What Are The Various Ways Of Acquiring Luxembourgish Citizenship?

Luxembourg is a country located between Germany, France, and Belgium, allowing easy access to the whole EU. Luxembourg ranks well in terms of safety and political stability. With three official languages, it's a truly cosmopolitan and multilingual society (German, French, and Luxembourgish) and is recognized as one of the happiest in the world.

Luxembourg is Europe's most prominent investment management centre, home to numerous key EU organizations. It is a very business-friendly nation with a developed economy and robust infrastructure. Public services are efficient and straightforward to use.

Obtaining Luxembourg citizenship is an intriguing way to enter the EU. You can obtain Citizenship in Luxembourg in many ways. It could be through the operation of law or by voluntary acquisition, provided you meet the requirements.

Luxembourg ranks well in terms of safety and political stability

OBTAINING LUXEMBOURGISH CITIZENSHIP  BY OPERATION OF LAW

In this case, Luxembourgish nationality is automatically granted. To obtain Luxembourgish nationality, no specific action is required. It can be acquired through one of the following ways below:

• Jus Sanguinis
• Jus Soli
• Adoption

JUS SANGUINIS

Children born in Luxembourg or abroad to Luxembourgish citizens are granted Luxembourgish citizenship.

JUS SOLI

• The second generation jus soli (second generation right of the soil)

Children born in Luxembourg to non-Luxembourgish parents are granted Luxembourgish citizenship if one of the biological or adoptive parents was born in Luxembourg.

• The first generation of jus soli (first generation right of soil)

Children born in Luxembourg to non-Luxembourgish biological or adoptive parents are given Luxembourgish nationality when they reach the age of 18:

• if they lived in Luxembourg for at least five years before their 18th birthday; and
• If one of their biological or adoptive parents lived in Luxembourg for at least 12 continuous months before their birth (applicable only to children born after July 1, 2013).
  
  

ADOPTION

Minors adopted by a Luxembourgish citizen are granted Luxembourgish citizenship.

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You can obtain Luxembourgish nationality by Jus Soli, Jus Sanguinis and adoption

VOLUNTARY ACQUISITION OF LUXEMBOURGISH NATIONALITY

Luxembourgish nationality can be obtained actively, if desired, by following one or more of the steps outlined below:

• Naturalization;
• Option declaration method, which is applicable in ten specific cases;
• Reclamation procedure.

NATURALIZATION

Naturalization is a method for getting Luxembourgish nationality for those who have lived in Luxembourg for at least 20 years. The applicant must be fluent in the Luxembourgish language and have completed the "Vivre ensemble au GrandDuché de Luxembourg" course. The Ministry of Justice examines the application, determining if the applicant has met all requirements. However, as we have mentioned in our other articles, these 20 years can be fast-tracked through other means, such as investment in permanent residency.

OBTAINING A LUXEMBOURG RESIDENCE PERMIT AS A PREREQUISITE FOR LUXEMBOURG CITIZENSHIP BY NATURALIZATION

As mentioned above, to get Luxembourg citizenship by naturalization, you must reside in Luxembourg for at least twenty years. As a non-EU citizen, you'll need a residence permit to stay longer than the typical 90-day tourist visa. Luxembourg has several options for obtaining residence, including employment, self-employment, and family reunion.

If you have enough money to sustain yourself without working in Luxembourg (for example, via a remote job with a non-Luxembourg employer or profits from an online business situated outside of Luxembourg) or by investing in the country, you can apply for two unique residency route;

• Residency for personal reasons
• Residency by investment. 
  
  

You can become a Luxembourg citizen by naturalization if you have lived in the country for at least 20 years

LUXEMBOURG RESIDENCY FOR PERSONAL REASONS

This is the ideal route for remote workers and online business owners interested in commencing their EU citizenship journey in Luxembourg. You can utilize this route if you wish to remain in Luxembourg for over three months and have enough funds to sustain yourself. This residence permit can be renewed every three years to cover a minimum of five years to secure fast-track citizenship.

The residence permit is obtained in two phases.

Phase 1: Before entering the country:

• Apply to the Immigration Directorate for temporary stay authorization.
• If you are from a country that requires a visa to visit Luxembourg, apply for a Type D visa after receiving your temporary stay permit.

Phase 2: After entering the country:

• Inform your new commune of residence of your arrival.
• Pass a medical examination.
• Make an application for a residency permit.

The most significant criterion in obtaining private residence is to have enough finances to sustain oneself without working in Luxembourg or claiming social security.

When you apply, the Ministry will consider the nature and regularity of your resources. In addition, they will compare the amount to the monthly minimum pay for unskilled employees (currently set at €2,313.38 as of April 2022, about $2463,63 USD). You can prove your financial resources by displaying a pension certificate, a bank certificate, or other comparable papers.

The most significant criterion in obtaining private residence is to have enough finances

RESIDENCY BY INVESTMENT  IN LUXEMBOURG

Luxembourg does not have a citizenship-by-investment program, but it provides a residence route for people who invest in the nation. After five years, this may lead to citizenship. The following is the list of investment types:

• New Business - Investment of €500,000 ($532.475 USD) and the creation of 5 jobs in Luxembourg
• Existing businesses - an Investment of €500,000 ($532.475 USD) in a Luxembourg-based existing business
• Management and investment framework - €3 million ($3.2 million USD) Investment in an existing or yet-to-be-created management and investment framework with a registered office in Luxembourg, where you must maintain the necessary funds.
• Holding a bank deposit of €20 million ($21 million USD) at a Luxembourg bank for five years

Please remember that these residency-by-investment paths require the applicant to submit a complete application to the Luxembourg government. Furthermore, to maintain residency status, the resident investor must spend at least six months of the year physically present in Luxembourg. Using the residency by investment option might be a fantastic way to get Luxembourg citizenship via Naturalisation.

Related article: Luxembourg Residency By Investment

Luxembourg does not have a citizenship-by-investment program but you can invest in the country

OPTION DECLARATION PROCEDURE

The option declaration procedure is a streamlined method of acquiring Luxembourgish nationality. It may be helpful in ten specific cases. Individuals who fall under one of these categories can initiate the option declaration process to become Luxembourgish.

The option declaration procedure is available:

• To individuals who have a Luxembourgish parent, adoptive parent, or grandparent (case no. 1); or
• A Luxembourgish minor's parents (case no. 2); or
• In the event of a marriage to a Luxembourgish citizen (case no. 3); or
• To Luxembourg-born individuals above the age of 12 (case no. 4); or
• To people who have completed seven years of education in Luxembourg (case no. 5); or
• To individuals who have been legally residing in Luxembourg for at least 20 years, this would be the standard naturalization procedure for non-EU foreigners. (case no. 6); or
• To individuals who have completed the Welcome and Integration Contract (Contrat d'accueil et d'intégration) responsibilities (case no. 7); or
• Adults who arrived in Luxembourg before reaching the age of 18 (case no. 8); or
• adults with statelessness, refugee status, or subsidiary protection status (instance no. 9); or
• To volunteer soldiers after one year of service (case no. 10).

If all of the requirements are satisfied (for example, possessing a particular level of understanding of the Luxembourgish language) when the option declaration process is initiated, the applicant will be given Luxembourgish nationality automatically after four months.

It is possible to reclaim Luxembourgish citizenship

RECLAMATION PROCEDURE

It is possible to reclaim Luxembourgish citizenship. Adults who have lost their Luxembourg nationality are eligible for the reclamation process. It grants foreign nationals all the rights and duties of becoming a Luxembourgish citizen.

The reclamation procedure is available:

• To adults who have lost their Luxembourgish nationality;
• To women who lost their Luxembourgish citizenship without asking for it due to acquiring their spouse's nationality via marriage or because their husband has obtained citizenship other than theirs.
• To direct maternal or paternal descendants of an ancestor of Luxembourgish nationality on January 1, 1900.

THE KEY STEPS OF THE PROCEDURE FOR VOLUNTARILY ACQUIRING LUXEMBOURGISH NATIONALITY

Step 1. The application or declaration must be made to the civil registrar of the applicant's commune of residence in Luxembourg. Communes are how the areas are divided in Luxembourg instead of cities.

• If the applicant lives outside of Luxembourg, the application or statement must be filed with the civil registrar of the city of Luxembourg.
• In all cases, you must provide supporting documentation. However, the documents required differ depending on the procedure chosen. For further information on the supporting documents to be provided, please contact our team.

Step 2. Once the application is complete, the civil registrar forwards it to the Nationality Office (Service de l'indigénat) for evaluation.

Step 3. If the applicant's request to obtain or reclaim Luxembourgish nationality is accepted, they will be informed by post.

Its possible for you to voluntarily acquiring Luxembourgish nationality

THE ADVANTAGES OF LUXEMBOURG CITIZENSHIP

Luxembourg citizenship provides numerous significant advantages as a member of the European Union. EU citizenship entitles you to complete EU rights, including the ability to live, work, study, and retire anywhere in the EU.

EU citizens have the right to vote and run for office in the national elections of the state in which they reside. They can also vote in European elections and make choices that affect the whole EU. If you decide to remain in Luxembourg, obtaining citizenship gives you a more decisive influence in the country's politics and offers new work prospects.

According to the Visa Passport Index, the Luxembourg passport is well-rated. The Luxembourg passport ranked fourth (after Japan, Singapore, Finland, and Germany), granting visa-free travel to 190 countries.

Furthermore, Luxembourg permits dual citizenship, which means you don't have to give up your current citizenship, and you can still obtain new ones in the future.

Related content: How To Obtain Residency In Ireland to Live And Work

EU citizenship entitles you to complete EU rights, including retire anywhere in the EU

CONCLUSION

Luxembourg offers several ways for foreign nationals to obtain citizenship, whether by operation of law or voluntary acquisition. Each method has its requirements, and it is essential to carefully review the eligibility criteria before applying. You can also choose to fast-track your naturalization process through different investment methods. Using the many investment options, you can shorten the time it takes to obtain citizenship, especially for non-EU residents without any ties to Luxembourg. You can always consult us to find the best way for your new life in Luxembourg.