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With or without visa: grounds for legal stay in Luxembourg
Luxembourg's passport is one of the strongest in the world. With it, you can visit 191 countries without a visa. However, the Grand Duchy itself often requires foreigners to produce the document. In this article, let's find out who needs a visa and who can get along just fine without one.
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 nationals who are family members of an EU citizen.
- Period of stay. How long do you aim to stay in the country — up to 3 months, or more than that — when you are a third-country national.
All non-EU countries, except for Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Norway, and Iceland are considered third-countries.
If you are an EU citizen
Regardless of the period of stay, all EU citizens have the right to travel within the EU, work and reside in any country of the Eurozone. The same applies to family members if they are EU citizens.
If your relatives are in the EU but have no EU citizenship
In this case, you can stay in the country absolutely legally and apply for family reunification in Luxembourg.
The following categories can be reunited legally in the Grand Duchy:
- spouses and registered partners;
- children and parents, when children 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 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 you have it, 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
In this case, besides a valid passport, you will need a visa to legally stay in the Grand Duchy.
The visa is issued based on the purpose of your entry to the country— to study, work, for 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 will not be suitable for a long-term stay in Luxembourg. It is granted for passing through cross-border areas at airports, that is, for transit only. Visa A does not grant travelers the right to enter countries of the Schengen Area and, therefore, is not valid for a stay in 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 (for 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 such trips.
How can you obtain a Visa C?
The process of acquiring a short-term Visa C for a legal stay in the Grand Duchy is usually divided into these simple stages.
Determine if you need a visa
Check if your country of citizenship requires a visa to enter Luxembourg by visiting the website of the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Gather the required documents
You will need to submit several documents with your completed visa application, including a passport valid for at least three months beyond your planned stay, a recent passport-sized photo, proof of travel arrangements, proof of accommodation, and proof of sufficient financial means to cover your stay in Luxembourg.
Schedule an appointment
Contact the Luxembourg embassy or consulate in your country of residence to schedule an appointment to submit your visa application.
Submit your application
On the day of your appointment, bring all the required documents and submit your application in person. You may also be required to pay a visa application fee. You will have to submit your international passport original to the embassy for stamping the visa.
Wait for processing
The processing time for a C visa can vary, but it usually takes about two weeks. During this time, your application will be reviewed, and you may be asked to provide additional information or documents.
Collect your visa
If your visa is approved, you will be notified to come and collect it from the embassy or consulate. If your visa is denied, you will be informed too.
It's important to note that these steps may vary slightly depending on the embassy or consulate in your country, so it's always best to check the website or contact them directly for specific instructions.
Long Stay: Visa D — more than 3 months
This type of Luxembourg visa can be obtained by:
- holders of temporary residence permits;
- those traveling for reunification with a family member who is an EU citizen;
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
Prepare the necessary documents
- 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 80 euros, visa D — 50 euros, and a visa for children aged 6-12 years old will you cost 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 the age of 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
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How can I stay in Luxembourg legally without EU citezenship or relatives in EU
You will need to obtain a right visa or a residence permit. Valid Visas for this case are Visa C and Visa D. They are 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.Who is concerned in the case of family reunification in Luxembourg
The following categories can be reunited legally in the Grand Duchy:
spouses and registered partners;children and parents, when children 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.
How much does visa to Luxembourg cost
Visa C costs 80 euros, visa D — 50 euros, and a visa for children aged 6-12 years old will you cost 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 the age of 6, school and university students, teachers, scientists traveling abroad for scientific research, family members who are EU/EEA nationals.
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