From passing the test to the citizenship application
When you pass the exam (or attend all 24 hours of the course), the Adult Education Service (SFA) of the Ministry of Education issues the certificate "Vivre ensemble au Grand-Duché de Luxembourg". Neither the Law of 8 March 2017 on Luxembourg nationality nor guichet.lu gives it an expiry date. For naturalisation you also need the Luxembourgish language test (Sproochentest) certificate and at least 5 years of legal residence, with the last year uninterrupted.
- Where to apply: in person, at the civil registry office (état civil) of your commune of residence. You must sign yourself; a proxy is not allowed.
- Documents: full copy of your birth certificate, copy of your valid passport (and those of your minor children), the signed biographical form (notice biographique), your authorisation to request your Luxembourg criminal record, foreign criminal records (every country whose nationality you hold or held, and every country where you lived after age 18 in the last 15 years), and both certificates.
- Translations: the law requires a sworn translation of documents not in Luxembourgish, French or German. Guichet.lu also lists English as accepted; check with your commune.
- Incomplete file: you have 3 months to add missing documents, or the application is not recorded.
- Fee: the procedure is free (2026). The Sproochentest fee (€75) can be refunded by the Ministry of Justice on request once you have applied.
Decision and ceremony
- The commune sends your file to the Nationality Office of the Ministry of Justice. By law, the minister decides by ministerial order (arrêté ministériel) within 8 months of receiving the file. The deadline is paused if the file is suspended because of criminal proceedings.
- Naturalisation takes effect on the date of the order. Your commune's registrar notifies you, as a rule by post.
- The law provides for no oath and no ceremony.
- You keep the names you carry under your foreign nationality; a name change can be requested later.
- A refusal can be appealed to the administrative tribunal within 3 months, through a lawyer.
ID card and passport
- Identity card: compulsory for Luxembourg nationals over 15 who live in Luxembourg. Apply in person at the Guichet.lu reception desk or your commune. Cost (2026): €14 for 10 years; delivery in 10 working days, or 3 working days for €45 (accelerated).
- Passport: apply at your commune's population office or the Passport, Visa and Legalisation Office (BPVL). Adult 10-year passport: €50, or €150 urgent (2026). Delivery in 7 working days, 3 if urgent. A new passport model has been issued since 11 May 2026; fees did not change.
- Collect both within 6 months, or they may be destroyed.
Your previous citizenship
- Luxembourg does not ask you to give up your other nationality. Luxembourg nationality is lost only by renunciation or by deprivation, and deprivation applies only to nationality obtained by fraud and never if it would leave you stateless.
- Your other country may not allow dual nationality. The official biographical form tells applicants to check with their country's embassy or consulate before applying.
Tax and social security
- Nothing changes automatically. Income tax depends on your tax domicile or habitual residence, not on nationality, and social security cover still comes from your work or residence.
- Some nationality-based conditions stop applying to you, for example the 5-year residence condition for third-country nationals for the social inclusion income (REVIS) and the residence-status conditions for state student aid (AideFi).
Voting and other rights
- Luxembourg nationals are registered automatically on their commune's electoral list. You can now vote for the Chamber of Deputies (national elections are for nationals only), as well as in communal and European elections.
- Voting is compulsory for registered voters; voters over 75 are excused. A first unjustified abstention can be fined €100–250. Luxembourgers abroad can vote by post in national elections and are not obliged to vote.
- Public jobs: most civil-service posts are open to all EU nationals, but posts involving public authority (such as the judiciary, police and army) are reserved for Luxembourg nationals.
- Military service: none. The Luxembourg Army has been a volunteer army for more than half a century.
Effect on children
- Minor children obtain Luxembourg nationality together with the naturalised parent (law, art. 2). Include their documents in your file.
- Children who are already 18 need their own procedure.
- Children born later to a Luxembourg parent are Luxembourgers from birth.
- Whether they keep another nationality depends on that country's law.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the decision take? At most 8 months from the moment the ministry receives your file, unless the file is suspended.
Is there a citizenship ceremony? No. You become a Luxembourger on the date of the ministerial order.
Do I need a Luxembourg ID card? Yes, if you live in Luxembourg and are over 15. A valid Luxembourg ID card or passport is the normal proof of your nationality.
Can I keep my current passport? Luxembourg allows multiple nationality. Check your other country's rules first.
Can I apply in another commune? No. You apply in the commune where you usually live.