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With or without visa: grounds for legal stay in Luxembourg
Legal residence in the Grand Duchy is governed by these two categories:
- Citizenship of the visitor — the EU or a third country
The special status of third country foreigners who are family members of an EU citizen.
- Period of stay
Up to 3 months or more than 3 months in the case of third countries.
Third countries are considered all non-EU countries, except for citizens of Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Norway, and Iceland.
If You Are an EU Citizen
Regardless of the period of stay, all EU citizens have the right to travel within the EU, and work and reside in any eurozone country. The same applies to family members if they are EU citizens.
If You Have Relatives in the EU but No EU Citizenship
In this case, you can stay in Luxembourg legally — for family reunification.
The following categories can be reunited:
- spouses or other registered partners;
- children with parents and parents with children if they are in the care of an EU citizen or their spouse/partner.
If a family member of the third-country citizen holds a valid residence permit issued by the authorities of Luxembourg or another EU Member State, no visa is required to enter Luxembourg.
Citizens of several non-EU countries can also enter Luxembourg without a visa. The full list of countries that do not require the visa is available on the website of the Luxembourg Government.
If the visa is required, you must apply for it and obtain it before entering Luxembourg. The documents required to obtain the visa depend on the type of family member.
Thus, to stay in the Grand Duchy, third-country citizens who are considered family members must hold only a valid passport and, if necessary, an entry visa before arriving in Luxembourg. Once done, you need to obtain documents at the place of residence in one of the communes and apply for a residence permit.
If You Are from a Third Country and Have No Relatives in the EU
Here, besides a valid passport, you need a visa to legally stay in the Grand Duchy.
The visa is issued considering the purpose of your travel — study, work, family reunification, etc. — and the period of stay.
- Visa C is given for a 90-day stay in Luxembourg;
- Visa D is issued for those who will stay in the country for more than 90 days.
Visa A is not suitable in this case. It is for passing through the cross-border area at airports, that is, for transit. Visa A does not give travelers the right to enter the countries of the Schengen Area and, therefore, Luxembourg.
Short Stay: Visa C, Less Than 3 Months
It is suitable for the following purposes of travel:
- business trip (visiting partners, negotiating, concluding contracts, etc.);
- attendance in conferences (conference speakers and university teachers), exhibitions, or fairs;
- attendance in board meetings and town hall meetings;
- provision of services as part of one business group;
- other activities related to study or work;
- tourism if you are a citizen of the country that is permitted to enter the Grand Duchy for minor trips.
How Can You Obtain a Visa C?
The process is broadly divided into three stages.
Long Stay: Visa D, More Than 3 Months
This visa can be obtained by:
- holders of temporary residence permit;
- those traveling for reunification with a family member who is an EU citizen;
- highly qualified worker;
- private reasons;
- salaried worker (employee) and salaried worker posted by a company established outside the EU;
- self-employed workers;
- researcher;
- trainee;
- student;
- pupil;
- athlete.
How Can You Obtain a Visa D?
The process is broadly divided into four stages.
- Get a temporary residence permit
It is issued by the Directorate of Immigration of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg. To obtain a temporary residence permit, you need to submit an application. The nature of your supposed activity determines the procedure for submitting the application. The application must be submitted in the country of residence and before you submit the documents for the visa.
- Prepare the necessary documents
They include the following:
- Two color photos 3.5×4.5 cm against a light background (white, whitish blue). The photo must be free of stains, folds, rubbing marks, glare, fuzziness, and other defects. You need a photo without colored corners and ovals; it must be printed on matte photo paper.
- A passport valid for at least 3 months after the requested visa expires. It must have two blank pages.
- A temporary residence permit.
The consulate often requires a financial report on the Luxembourg resident’s support. The document confirms that the citizen of the Grand Duchy financially supports the applicant. The one who acts as a guarantor must officially certify the document. You can do this at the Passport, Visa and Authentications Office (entry up to 90 days) or the Immigration Office (for those who need a long stay).
- Apply for a visa and provide the documents
You can do this in two ways:
- Go to the diplomatic mission or consulate of Luxembourg in the country of your residence.
- Contact the embassy or consulate of the country in the Schengen Area that acts on behalf of Luxembourg for the visa issuance.
- Meet the deadline for application
You must personally submit the documents in two copies. You must do this within 90 days of obtaining a temporary residence permit.
Thus, third-country nationals must obtain a visa C or D and hold a valid passport to stay in the Grand Duchy. Then you can apply for a residence permit.
Cost
Visa C costs about 80 euros, visa D about 50 euros, visa for children aged 6-12 costs about 40 euros. However, there is a reduced fee for citizens of Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and a number of other countries. It comes to 35 euros.
There is no visa fee for children under 6, school and university students, teachers, scientists traveling abroad for scientific research, family members who are EU/EEA nationals and some other groups of citizens exceptionally.
