A Luxembourg long-stay visa allows you to work, study, invest or even reunite with your family members in Luxembourg. Long-stay visas (also known as national visas), are issued for one year and can be extended, depending on why you are traveling to Luxembourg.
How Can I Move to Luxembourg?
If you want to stay in Luxembourg for longer than three months, you need to apply for a long-stay visa. The process for applying for a long-stay visa is as follows:
- First, apply for temporary authorization to stay in Luxembourg. You can apply for temporary approval at the Immigration Directorate of the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.
- After your temporary authorization is issued, then you must apply for a long-stay visa. You can apply for a long-stay visa at the nearest embassy/consulate of Luxembourg in your home country.
- After entering Luxemburg, you must apply for a temporary residence permit.
»How to Immigrate to Luxembourg?
Types of Luxembourg Long-Stay Visas
A Luxembourg long-stay visa is issued for a maximum of one year but can be renewed. To apply for a long-stay visa, contact Luxembourg’s nearest embassy/consulate in your home country and book an appointment. Here are the Luxembourg long-stay visa types:
- Work Visa. If you are a foreign citizen planning to work in Luxembourg, you must apply for a long-stay visa for employment. You must find a job and have a work contract with an employer in Luxembourg. Your employer must register your right of employment at the National Employment Agency (Agence pour le développement de l’emploi – ADEM) in Luxembourg, proving that they are allowed to employ foreign citizens.
- Student Visa. International students seeking higher education in Luxembourg need to apply for a study visa.
- Family reunion visa. If you have close family members living in Luxembourg and want to be reunited with them, you can apply for a family reunion visa.
- Investment Visa. If you are a businessman looking to expand your business, you can do that in Luxembourg. However, first, you need to apply for an investment visa. Those applying for an investment visa need to project their investment plans to the Ministry of Economics or to the Ministry of Finance of Luxembourg. Furthermore, they need to have approval from the Ministry before applying for an investment visa. To apply for a Luxembourg investment visa, you must invest at least:
- €500,000 in an existing or new business.
- €500,000 in a new company that is still not created.
- €3 million in management and investment structure.
- €3 million in a bank deposit at a financial institution.
Luxembourg Long Stay Visa Requirements
When applying for a long-stay visa, gather and submit all the requested documents listed below at the nearest Luxembourg embassy in your home country:
- Proof of accommodation in Luxembourg. Document proof that you have a place to stay in Luxembourg. This document could be an invitation letter, rental agreement, hotel reservation, house contract, etc.
- Criminal record. A criminal record is a document issued by the police in your home country. This document must prove that you have no criminal history and are not a threat to the Republic of Luxembourg.
- Valid passport. Your passport must be valid at least three months after the return date and two blank pages. In addition, include a copy of your previous visas, if any.
- Application form. First, download the application form online, and fill it out. After filling it out, print a hard copy and sign it at the end. Do not leave any blank spaces.
- Two photos in line with Schengen visa photo requirements. You must take the pictures on a blank background with colors, and they must be passport-sized 35-40mm. Make sure your images are recently taken (within the last six months).
- Health insurance. A document proving that you have valid health insurance covering any medical expenses if you have while being in Luxembourg. The health insurance must have coverage of €30,000. After entering Luxembourg, you must apply for health insurance in Luxembourg.
- Bank statement. This is a document issued by your bank. It must prove that you are financially stable and can finance yourself while in Luxembourg.
- Fee payment. The fee payment for a Luxembourg long-stay visa is €80. When submitting the documents, you can finish the fee payment at the embassy/consulate and attach the payment receipt to other requested documents.
- Additional documents depending on the type of visa you apply for.
Luxembourg work visa requirements
The documents required for a Luxembourg work visa are:
- Work contract. The work contract is proof that you have a job waiting for you in Luxembourg. The work contract must include the salary, work duration, work position, etc.
- Professional qualification. A copy of your diplomas or professional qualifications.
Luxembourg study visa requirements
You must submit these documents:
- A letter of acceptance from the university. You need to prove that you have been accepted at one of the Luxembourg universities.
- Parental authorization if you are a student under the age of 18.
- A document of the certificate or scholarship. The scholarship document must state the amount and its duration (if applicable).
Luxembourg family reunion Visa
You must submit these documents to apply for a Luxembourg family visa:
- Document proof of your relationship status. This is a document that depends on your civil status. So, if you are married, you must submit your marriage certificate (spouses), proof you live together or joint bank statements (partners), birth certificates (parents/children), etc.
- Parental consent. This document is applicable if you have a minor child and one of the parents will not move/live in Luxembourg.
- Medical report. The medical report needs to prove that you are in good health condition and you can live in Luxembourg.
Luxembourg investment visa requirements
You should submit these documents when applying for an investment visa.
- Proof that you have made the requested investment.
- Criminal Record. This is a document issued from the police of your home country, and it must prove that you are not a thread for the Republic of Luxembourg.
After completing all the requested steps wait for a response. You will receive a response with your visa result within 15 to 30 days after submitting the documents.
Luxembourg Temporary Residence Permit
If you want to stay longer than one year in Luxembourg, you must apply for a temporary residence permit, which is issued for up to five years. Temporary residence permits can be renewed, as long as you continue to meet the requirements. Here are the steps you need to follow to apply for a Luxembourg temporary residence permit.
- Contact the Immigration Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs within three months after entering Luxembourg to obtain a temporary residence permit.
- Visit a medical center in Luxembourg and receive a medical report.
- Gather and submit all the requested documents in person to the Immigration Directorate.
- After fulfilling all the requested steps, you will receive a response within one to four weeks for your temporary residence permit application from the Immigration Directorate.
» Read more about temporary residence permit Luxembourg Eu Blue Card for professional workers
Luxembourg Permanent Residence Permit
After staying for five years legally in Luxembourg, you can apply for a permanent residence permit. To apply for a Luxembourg permanent residence permit, you must follow the following steps:
- Contact the Immigration Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and book an appointment.
- Gather all the requested documents and personally submit them to the Immigration Directorate. The required documents are listed below under ‘Document Checklist For a Luxembourg Permanent Residence Permit’.
- After submitting the application to the Immigration Directorate, you will be issued with a receipt, which acts as a temporary authorization to stay in Luxembourg until the processing time for your permanent residence permit is finished.
The processing time for a permanent residence permit is six months. If you do not receive a response within six months for your application from the Immigration Directorate, know that your application has been rejected.
Important: A temporary authorization can not be used as a travel document meaning that it does not allow you to travel to different places; it is only valid in Luxembourg.
Document Checklist For a Luxembourg Permanent Residence Permit
You must gather and submit these documents to the Immigration Directorate when applying for a Luxembourg permanent residence permit:
- Valid passport.
- Bank statement.
- Application form.
- Fee payment.
- Accommodation proof.
- Proof of health insurance.
- Criminal record.
- Proof of passed exam.
- Any club member card (if any).
- A recent certificate of affiliation (social security registration certificate). That was issued for the past five years by the Joint Social Security Centre.