How To Register Your Address In Luxembourg

Welcome to Luxembourg! Now that you’re here, you’re probably thinking, ‘Great, but how do I actually exist on paper?’

No worries; we’ve got you covered.

This guide lays out everything you need to know to register your address in Luxembourg—officially making you a local, at least in the eyes of bureaucracy.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Relocating To Luxembourg

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The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg lives a tranquil and peaceful life. The place remains one of the most popular destinations for relocation with many foreigners if only they can afford it. 

Is it worth moving to Luxembourg? There can be no definite answer to this question as the country has both advantages and disadvantages.

Luxembourg is a tiny country that sits at the heart of Europe and is home to people of various nationalities and backgrounds. 

It is known for its strong economy, but these questions always come to mind when relocating to a new country;

  1. Can a foreigner find a job there? 
  2. How does it feel to reside permanently in Luxembourg if you were born elsewhere? 
  3. What is the cost of living in the country? 
  4. What are the best districts where you could settle down? 

Below, we answer these and other relevant questions.

Advantages Of Living In Luxembourg

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The nature in the country is extremely beautiful, and the views are diverse.

Moving to Luxembourg with your family would be a beautiful opportunity if you want an excellent future for your children. 

It’s the safest country on the continent and offers vast perspectives for personal growth. The population of Luxembourg is only about 600 thousand people, and living there is comfortable indeed. 

Main advantages of moving to Luxembourg for good (or staying there for a long time):

  • A multicultural and multilingual environment;
  • Many jobs that pay well (the national minimum wage is 2,000 euros);
  • More than 50% of the working population are foreigners;
  • There are no difficulties in the assimilation of foreigners: all people here are accepted as they are, regardless of their country of origin;
  • People of all nationalities are welcome to Luxembourg;
  • Four languages were taught in Luxembourg at the time: English, German, French, and Luxembourgish, which is a German dialect;
  • A welcoming environment for learning, working, and living in comfort;
  • An advanced healthcare system;
  • An ideal geographical location near famous European capitals: 2 hours by car to Frankfurt and Brussels, one hour by plane to London and Paris. 

You don’t have to spend too much time traveling to find yourself in a different country if you live in Luxembourg;  

  • A strong banking sector;
  • Many offshore opportunities for international entrepreneurs.

Disadvantages Of Living In Luxembourg

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Luxembourg’s advantages are impressive, but there are also some downsides to living there. If you decide to move to Luxembourg, you may face the following difficulties there:

  • Many houses and apartments are for sale but are extremely expensive. Far from everybody can afford to buy residential property in Luxembourg. 
  • The rent is also high: a small studio apartment in a bedroom district will cost you at least 1,400 euros per month. It might make more economic sense to buy a residential property in a neighboring country such as Germany, for example, because a house in Luxembourg costs a million euros or more.
  • The country has a high cost of living in terms of the prices of food and other items. 

Many local people like to shop abroad, which lets them save considerable sums of money. (Shopping abroad doesn’t mean traveling a long distance when you live in Luxembourg.)

  • Luxembourg does not boast a very good climate: sunny days are rare, and the country’s often cloudy and rainy.
  • There are no investment programs that would allow acquiring citizenship of Luxembourg for money. 
  • You will have to get approval from the official bodies of Luxembourg before you can obtain a work visa. Besides, your salary has to be above the set minimum (over 2 thousand euros). 
  • The application processing is going to take about three months or more in any case. 
  • If you are not an EU citizen, getting a work visa to Luxembourg is going to take a lot of work for you. Your prospective employer will have to convince the local authorities that they have been unable to find a worker with your qualifications in the European Union.
  • Lovers of glamorous nightlife, entertainment, and outdoor activities will find Luxembourg boring. People live by the ‘early to bed and early to rise’ saying. You will find very few bars and nightclubs in the country.  
  • The education quality is high in Luxembourg, similar to other Western European countries. 

However, there are only two universities in the country (one state and one private), and it’s hard for an international student to get enrolled and acquire a student visa to Luxembourg.

  • Lack of access to the seashore can also be regarded as a disadvantage by some people.

What Is The Best Area To Live In Luxembourg?

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Depending on the area of Luxembourg that you choose for living, you will find different natural sceneries, attractions, architectural monuments, job opportunities, and probably different levels of comfort. 

Even though the country is small (only 2,586 km²) and its population is a bit over 600 thousand people, Luxembourg is quite diverse as far as its ethnic groups and living styles are concerned.

The entire Duchy and its capital city have the same name – Luxembourg. Luxembourg City is the largest city in the country with a population of over 110 thousand people. 

You will find many job offers, international schools, and other public facilities there. 

The country is divided into communes and districts, and below, we provide brief descriptions of those that are most popular with foreigners relocating to Luxembourg:

  • Limpertsberg is a neighborhood of students and migrant workers near the center of the capital city.
  • Gare Centrale is the train station area that allows you to quickly reach the most critical places in the city. However, it is often overcrowded due to the proximity to the station.  
  • Hohwald is a quiet Luxembourg neighborhood with many green spaces and a pleasant atmosphere.
  • Strassen is a quiet but expensive neighborhood with large wooded areas and excellent sports facilities.
  • Merle and Neudorf are ideal for families with children. There are plenty of parks and comfortable cottages where you will want to enjoy life away from the bustling metropolises and the hustle of work.
  • Belair is an elite and expensive district near the center of the capital city.
  • Kirchberg is a business center where numerous official organizations of the European Union are located. 

These include the EU Council, the General Secretariat of the European Parliament, the Directorate General of the European Commission, the European Union Court of Justice, and the European Investment Bank.

  • Ville Haute (upper town) – the historic part of Luxembourg, where the streets are very narrow (primarily for pedestrians). The district is in close proximity to all main tourist attractions in the Grand Duchy.
  • Ville Grund or Gronn (lower town) is the business center of Luxembourg, with banks, offices, and famous breweries all around the place. The district has a mixed architecture of medieval houses and modern high-rises.

You could also reside outside the capital city, where life is more tranquil, and the views are fantastic. Some of the areas that you might consider include the following ones:

  • The Moselle Valley is a wine-growing region. Remich, a town by the river, is a very comfortable place to live.  
  • Echternach is the oldest settlement in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, with the remains of ancient walls and numerous architectural monuments.
  • With an old church and Roman baths, Mamer is a perfect place for a quiet life in Luxembourg.
  • The medieval town of Larochette on the White Ernz River has beautiful architecture and many passages over streams. The castle of Larochette is one of the main tourist attractions in the region.
  • Esch-sur-Sur is famous for its ancient castle ruins and marvelous cliffs. It is the most minor and most beautiful settlement in the Duchy of Luxembourg.
  • With its wildlife, old roads, and Gothic churches, Vianden is a favorite tourist destination, but it can also serve as an excellent place for permanent residence.

The cost of property is relatively high in Luxembourg. However, there is an option to buy a place in one of the neighboring countries: Germany, France, or Belgium. 

You can find a residence, for example, in the villages of Konz, Oberbillig, Temmels, Nittel, Perl, or Wincheringen on the German border, Thionville or Metz in France, or Arlon, Baston, or Obange in Belgium.

Registering Your Address In Luxembourg

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Have you just moved to Luxembourg and are planning to stay for a long time? 

There is no doubt about it: declaring your residence is a step you must take as an expatriate.

You will find here all the keys to declare your new residence in Luxembourg, whether as a newcomer because you are changing your residence on Luxembourg territory or leaving the Grand Duchy permanently.

Register With Your Local Municipality

It is compulsory to declare your residence to the population office of your local administration as soon as you move to Luxembourg for more than 3 months

This is an administrative step that must be taken by any new resident, whether you own or rent your home.

This declaration must be made as soon as possible, in person, by the spouse with whom the person usually resides. Minor children are represented by their legal representative.

A guardian, curator, legal administrator, ad hoc administrator, or substitute decision-maker on the basis of a valid identity document and the title on the basis of which they are acting may also, if necessary, declare your residence in your place.

The procedures for declaring residence may vary from one municipality to another. They are based on various laws and regulations that set out the procedures to be followed. 

You will be asked for your identity document, family record book, and a visa or residence permit if necessary.

The declaration of arrival must be made within 8 days of your arrival. This period is shorter for third-country nationals. They have to declare their arrival on the territory within 3 days after their arrival.

This registration will allow you to take care of some of the necessary administrative procedures. You can also enroll your children in the Luxembourg commune school. 

It is also the occasion to register on the electoral lists for certain local elections in Luxembourg. We remind you that voting in elections is compulsory as a Luxembourg resident.

What Documents Do You Need For Registration In The Population Register?

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To register on the population register and declare your residence in Luxembourg, you must present :

  • an identity card or passport
  • an entry visa, respectively, a residence permit, or a residence card for nationals of non-EU countries
  • a family notebook

Registration At The Consulate Or Embassy Of Your Country Of Origin

As a new resident in Luxembourg, you should also register with your consulate or embassy in Luxembourg. 

This registration is essential for issuing or renewing official documents (passport, national identity card, etc.) but also in case of birth/death, marriage, serious accident, arrest, notarial act, etc. 

The consulate or embassy can help you and facilitate the administrative formalities.

Registration at the embassy or consulate of your country of origin is also required for registration on the electoral roll as a resident of Luxembourg. This will allow you to continue to participate in certain elections in your home country. 

Online Declaration For Removals Within Luxembourg

If you leave your home to move elsewhere in Luxembourg, you must notify the local administration of your new commune of residence. This will also remove you from the registry of your former place of residence.

From now on, this declaration can be made online for a certain number of communes via Myguichet. Lu. 

This procedure is valid for one person, the spouse or civil union partner, and the minor children registered in the same household and address.

Obtaining A Residence Permit For Working In Luxembourg

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Foreign citizens who want to relocate to Luxembourg for employment purposes must first secure a work contract with a local company if they come from non-EU countries. 

It will be the Luxembourg company’s job to apply for the work permit on behalf of the future employee, but only after making sure it has done everything possible to find a national or an EU citizen to fill the position.

In the case of EU citizens, they can relocate to Luxembourg without applying for a residence permit during the first 3 months of living here. They can work in a local company or operate as sole traders in Luxembourg.

Moving To Luxembourg Through Family Reunification

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Luxembourg welcomes foreign citizens worldwide, which is why it has an essential community of expats from EU and non-EU countries. 

One of the ways through which foreign citizens can move here is through family reunification.

For EU citizens with family members already residing in Luxembourg, coming here is quite simple, as the ID or valid passport is sufficient.

In the case of non-EU citizens who want to move to Luxembourg to live with family members who are already lawful residents of this state, a valid passport and a tourist visa will suffice if the stay is at most 3 months (90 days). 

No additional formalities need to be completed for those who travel to Luxembourg from another EU country (based on an EU residence card).

Foreign citizens moving to Luxembourg from a non-EU country for more than 3 months must complete the same formalities as the family member (s) who already live here. 

In some cases, an employment offer or a business plan to set up a company is required. Our immigration lawyer in Luxembourg can handle the rest.

When relocating to Luxembourg with a spouse who is a resident of this country, the following documents must be filed with the local authorities:

  • a copy of the valid passport;
  • the copy of the residence card or registration certificate of the foreign citizen living in Luxembourg;
  • the marriage certificate (the civil partnership agreement can also be used for those who have chosen this path of forming a family).

The Main Rights Obtained Based On A Residence Permit In Luxembourg

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Luxembourg is a very appealing country to live in, as it is one of Europe’s most important business centers. With an excellent economy and financial stability, the Grand Duchy also offers essential employment opportunities.

Obtaining a residence permit in Luxembourg comes with various benefits, among which:

  • EU residency, which is the most crucial advantage when moving here;
  • the possibility of moving here with family members;
  • free travel to all other EU states, as well as in Schengen countries;
  • similar rights to those of Luxembourg citizens;
  • the right to relocate to other EU states and live, work, or start businesses there.

It should also be noted that in some instances, Luxembourg has specific agreements with other EU countries, including Croatia.

Citizens of this country must prove they have a remunerated activity before moving here (an employment offer, a job, or sole proprietorship activity).

Another benefit of moving to Luxembourg is that the country has an agreement with all EEA countries (Liechtenstein, Norway, and Iceland) and with Switzerland regarding free movement.

Conclusion

You did it—your address in Luxembourg is now as official as the Grand Duke himself. The paperwork might have been a pain, but now you can reap the rewards, like that ever-so-satisfying ‘You’ve Got Mail’ moment.

So go ahead, uncork that Crémant—you’ve earned it.

Settle In!

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