Which documents you need if you move with children

Those who move to Luxembourg with children encounter a lot of paperwork at first. Before moving to a new country, it is recommended to collect all the necessary documents in advance: this way it will be easier to get settled in and register when you arrive.

There are some documents that will be essential and others that you should take with you for different situations. Let's see what are they.

Basic essential documents

Which papers are needed depends largely on the grounds on which an expat is moving to the Grand Duchy.

Generally, there are five types of documents required for most matters — passports, certificates, an apostilled criminal record certificate, health records and medical documents. However, you can ask the embassy for an up-to-date list of documents for your specific situation.

Passports

• Internal passport + a copy of the main and registration pages. In case you lose your foreign passport, the internal passport is the only document that verifies your identity to the embassy;
• International passport + a copy of all the pages certified by the notary.

Certificates

• Personal birth certificate,
• A marriage certificate with an apostille, in case you have a spouse, or a divorce certificate in case you are separated,
• A death certificate, if you have minor children, and your partner (their parent) has died, you will need to submit this document.

An apostilled criminal record certificate

You can request your criminal record, indicating the absence or existence of any criminal convictionsб from your local competent authority. You need to request it in person and receive it on paper. The criminal record should be recent, not more than 6 months old, and be notarized or apostilled. Normally, it takes 30 days to obtain this document, but the timing can differ depending on the country of your origin.

References

You will need them to confirm income, enroll your children in school, etc.

For adults

• Proof of income. Evidence of your ability to pay. This document confirms the official income. You can obtain this paper from your employer or at the tax office.

For children

• A reference, stating that you do not benefit from child support allowances in your country of origin.
• Academic or grades report for the past two years. If there is no such report, you can provide a certificate of attendance signed by the school principal.

For students

• Reference from the Dean's Office. Usually can be provided in English by the office (on demand).
• Professional and academic curriculum vitae. This should be an official document certified by the competent institution. It must list all of the academic work you have done during your studies.

Medical records

• Travel Health Insurance. You might need it in case of illness until the local health insurance plan arrives.
• Patient medical record. In case you have health problems, chronic diseases, etc. Translate your medical record documents into English and notarize the translation.
• Vaccination certificates. Basically, it is an extract from your medical card for preventive vaccinations. You can obtain it from your local hospital where you receive healthcare usually. Both adults and children may find it useful to have this paper when relocating.

Additional documents you might need

These are official documents that are not obligatory for relocation, but which can still come in handy in Luxembourg depending on the situation. For example, if you are relocating for work, you might need some additional papers according to your employer's request.

Employment documents

Required papers usually are as follows:

• educational diploma,
• labor contract,
• resume,
• cover letter.

We have covered all these documents in detail in our relocation guide article about employment in Luxembourg.

However, depending on your employer company and ADEM requirements, you may also need:

• to apostille an educational diploma,
• to apostille a birth certificate,
• to provide notarized copies of your other documents: diplomas, birth and marriage certificates, criminal record, etc.

Clarify the requirements with your employer's HR specialist.

Employment history or contracts

These types of documents are essential documents for the employment process. You may also need them to open a bank account in Luxembourg.

Certificates

Should include apostille and notarized translations to French/German (also for convenience you can prepare them in Word format):

• Parents' birth certificates. The document is required to prove the relationship status, in case you plan to bring your family members to Luxembourg for family reunification.

Unique number documents

It's reasonable to take some additional official papers that contain:

• The taxpayer identification number.
• The pension savings personal account identification number.

Licenses

• Drivers license. You can drive for up to a year with your original license according to the law in Luxembourg, but you still have to apply for a replacement immediately upon arrival.
• IDP (International Driving Permit). It makes it much easier to move around the territory of the Grand Duchy, rent a car, and solve disputes that arise on the road.

Education documents

Besides the essential diploma, consider collecting these papers:

• Degree documents that prove your academic titles;
• Certificate of Secondary Education;
• Professional retraining certificates and diplomas.

Typically, the education documents apostille process takes up to 45 days. The time limit may be extended in some cases. Education documents are usually provided with an apostille, but sometimes it is not necessary, if not stated otherwise. If you will translate the diploma, request a Word format translation to be sent via email from your translator as well.

Power of Attorney

This is one of the necessary documents that require the notary's help – a general power of attorney in the name of a close relative or another trusted person must be made, so you can manage your property, accounts, etc. without being present.

The person with such a document will have the authority to deal with urgent matters on your behalf: obtaining documents, paying bills, withdrawing money from the bank, selling an apartment that is no longer in use, and so on.

The Power of Attorney is not on the list of essential documents, but it is a must-have in case you do not plan to travel to your home country to deal with organizational moments in person.