigrants cannot purchase Luxembourg citizenship by investing in the country’s economy or real estate. The overall cost of the naturalisation process, including the relevant administrative charges, is shown in the table below.

Luxembourg Passport

The Luxembourg biometric passport is a standard dark burgundy booklet. Its cover displays:

• the official name of the country;
• the national coat of arms in gold;
• the word «Passeport».

The Luxembourg passport is regarded as one of the world’s strongest travel documents and allows visa-free or facilitated travel to 175 destinations, including EU countries, Argentina, Israel, Japan, Montenegro, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. A national identity card is compulsory for Luxembourg citizens over the age of 15. The card contains an electronic chip storing the holder’s personal and biometric data.

Citizens may use the identity card to prove their identity in Luxembourg, travel within the European Union and access other services.

Refusal of Luxembourg Citizenship

Luxembourg authorities may refuse citizenship where an applicant provides false information or forged documents, or has a criminal record in Luxembourg or abroad. A negative decision may be challenged within one month by lodging an appeal with the Minister of Justice. If the appeal is rejected, the applicant may bring the matter before the Luxembourg Administrative Court.

Before submitting an appeal, the applicant should carefully review the reasons stated in the decision, verify that the file is complete and prepare evidence addressing the grounds for refusal. Observing the appeal deadline and submitting properly prepared documents may improve the prospects of reconsideration by the competent authorities.

Alternative Ways to Obtain the Rights of a Luxembourg Citizen

Turkish citizens may legalise their residence in Luxembourg by obtaining the passport of another European Union country. In 2026, one available option may be Romanian citizenship through a simplified procedure, which can provide EU citizenship status in approximately one year.

This route may allow applicants to acquire the rights of an EU citizen and lawfully live, work and conduct business in Luxembourg without completing the lengthy local naturalisation process. International immigration specialists can identify a suitable programme, prepare the required documents and support the applicant throughout the EU citizenship procedure.