Luxtoday
Citizenship

How to move to Luxembourg with a Blue Card and a regular work visa

We tell you who and how can move on a "blue card" and ordinary work visa, how to do it and what documents are needed

Last time updated
07.11.24
Find out if you can move to Luxembourg for work purposes

Moving to Luxembourg on a work visa and obtaining a residence permit is one of the popular options for legalisation in the Grand Duchy.

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Timeline for moving on a work visa
Make sure you are eligible for a residence permit
Up to 6 months
Apply for a residence permit
Make sure you are eligible for a residence permit
Get a job
Prepare the documents for yourself
Request a temporary residence permit
Request a visa
Find accommodation and make a tenancy agreement
Declare your arrival
Get a medical check-up
Apply for a residence permit

In the planning phase

In Luxembourg it is possible to legalise under the Blue Card — a pathway for highly skilled professionals, and under the Luxembourg ordinary work visa — an option for all other workers. It is more advantageous to enter with the Blue Card, but it is important to make sure that you meet the requirements of this programme.

What you will need at this stage
Third-country nationality
For example, Turkey, USA, India, i.e. a non-EU member state, including Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland.
Working for a company in Luxembourg
The employer must request an ADEM certificate. It is important that the salary is between 150-160% of the average market salary for your profile.
Document confirming expertise
This may be a higher education diploma or employment contracts proving a minimum of 5 years of work experience in the profile.

What needs to be done

  1. Make sure you are a third country citizen 

    Citizenship of any country, except EU countries, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, is suitable for Blue Card relocation.

  2. Start looking for a high-paying job

    One of the main requirements for moving with a Blue Card is to show a salary in a specialised segment higher than the average market salary in Luxembourg by at least 1.5 times. If you are a teacher, it should be in the education sector, if you are a doctor, it should be in the medical sector. According to the requirements of Luxembourg, the minimum salary threshold per year for applicants for the "blue card" must be at least 84,780 euros. However, there are a number of scarce professions for which the threshold is much lower: €67,824 per year. These are almost all professions related to development and analytics.

  3. Prove expertise: provide a university degree or work experience in your speciality

    If it is a diploma of higher education, it must be a specialised one. The document must prove that you have a specialist or master's degree, i.e. that you have studied at a higher education institution for at least 5 years. You will need all the pages of the diploma, including an attachment page with a list of all the subjects studied. As an alternative to a diploma, you can have at least 3 years of work experience in your field of study. For this purpose, an employment history or work contracts recognised in Luxembourg must be submitted.

Advantages of Blue Card Relocation

Before entering Luxembourg

For both regular work visas and Blue Card visas, you will need proof of employment status from your employer. Most of the documents will relate to your work contract. Be prepared for this.

What you'll need for your job searchWhat you'll need for your job search
There's something missing
It's the bare minimum you need to find a job
*The mandatory items are marked with red asterisks.
CV
It is best to write in the language of the job or English and be clearly structured. It is important to fit everything on 1 A4 sheet and include contacts, skills, experience, education and personal projects.
Cover letter
Always sent with your CV when you apply for a job. It should be written in the language of the job or in English. The text of the letter does not exceed 1 A4 sheet and is sent by e-mail.
Document confirming expertise
This can be a higher education diploma or employment contracts proving a minimum of 5 years of work experience in the profile.
There's something missing
It's the bare minimum you need to find a job
*The mandatory items are marked with red asterisks.

The employment process in the Grand Duchy can be divided into 5 stages

Response with CV and cover letter
Invitation to interview and several rounds of interviews
Waiting for a certificate from ADEM
Conclusion of a contract with the employer

Wait for the ADEM certificate and the employment contract from your employer. Without these documents you will not be able to apply for a visa and obtain a temporary residence permit in Luxembourg

Of course, it was a nervous and stressful process, but I had a lot of support from my mum and my wife, which helped me a lot. Now I just have to wait for the offer and relocate to Luxembourg

These papers should be prepared in advance and have them in hand to save time and nerves when applying for a visa and during the subsequent stages of the move. The rest of the documents can be collected later.

What's worth preparing
You haven't collected all the documents
The originals always remain in your possession, copies will be needed to obtain the necessary documents for entry
*The mandatory items are marked with red asterisks.
Certificate of absence of criminal record with apostille
Or any written confirmation from official authorities in the country of residence. It is issued upon personal application of a citizen, usually at the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The certificate must be paper-based, with an apostille, which takes an average of one month to produce
Valid foreign passport
The passport must be valid for at least 6-8 months from the expected date of entry. It is important that at least two pages are left blank for visa applications
General Power of Attorney
A document that authorises a trusted person to dispose of your property, finances, business. It is necessary for a person to have the right to receive some document without your presence, pay bills, withdraw money from the bank, sell a flat that has become unnecessary, etc.
Diploma of higher education
You will need the original and a notarised copy translated into English. You need not only the first and last pages, but also an insert with a list of subjects studied. Sometimes, depending on the employing company, the diploma requires an apostille. This is usually done by the Ministry of Education. Apostilisation can take up to 45 days
Certificate from ADEM
Confirms the employer's right to employ a professional from a third country and allows you to obtain a temporary residence permit and a D visa
Labour contract with a Luxembourg company
The contract is the main document for those who are relocating for work. It is advisable to make several copies
CV and cover letter
It is desirable to prepare several printed versions (not only in electronic form)
Birth certificate
An original and notarised apostilled copy of the birth certificate will be required
Valid internal passport
Original and copy of all pages
You haven't collected all the documents
The originals always remain in your possession, copies will be needed to obtain the necessary documents for entry
*The mandatory items are marked with red asterisks.

When we signed the contract, an HR manager started working with me and accompanied me at every stage. He also gave me a list of all the necessary documents. A lot of time was taken up by the criminal record certificates. And it also took a lot of time for apostilisation. We were not sure whether it was necessary in Luxembourg, but we decided to be reinsured. It is better to pay a little more once, but to have all the documents in your hands at once, usable.

Artem
Artem
Software developer, moved to Luxembourg on Blue Card
Read interview

In addition to the obligatory and very necessary documents that must be prepared in advance, there are also those that are recommended to take with you. In Luxembourg, in order to get on with your daily life, you will need to confirm and complete a lot of paperwork. To make it easier to do this, it is a good idea to collect the documents from your place of residence.

Relocation
Documents
Luxembourg
What documents to prepare at home country
Read article

In order to obtain a temporary residence permit, you must submit an application for a temporary residence permit with a complete set of documents to the Immigration Office of the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs or to a diplomatic representative. It is important to fill in everything correctly at once and submit all documents once, otherwise they will be returned to the applicant.

What documents you need to collect for filing
Application for temporary residence permit
Copies of all pages of a valid internal passport
Certificate of absence of criminal record with apostille
Biographical data of the applicant in free form
Copy of the employment contract signed by both parties
Copies of diplomas or certificates of professional qualifications
Original certificate from ADEM confirming the employment of the employee
CV, or CV, on a white A4 sheet of paper, typed in black regular font

If the documents are not in French, German or English, a notarised translation into one of these languages must be attached.

What to do:

  1. Correctly fill in the application for a temporary residence permit.
  2. Collect the entire package of documents with translations to submit with the application.
  3. Submit the document package to the Immigration Office of the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs or to a diplomatic representative.
  4. Wait for the decision: The Autorisation to stay (this is another name for the temporary residence permit) will arrive in the post.

The wait for consideration is from two months. But we were very lucky again. A little less than a month passed from the time of submission, and my manager had already received our temporary residence permits. In the end, the Ministry issued two permits: one for me, as a future Blue Card holder, and one for my wife, as a family member.

Artem
Artem
Software developer, moved to Luxembourg on Blue Card
Read Interview

After obtaining a temporary permit, a D visa must be issued to enter the country.

What documents are required to apply for a D visa
There's something missing
You need to apply for a visa at once with the whole package of documents
*The mandatory items are marked with red asterisks.
Original copy of the temporary residence permit
Autorisation to stay will come in a regular letter to the post office
Two 3.5x4.5 sm colour photos
Schengen standard photo: on a light background - white, white-blue. The photo must be free of stains, creases, scuffs, glare, blurring and any other defects. You need a photo without corners and ovals on matte photo paper
Schengen visa application form (they are the same for C and D visas).
Must be filled out in English or French and signed.
A valid passport and a copy of all used passport pages
Issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least another 3 months after the expiry date of the requested visa. 2 blank pages are required.
Copy of all previous Schengen visas for 3 years
If they are not in a valid passport
Copy of the pages of the internal passport
Required for citizens of the Russian Federation. Pages with personal data of the applicant, information on issued passports, marital status and with a note on permanent registration
Consular fee
The amount of the fee varies and depends on the specific country
There's something missing
You need to apply for a visa at once with the whole package of documents
*The mandatory items are marked with red asterisks.
Schengen visa application form

What to do

  1. Check whether the passport has at least 2 free pages for visas and when it expires
  2. Obtain a temporary residence permit
  3. Collect documents to apply for a D visa
  4. Personally submit the collected visa application package in duplicate to the Immigration Office of the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs or to a diplomatic representative.
  5. Meet the filing deadline: it is important to do this within 90 days of receiving the temporary residence permit
  6. Wait for authorisation to issue a D visa

After entering Luxembourg

During your stay in Luxembourg, a registration and residence address will be required. You can start looking for a flat search remotely, but it is recommended to see your future accommodation in person. For the first time you can stay in a hotel or find a flat on AirBnB. Afterwards, you will need to rent a flat on a long-term basis.

What documents will be needed for the lease
Work contract
Contractor or service contracts for a period of 1 year or more are also suitable
Valid foreign passport
Or any other document giving the right of residence
The last three payrolls
Or a bank statement to prove financial status
Family Resume
A document stating that you are a reliable tenant and a pleasure to do business with

The package of documents is sent to the flat owner for evaluation. In case of a favourable decision, the apartment is inspected. Then both parties draw up an acceptance certificate and conclude a contract.

Finding and renting a flat in the Grand Duchy is an important issue for every expat. The choice of municipality, city, neighbourhood, budgeting, contracting and many other important nuances, we have described in detail in a separate guide, which we suggest you study.

Rent
Flat
Luxembourg

How to rent an apartment in Luxembourg

You must come to the municipality where you intend to live with a package of documents.

What documents to bring with you to register in the municipality
Valid travel document
A passport with a visa and entry stamps will do
Confirmation of residential address
Long-term tenancy agreement
Residence permit
Original received prior to entry

In the administration you need to join the electronic queue and then approach an employee. After the application is processed, he or she will give you two important documents:

  • Your Social Security number is your date of birth in the format of year-month-day and five more digits.
  • Declaration of Arrival - it serves as an authorisation to work and stay in Luxembourg until an official residence permit is issued.

A list of the official websites of the communes can be found on the Guichet.lu website.

After you have received your declaration of arrival and social security number, all new arrivals are usually sent for a medical examination. The medical examination must be carried out as soon as possible after you have received your declaration of arrival from the municipality.

The physical examination consists of two parts:

Examination by a general practitioner
You need a general practitioner, so look for General Practitioner, or GP. The GP will do a check-up: measure your height, weight, blood pressure, check if you have any chronic illnesses, and then give you a referral for a quanterone test (a blood test for tuberculosis).
You can find a GP at Doctena.lu.
Tuberculosis screening
This kind of test can be done in the morning and not on an empty stomach. You must make an appointment for TB tests separately for each person. If you have a family, you must book a separate appointment for each member of the family. You will not be able to come "just from the street", you will not be allowed further than the reception and will be sent home to make an appointment.
You can get screened either through the public service La Ligue or by making an appointment at a private laboratory (this is 75 euros more expensive).

After all the tests have been carried out, the medical department will send a certificate to the Immigration Department to confirm that the health requirements for a residence permit in Luxembourg are fulfilled.

This is the last step of your legalisation in Luxembourg. The hardest part is over, you just need to collect the documents, pay the state fee and get your residence permit.

What documents will you need
There's something missing
You need to apply for a residence permit with the whole package of documents at once
*The mandatory items are marked with red asterisks.
Copies of all pages of the valid foreign passport
A copy of the temporary residence permit issued by the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Declaration of arrival issued by the municipality
Long-term rental or purchase agreement
Receipt for payment of the state duty (80 €)
Application-questionnaire for a residence permit
There's something missing
You need to apply for a residence permit with the whole package of documents at once
*The mandatory items are marked with red asterisks.

The whole package of documents is sent to the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg no later than 3 months after arrival in the country.

Applications are sent to the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs Directorate of Immigration - Foreign National's Service PO 752 L-2017 Luxembourg.

You can pay the state duty in two ways

In the bank

You need to know the IBAN and write a message in the comments to the transfer of this type: Titre de sejour dans le chef de [your name and matricule number]. If you need to pay for the residence permit of your family members, then indicate also their names and matricule numbers and pay 80 euros for each person in this transfer.

Via the app

If you pay in this way, be sure to click "save" to save the transfer statement. This document must be printed out and attached to the documents to be sent to the ministry. It serves as proof of payment of the state duty.

Applications for residence permits can be submitted online using MyGuichet.lu or by post using a special form.

Application for residence permit
How to apply for residence permit

After the application is approved, the applicant must come in person to have his/her photograph taken and fingerprints taken. After a few days, an identification card that stores all biometric data will be ready and can be collected only in person and by appointment.

❗️ The card received is both — a residence permit and a work permit.

faq

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do I get a work visa to Luxembourg?

How to get a Luxembourg Blue Card

What is the minimum wage to obtain a Blue Card in Luxembourg

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We took photos from these sources: Spacejoy for Unsplash

Authors: Maria, Aleksandr
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