Luxembourg has unveiled a new biometric passport

Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel has unveiled an updated version of the Luxembourg passport, which has been in development for three years. The key administrative change is the extension of the document’s validity from five to ten years. According to government forecasts, this will reduce the number of urgent requests to replace expired documents, which currently account for up to 40% of all applications.

The modernisation is driven by the need to comply with current international security standards. The new design incorporates security features visible only under ultraviolet light, including the outlines of the country’s borders and images of iconic architectural landmarks: the Grand Ducal Palace, the Gëlle Fra monument, the Philharmonie and the Mudam museum. In addition, the holder’s photograph is now in colour, which improves the accuracy of identity verification.

Statistics show a sharp rise in demand for Luxembourgish citizenship. Whilst just over 31,000 applications for a passport were recorded in 2014, this figure exceeded 60,000 in 2024. This growth is due both to changes in travel rules to the UK following Brexit and to the active process of regaining citizenship by individuals living outside Europe.

The geographical distribution of applications confirms the international status of the Luxembourg document. Last year, Brazil topped the list in terms of the number of applications submitted (2,516), followed by the United States (1,608) and the United Kingdom (489). Among European countries, residents of Belgium, France and Switzerland were the most active. Despite technological innovations, the main aim of the reform remains to simplify logistics for travellers and reduce the administrative burden on government services.