Living in LuxembourgAcquiring permanent residency

Who can apply

EU nationals may apply for the status of permanent residency with somewhat greater ease than third-country nationals.

You will need to have been resident for a period of at least five years in the Grand Duchy to be eligible.

That doesn’t mean you have to have been in Luxembourg for 5 years consecutively, of course. Your stay is not deemed interrupted if:

• You’ve been away for less than six months per year,
• You’ve had to complete military service
• You were away for a maximum of 12 months for special reasons, such as pregnancy, studies, a serious illness or a job posting

For third-country nationals meanwhile, the process differs slightly. Full details on prerequisites and the application process can be found here.

Exceptions

You may be able to get permanent residency early, if you fulfill a number of criteria.

For example, you will be eligible if you retire, having worked in Luxembourg for at least one year and been living in the Grand Duchy for more than three years.

Another exception is if you are rendered permanently incapable of working after a work-place accident.

Family members of EU citizens in Luxembourg can also gain permanent residence, although the application process is different for EU and non-EU nationals.

Application process

To apply for a permanent residency permit, you must fill out a form (available here) with a copy of your passport.

If granted, your permit will have unlimited validity, unless you move away from Luxembourg for more than two years.

Gaining Luxembourgish nationality

If you want to take things one step further by acquiring Luxembourgish nationality, we’ve got a whole guide on that too.