It is possible to reclaim Luxembourgish nationality.

The reclamation procedure is open to adults who have lost their status as Luxembourg nationals. It confers upon foreign nationals all the rights and obligations associated with being a Luxembourgish national.

Who is concerned

The reclamation procedure is open:

• to adults who have lost their status as Luxembourgish nationals;
• to women who have lost their status as Luxembourgish nationals, without expressly requesting it, as a result of having acquired the nationality of their husband through marriage, or because their husband has acquired a nationality other than the Luxembourgish nationality.
• to direct maternal or paternal descendants of an ancestor who held the Luxembourgish nationality on 1 January 1900, where the latter or one of their descendants lost this nationality.

If the legal conditions for reclaiming nationality are not met, the person in question may potentially acquire Luxembourgish nationality by naturalisation or through the option declaration procedure.

Prerequisites

Acquiring Luxembourgish nationality is subject to a condition of good repute. Consequently, Luxembourgish nationality is refused:

• if the applicant has made false statements, concealed important information or acted fraudulently during the reclamation procedure; or
• if the applicant has received, in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg or abroad:
  • a criminal sentence or a custodial sentence of 12 months or more; or
  • a suspended sentence of 24 months or more.

Refusal to grant Luxembourgish nationality on the grounds of a criminal conviction does not apply to women who have lost their status as Luxembourgish nationals, without expressly requesting it, as a result of having acquired the nationality of their husband through marriage, or because their husband has acquired a nationality other than Luxembourgish nationality.

Preliminary steps

Persons, who had a direct maternal or paternal ancestor with Luxembourgish nationality on 1 January 1900, where the latter or one of their descendants lost this nationality, have to address the Ministry of Justice in order to request, by 31 December 2018 at the latest, the issuance of a certificate confirming that they are a direct descendant of an ancestor who was Luxembourgish on 1 January 1900.

Deadlines

Descendants of Luxembourgish ancestors must comply with 2 deadlines.

By 31 December 2018, they must have requested a certification confirming that they are a descendant of an ancestor who was Luxembourgish on 1 January 1900 from the Ministry of Justice.

By 31 December 2025, they must sign, in the presence of a civil registrar, a declaration to reclaim Luxembourgish nationality.

Costs

The reclamation procedure is free of charge.

However, the preparation of certain documents to be produced as part of the reclamation procedure may incur charges, the amount of which is set by the issuing authority. Example:

• Luxembourg communes may request the payment of a municipal tax in exchange for preparing copies of marital status records;
• foreign authorities may apply a charge for the issuance of marital status records or extracts from the criminal record.

How to proceed

Submitting a reclamation declaration to the civil registrar

The file must be presented to the civil registrar of the commune of the usual place of residence of the applicant.

In the event that the applicant lives abroad, the file should be presented to the registrar of the city of Luxembourg.

The applicant must appear in person before the civil registrar. They may be accompanied by a person of their choice.

The declaration to reclaim Luxembourgish nationality must be signed by the applicant or their legal representative. Signature by proxy is not permitted.

If the legal conditions are met and if the file contains all the necessary documentation, the civil registrar will record the reclamation declaration. They then send the file to the Nationality Office (Service de la nationalité luxembourgeoise) of the Ministry of Justice directly and without delay.

If the file submitted is incomplete, the civil registrar will request that the applicant produces the missing documents. If the documents are not submitted within a period of 3 months, the application will not be considered.

The date on which Luxembourgish nationality was reclaimed is stated on the reclamation declaration.

Supporting documents

The applicant must submit the following documents to the civil registrar:

• a full copy of their birth certificate and, if necessary, that of their children under 18;
• a copy of their valid passport and, where appropriate, that of their children aged under 18. If they do not have a passport, another identity or travel document may be provided;
• precise biographical details signed by the applicant or their legal representative;
• if applicable, the authorisation of the judge supervising guardianship to initiate a reclamation procedure;
• if applicable, the decision of the Minister granting an exemption to submit any of the required documents. This exemption can be obtained by submitting a reasoned request to the Minister of Justice, who has sole authority to grant it.

Additional supporting documents for adults having lost their status as Luxembourgish nationals

• a certificate of loss of Luxembourgish nationality;
• criminal record certificates or similar documents issued by the competent foreign authorities:
  • in the foreign country or countries of which the applicant is or was a national;
  • in the foreign country or countries in which the applicant has resided from the age of 18 during the 15 years immediately preceding the submission of the application.

The civil registrar will request the record no. 2 of the criminal record from the public prosecutor's office after having obtained an authorisation from the applicant. If applicants refuse to give their authorisation, the application will not be considered.

Additional supporting documents for women who have lost their status as Luxembourgish nationals as a result of having acquired the nationality of their husband

• a certificate of loss of Luxembourgish nationality.

Additional supporting documents for direct descendants of an ancestor who was Luxembourgish on 1 January 1900

• a certificate confirming that the applicant is a direct descendant of an ancestor who was Luxembourgish on 1 January 1900;
• criminal record certificates or similar documents issued by the competent foreign authorities:
  • in the foreign country or countries of which the applicant is or was a national;
  • in the foreign country or countries in which the applicant has resided from the age of 18 during the 15 years immediately preceding the submission of the application.

The civil registrar will request the record no. 2 of the criminal record from the public prosecutor's office after having obtained an authorisation from the applicant. If applicants refuse to give their authorisation, the application will not be considered.

Review of the application by the Ministry of Justice

The civil registrar will send the reclamation declaration and supporting documents to the Ministry of Justice directly and without delay.

If the minister has no objection to the reclamation declaration, the applicant will reclaim Luxembourgish nationality after a period of 4 months from receipt of the application by the Ministry of Justice.

If this is not the case, the minister may impose the measures outlined below.

Cancellation of the reclamation application

The reclamation declaration will be cancelled by the minister:

• if the civil registrar has recorded the reclamation declaration in violation of the law; or
• if the applicant has made false statements, concealed important information or acted fraudulently.

The reclamation declaration may be cancelled within the period of 4 months following the receipt of the application by the Ministry of Justice.

Cancellation of the reclamation declaration means that the person in question has not obtained Luxembourgish nationality.

The civil registrar who recorded the reclamation declaration will inform the person concerned.

In the case of false statements, concealment of important information or fraud, the cancellation of the reclamation declaration is accompanied by a ban on initiating a naturalisation, option declaration or reclamation procedure for a period of 15 years.

The ministerial decision to cancel the reclamation declaration may be subject to a reversal on appeal petitioned before the administrative tribunal within a period of 3 months from notification of this decision. The appeal must be lodged by a court lawyer.

Correction of the reclamation declaration

The minister will instruct the civil registrar to correct the reclamation declaration in the event of a purely clerical error or omission, the indication of an inappropriate legal basis or an error regarding the marital status of the applicant.

The correction shall be made through an annotation on the reclamation declaration.

Forms / Online services

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