Luxembourg citizenship requirements in 2026: the complete checklist

How to get Luxembourg citizenship: the overview

Luxembourg nationality is governed by the law of 8 March 2017 on Luxembourg nationality. For most adult residents born abroad, the route is naturalisation. It rewards people who have settled in the country, learned some Luxembourgish and know how the country works.

There is also a second family of routes, called "option", for people with a particular link to Luxembourg, such as a Luxembourgish parent or long residence. We cover both below, starting with naturalisation because it is the route most readers will use.

18+

minimum age for naturalisation

5 years

legal residence, final year uninterrupted

A2 / B1

Luxembourgish speaking / listening

2009

dual nationality allowed since 1 January

The checklist at a glance

Use this list to see where you stand today. Each point is explained further down the page.

• You are 18 or older.
• You have at least five years of legal residence, and the last year before you apply is uninterrupted.
• You have passed the Sproochentest (speaking A2, listening B1), or you are exempt.
• You have completed Vivre ensemble, by course or exam, or you are exempt.
• You meet the good-character conditions.
• You have collected the documents your commune asks for.
• You are ready to hand in your file at your commune.

If you can tick every box, you are ready to apply. If one or two are missing, the steps section below shows a sensible order for the rest.

Luxembourg naturalisation requirements, one by one

To be naturalised, you must meet five conditions. None of them can be skipped unless an exemption applies to you.

1. Age

You must be at least 18 years old when you apply. Children can become Luxembourgish in other ways, for example through a Luxembourgish parent.

2. Five years of legal residence

You need at least five years of legal residence in Luxembourg. The final year, just before you submit your application, must be uninterrupted. "Legal" means you lived in the country with the right of residence that applies to you, for example as an EU citizen or with a residence permit.

The rule on the final year is the one people most often overlook. Long periods abroad in the twelve months before you apply can cause problems, so plan your application date with that in mind.

3. The Sproochentest (Luxembourgish language test)

You must pass the Sproochentest, the official Luxembourgish language test run by the INLL. More on this below.

4. Vivre ensemble au Grand-Duché de Luxembourg

You must complete the civics requirement, either by attending the 24-hour course or by passing the 40-question exam. More on this below.

5. Good character

You must meet the good-character conditions set by the law. In short, you must not have been sentenced to prison for 12 months or more, or to a suspended sentence of 24 months or more. Criminal record extracts are part of your application file, which is how this is checked.

The two tests: Sproochentest and Vivre ensemble

The Sproochentest requirement

The Sproochentest checks your Luxembourgish at two levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR): speaking at A2 and listening at B1. In everyday terms, you should be able to hold a simple conversation about familiar topics and follow clear spoken Luxembourgish on everyday subjects.

Registration is on the INLL website, and the fee is €75. To pass, you need at least half of the points in the speaking part. A weaker speaking result can be compensated by listening if your average across both parts reaches half of the points.

For many applicants, this is the part that takes the most time. If you are starting Luxembourgish from zero, expect months rather than weeks. CivicLearn offers an optional Sproochentest training add-on with 10 simulations and AI evaluation, which some learners use alongside a language class.

The Vivre ensemble requirement

Vivre ensemble covers three areas: fundamental rights, State and communal institutions, and the history of the Grand Duchy and European integration. You can choose how to meet it.

• The course: 24 hours in three modules (6 hours of rights, 12 hours of institutions, 6 hours of history and Europe). You receive a certificate for attendance, with no exam. People holding the citizenship-training certificate from the CAI take an 18-hour version.
• The exam: a computer-based multiple-choice test in Esch-Belval with 40 questions, split 10/20/10 across the three areas.

Registration for either is free and takes place on the official portal or by email to the SFA. Both are offered in Luxembourgish, French, German and English. To decide which suits you, read Vivre ensemble: course or exam? For the content of the exam and a study plan, see our guide to the Vivre ensemble exam.

Luxembourg citizenship after 5 years: the steps in order

There is no single required order for the tests, but the following sequence works for most people. It lets you prepare the slower parts first and keeps your documents up to date.

1. Check your residence dates

   Count your years of legal residence and check that the last year before your planned application date will be uninterrupted. If you are close to five years, work out the earliest date you can apply.

2. Start Luxembourgish early

   The language test usually takes longest to prepare. Begin classes or self-study well before you reach five years, and register for the Sproochentest on the INLL website when you are ready.

3. Complete Vivre ensemble

   Choose the course or the exam and register on the official portal. Many people do this while they are still preparing for the language test, since it needs less time. Keep your certificate safe.

4. Gather your documents

   Ask your commune for its list and collect the documents, including criminal record extracts and your birth certificate. Allow time for documents that come from abroad.

5. Submit your application at the commune

   Hand in your file to the civil registrar of the commune where you live.

6. Wait for the Minister of Justice's decision

   The Minister of Justice decides on naturalisation applications. Keep your contact details up to date with your commune while your file is being processed.

A planning example

Imagine you moved to Luxembourg three years ago and want to apply as soon as you reach five years. A realistic plan would be to start Luxembourgish classes now, so that you have about two years to reach the speaking and listening levels. Around six months before your five-year date, register for the Sproochentest.

Fit Vivre ensemble in wherever it suits you. If your language test is set for the spring, you might complete the Vivre ensemble exam or course in the autumn before, when your evenings are freer. Then, in the weeks before your five-year date, ask your commune for its document list and start collecting documents from abroad.

The point of planning backwards from your residence date is to avoid waiting. Your residence clock keeps running whatever you do, but tests and documents only get done when you schedule them.

Documents for Luxembourg naturalisation

The exact list of documents is given by the commune where you apply, and it can depend on your situation. In general, expect to provide:

• proof of identity, such as a valid passport or identity card;
• proof of your legal residence in Luxembourg;
• your birth certificate;
• criminal record extracts;
• your Sproochentest certificate;
• your Vivre ensemble certificate (course attendance or exam).

Documents from other countries may need an official translation or a form of legalisation. Your commune will tell you what it needs. Ask early, because documents from abroad can take weeks to arrive.

Who is exempt from the tests

Several groups do not need to complete Vivre ensemble, and some do not need the language test either. The main cases are:

• Medical reasons: people with a physical or psychological condition can be fully exempted from the Vivre ensemble course and exam. This needs a certificate from a specialist and a request to the Minister of Justice.
• Schooling in Luxembourg: people who completed at least seven years of schooling in Luxembourg's public education system are exempt from Vivre ensemble.
• Long-standing residents: people resident in Luxembourg since before 31 December 1984 with a residence permit; guichet.lu lists the conditions.
• Twenty years' residence: adults who have lived legally in Luxembourg for at least 20 years and complete a 24-hour Luxembourgish language course are exempt from both Vivre ensemble and the Sproochentest. This route is part of the option procedure.

If you hold a civic instruction certificate from the CAI, or have completed the 6-hour module of the citizens' pact (pacte citoyen, Law of 23 August 2023, which replaced the CAI), the history module of the Vivre ensemble course can be waived. This only applies to the course. If you choose the exam, there is no reduction.

Luxembourg citizenship by option

Option is a separate procedure for people with a specific connection to Luxembourg. The law lists 10 option cases. They include, for example:

• having a parent or grandparent who is Luxembourgish;
• being the spouse of a Luxembourg citizen, once the conditions are met;
• being the parent of a Luxembourgish minor;
• being born in Luxembourg, under certain conditions;
• having lived legally in Luxembourg for at least 20 years;
• having served as a volunteer soldier.

Each case has its own conditions, and some still require the Sproochentest or Vivre ensemble. If one of these cases might apply to you, check the details for your situation on guichet.lu before choosing between option and naturalisation.

Option or naturalisation: how to think about it

If you have no family link to Luxembourg and have lived here for less than 20 years, naturalisation is almost certainly your route. If you do have one of the links above, compare the two. An option case may have different residence or test conditions from naturalisation, and in some situations it can be the simpler path. Read the conditions for the case that matches your situation, then decide which file to prepare.

Luxembourg dual citizenship and costs

Dual nationality

Since 1 January 2009, Luxembourg allows dual nationality. Becoming Luxembourgish does not require you to give up your current nationality under Luxembourg law.

The other side of the question is your current country. Some countries allow their citizens to hold a second nationality, while others withdraw citizenship when you acquire a new one. Check your own country's rules before you apply, so there are no surprises.

Many people choose Luxembourg citizenship for practical reasons as well as personal ones. As a citizen you can vote in legislative elections, which are reserved for Luxembourg nationals, and you gain access to certain public-sector jobs that are also reserved for citizens.

Costs and refunds

Registration for the Vivre ensemble course or exam is free. The Sproochentest has a fee of €75. Language courses you take to prepare are a separate cost and vary by provider.

Some course and test costs can be refunded by the Ministry of Justice, up to a ceiling. Keep receipts and certificates for anything you pay for, so you can claim what you are entitled to.

Next steps

If the language test is your main hurdle, start there. If you want to get one requirement done quickly, Vivre ensemble is usually the faster one. Read our complete guide to the Vivre ensemble exam, decide between course or exam, and work through the study guide.

When you are ready to test yourself, try the practice questions and the most-missed questions. The official reading list is on our study materials page. If you want a structured way to prepare, the CivicLearn Vivre ensemble course offers 700+ practice questions written from the official study material, with timed simulations in the exam's 10/20/10 format.

Official sources

• guichet.lu – naturalisation, option and exemptions
• legilux.public.lu – law of 8 March 2017 on Luxembourg nationality
• inll.lu – Sproochentest registration
• men.public.lu – Ministry of Education, Children and Youth
• lifelong-learning.lu – Vivre ensemble course and exam