Arrival in Luxembourg

The commune de résidence is the local municipality where you live. Its Bureau de la population handles population registration, declarations of arrival, changes of address and residence certificates. The responsible commune should be contacted before an appointment because the requested documents, appointment system and local fees are not completely uniform across Luxembourg. Participating communes may accept some procedures through MyGuichet.lu, the online public administration portal, using LuxTrust, an electronic identity card or eIDAS authentication. An address document is commonly requested for registration and other local procedures. People from the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland, as well as eligible family members, need a valid identity card or passport. A stay longer than 90 days normally involves two local steps: a declaration of arrival within eight days and a declaration of registration with the commune within three months. The evidence depends on the person's situation. An employee provides proof of employment, a self-employed person proof of self-employment, a student proof of studies together with sufficient resources and health insurance, and a person without one of those statuses proof of sufficient resources and health insurance. Family members may need documents proving the family relationship. Documents in German, French or English can generally be used for these procedures; documents in other languages may require a sworn translation. People arriving from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland are third-country nationals. For a stay longer than 90 days, they normally obtain a temporary residence authorization before entering Luxembourg and travel with a valid passport. A person who requires a visa applies for a type D visa after the authorization has been granted. The temporary authorization is valid for no more than 90 days for the entry process, so it does not replace the later residence permit. After arrival, a long-stay third-country national declares arrival at the commune within three days. The usual documents are the original temporary residence authorization, passport, visa, relevant family documents and, when requested, proof of address. The copy received from the commune together with the authorization supports the right to stay until the residence permit is issued. The residence permit must be requested from the General Department of Immigration within three months, online or by post. A residence permit for private reasons costs EUR 80 and can be valid for up to three years. Short stays follow a separate system. A third-country national may stay for a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period, subject to the applicable entry conditions. A visa may be required. The travel document generally needs to remain valid for at least three months beyond the planned departure, and travel medical insurance must cover at least EUR 30,000. A person who works in Luxembourg for less than 90 days may also need a work permit. During a short stay, the declaration of arrival is due within three days at the temporary commune when the person is staying privately. A hotel or guest accommodation form may fulfil the reporting requirement where the accommodation provider submits it. A visa does not automatically guarantee entry, because the travel purpose, status, documents and other entry conditions are checked together. A person who moves into an ordinary residence registers with the local Bureau de la population. Moving from one Luxembourg commune to another requires a new declaration within eight days after taking up the new home. The commune may issue or accept a residence certificate after registration, and this certificate can be needed for later administrative procedures. Someone leaving Luxembourg to live abroad declares the departure no later than one day before leaving. Housing itself is not the subject of this procedure, but the address or accommodation evidence can determine which commune is responsible and which documents the commune requests. Entry and residence rules do not by themselves provide every public service. Access to health care and social security depends on employment, insurance and residence status. An employer registers an employee with the Centre commun de la sécurité sociale, abbreviated CCSS, within eight days after work begins. A self-employed person submits the CCSS registration personally. The social security card is issued automatically and free of charge, usually within about three weeks. It is used with a doctor, clinic, pharmacy or laboratory. A replacement certificate can be requested through MyGuichet.lu immediately and can cover up to three months. The Caisse nationale de santé, abbreviated CNS, is connected with health insurance access. A person should not assume that a visa or commune registration alone creates the same health coverage as employment-based or other insured status. A long-stay third-country national should arrange the medical check as soon as possible after arrival. The process includes an examination by a doctor and tuberculosis screening, followed by the medical certificate issued through the Inspection sanitaire. For an accident, medical emergency or other immediate public emergency, call 112. CGDIS, Luxembourg's fire and rescue service, coordinates the emergency response. This emergency number is separate from ordinary registration, immigration and health-insurance procedures. Families with children aged four to 22 can contact SIA, the school-arrival service linked to the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth, abbreviated MENEJ. An appointment can be arranged by video before entry or in person after arrival. The application form is available in 12 languages. SIA helps match the child with a class and coordinates a mediator when needed. Voluntary follow-up can continue for two years after the child enters a regular class. The school-arrival procedure is separate from residence registration and does not replace the documents required by the commune or immigration authorities. Adults with a residence or work connection to Luxembourg can join the Biergerpakt, a voluntary moral pact available since 2024. Registration takes place through MyGuichet.lu with authentication and gives access to the Intercultural Living Together Programme. The introductory offer includes at least four hours on information, everyday life and participation, at least six hours about Luxembourg, and language learning up to A1.1 in one of Luxembourg's three administrative languages: Luxembourgish, French or German. There is no stated registration deadline. The Contrat d'accueil et d'intégration, or CAI, belongs to the earlier system before 2024 and should not be confused with the current Biergerpakt. A useful arrival file contains the passport or identity card, entry visa or temporary residence authorization where applicable, family documents, employment or study evidence, health-insurance evidence, proof of resources when required, address evidence and sworn translations for documents outside German, French or English. The exact file depends on nationality, length of stay, purpose of residence and family status. The main time limits are three days for certain arrival declarations, eight days for an EU or EEA-related arrival declaration and some employment or address steps, and three months for EU registration or a third-country residence permit. Missing one procedure can affect the evidence of lawful residence or access to services even when another procedure has already been completed.