Staying in Luxembourg for less than 90 days as a third-country national
Last update
A third-country national who wishes to stay for less than 90 days or transit through Luxembourg must:
- before entering the country:
- be in possession of a valid passport;
- for persons subject to visa requirements in order to enter Luxembourg: apply for a visa (short stay);
- after entering the country:
- either make a declaration of arrival in their new commune of temporary residence;
- or complete an accommodation form at the establishment where they are staying (hotel, bed & breakfast, etc.).
The eTracking function for hardcopy (paper) forms is a feature of this process. This option allows users to track the progress of administrative procedures by email and/or by SMS.
Who is concerned
Third-country nationals (i.e. nationals from a country which is not an EU Member State or a country treated as such - Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland) are concerned if they wish to reside in Luxembourg for less than 90 days over a 6-month period for:
- touristic or family visits (without undertaking work);
- business trips.
All third-country nationals who wish to work in Luxembourg during their period of stay of less than 90 days must first apply for a work permit to the General Department of immigration of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Specific case: a third-country national wishing to come to Luxembourg to get married
There is no specific provision for entering the country in order to get married. Third-country nationals wishing to marry a third-country national legally residing in Luxembourg must follow the usual procedures for a short stay. If necessary, they must also apply for a short-stay visa, and must meet the conditions for entry and for a short stay.
Prerequisites
Third-country nationals must, before coming to Luxembourg:
- check whether or not they have to obtain a visa to enter the Schengen area;
- hold a passport which is valid for more than 3 months from the start date of the journey.
In order to lawfully enter Luxembourg territory, in addition to holding a valid passport and a visa where required, third-country nationals must meet the following conditions:
- they cannot be listed in the Schengen Information System (SIS);
- they cannot have lost the right to enter Luxembourg territory;
- they cannot be considered as a threat to public order, national security, public health or international relations of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg or of one of the signatory States of an international convention on the crossing of external borders and binding the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg;
- they must be able to prove the object and conditions of the intended stay;
- they must possess sufficient personal resources, for the duration of the intended stay as well as for the return to the country of origin or the transit to a third country in which their admission is guaranteed (or prove the possibility to lawfully acquire these means);
- they must have comprehensive health insurance valid in Luxembourg.
Third-country nationals who meet the conditions listed above are allowed to reside in Luxembourg for a maximum duration of 3 months over a 6-month period.
How to proceed
Before entering the country
If the third-country national is not subject to visa requirements
Third-country nationals (not family members of an EU citizen) who are not subject to visa requirements must, to meet the conditions to enter and stay for less than 3 months, provide the following documents when entering the country:
- a passport which is valid for more than 3 months from the start date of the journey;
- proof of comprehensive health insurance valid in Luxembourg;
- supporting documents proving, in case of a control at the outside border of the Schengen area:
- the object of the journey (official letter of invitation for a business trip, hotel reservation, return airline ticket, etc.);
- sufficient resources for the duration of their stay, as well as for the return to the country of origin or the transit to another country (examples of proof of sufficient resources: cash, travellers cheques, credit cards, document attesting the possibility to lawfully acquire the necessary resources, letter of credit issued by a bank). In the case of a private or family visit, this proof may be in the form of a statement of financial support (French, Pdf, 328 Kb).
If the third-country national is subject to visa requirements
Third-country nationals subject to a visa obligation must submit, before their journey and from their country of origin, a visa application to the Luxembourg diplomatic or consular representation in their country of origin or, failing this, to the diplomatic or consular representation of the country of the Schengen area who represents Luxembourg for the issuance of visas (only Belgian embassy or consulate)
The visa, valid for a maximum period of 3 months, is affixed in the passport in the form of a seal.
If the applicant's passport is due to expire in less than 6 months, it should be renewed before coming to Luxembourg.
If the non-EU national has a valid residence permit for family members of an EU citizen or a valid residence permit issued by another EU Member State, the visa is not required.
After entering the country
Third-country nationals who want to stay in Luxembourg for less than 90 days must, within 3 days of arriving in Luxembourg:
- either make a declaration of arrival at the communal administration where they will be staying by presenting, in particular:
- a valid travel document (passport and, where applicable, a visa or a residence permit issued by another EU Member State);
- a valid proof of address (rental agreement, electricity bill, etc.), where applicable.
- or complete an accommodation form at the establishment where he is staying. It serves as a declaration of arrival.
The maximum duration of the stay in the Schengen area is limited to 3 months over a 6-month period from the date of entry into the Schengen area.
Online services and forms
Who to contact
-
Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Passport, Visa and Legalisation Office (BPVL)
- Address:
- 6, rue de l'Ancien Athénée L-1144 Luxembourg Luxembourg
- Phone:
-
(+352) 247 88 300
Monday to Friday from 8.30 to 11.30 and from 13.00 to 16.00
- Email address:
- service.passeports@mae.etat.lu
- Email address:
- service.visas@mae.etat.lu
- Email address:
- service.legalisation@mae.etat.lu
Closed ⋅ Opens Monday at 8.30
- Sunday:
- Closed
- Monday:
- 8.30 to 16.00
- Tuesday:
- 8.30 to 16.00
- Wednesday:
- 8.30 to 16.00
- Thursday:
- 8.30 to 16.00
- Friday:
- 8.30 to 16.00
- Saturday:
- Closed
Related procedures and links
Procedures
Links
Further information
-
Luxembourg diplomatic and consular missions
on the website of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade
-
List of countries whose citizens require a visa
on the website of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade
-
Travel documents for non-EU family members
on Your Europe
Legal references
-
Loi modifiée du 29 août 2008
portant sur la libre circulation des personnes et l'immigration
-
Règlement grand-ducal modifié du 5 septembre 2008
portant exécution de certaines dispositions relatives aux formalités administratives prévues par la loi du 29 août 2008 sur la libre circulation des personnes et l'immigration
