The Ministries of Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs have announced that, effective October 1, 2026, third-country nationals intending to acquire a residence permit in Luxembourg will need to obtain a long-stay visa (D visa) from a Luxembourg or Belgian diplomatic mission abroad before entering the country to submit their residence application.
Currently, prospective third-country residence applicants must apply for a temporary residence permit from the Directorate-General for Immigration (DGIM). The change aligns Luxembourg with the standard procedure established in other European Union countries.
The new procedure applies to all third-country nationals (from outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland) wishing to settle in Luxembourg for more than 90 days (for work, study, family reunification, etc.).
It does not apply to the following:
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- EU citizens and their family members and persons with equivalent status, namely nationals of Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland;
- British nationals benefiting from the Withdrawal Agreement;
- Applications for replacement, renewal or change of category of a residence permit and applications for a residence permit to remain in the territory;
- Applicants for international protection.
From October 1, 2026:
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- The applicant submits their application personally to a Luxembourg consulate or, where Luxembourg is not represented, to the competent Belgian consulate, and no longer to the Directorate-General for Immigration.
- They receive a D visa valid for six months, allowing them to enter Luxembourg and move around the Schengen area until their residence permit is issued.
After arrival, the applicant makes a declaration within three days of arrival to the municipality of residence and submits their application for a residence permit to the Directorate-General for Immigration.
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