Visas for Luxembourg

Foreigners, depending on their nationality, may require a visa to enter Luxembourg, either for tourist purposes or to work and live in the country. As Luxembourg is part of the Schengen area, those with an EU passport or those from a visa-exempt country won’t need to apply for a visa. All other foreigners will need either a short-stay or long-stay visa to enter the country.

Short stay visas for Luxembourg

Short stay visas (a Visa C) for Luxembourg allow the holder to stay in the country for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. The requirements are slightly different for those planning to work in Luxembourg during the 90-day stay compared to those visiting for leisure.

Nationals of countries not part of the EU or on the visa-exempt list who are travelling to Luxembourg for tourism purposes will need to apply for a Schengen visa before arriving in the country. This must be done at the Luxembourg consulate in their home country.

If planning to visit more than one Schengen country, then a visa will need to be applied for at the consulate of the country they will spend the most time in. If the duration of travel is the same for each country they will be visiting, the visa will need to be applied for at the consulate of the country which they will be entering first.

Those who wish to work in Luxembourg during their stay will need a work visa. To get a work visa, they will need a job offer from an organisation in Luxembourg.

Long stay visas for Luxembourg

Long stay visas are known as a Visa D. They allow foreigners to stay in Luxembourg for longer than 90 days. The first step to getting a Visa D for Luxembourg is to apply for a temporary authorisation-to-stay at the Immigration Directorate of the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs in their home country. Within 90 days of applying for this, the applicant must submit their long stay Visa D application at the Luxembourg consulate in their country of residence. Once granted, the visa is generally valid for between 90 days and one year.

Those who wish to work in Luxembourg during this period must have a valid employment contract from an organisation in Luxembourg attached to their authorisation-to-stay application. Expats can only be employed in Luxembourg if there are no suitable candidates registered with the Agency for the Development of Employment (ADEM) to fill the position.

Once arriving in Luxembourg, the expat must declare their arrival within three days of entering the country, undergo a health check and then apply for a residence permit for workers.

Residence permits for Luxembourg

Residence permits for Luxembourg must be applied for with the Immigration Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. Once the application is approved, the expat will be invited to make an appointment with the Immigration Directorate to get their photograph and fingerprints taken. They will then receive their residence permit in the form of a chip card, which will include their work permit.

Residence permits are generally valid for one year, after which they can be renewed.

For more information regarding short and long stay visas, as well as work and residence permits, expats can visit the government website for Luxembourg.