Luxembourg Visas

Luxembourg Visas, Work Permits and Migration

Anyone moving to or visiting another country must typically apply for a visa or, if travelling for employment, permission to work and live there; and this includes Luxembourg. Whether a company or an individual, everyone is responsible for their own documentation and compliance.

Therefore, Bradford Jacobs is there to do the hard work to prevent you stumbling at the first hurdle with the risk of fines and sanctions. Bradford Jacobs’ Professional Employer Organization and Employer of Record platforms, with over 20 years of experience, take away the uncertainty for companies like yours, ensuring staff have the correct paperwork and are ready and waiting as you expand into your new territory.

We are experts in hiring staff, applying for work visas in Luxembourg and ensuring employees meet Luxembourger work visa requirements with the correct documentation.

What Types of Work Visas, and Permits for Luxembourg are there?

Luxembourg is a member of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and the Schengen agreement. These nations’ citizens (and from Switzerland) can travel to Luxembourg to work, visit, or live there without an entry visa, work, or residence permit. However, those intending to stay longer than 90 days must register with their local Municipal/ Commune office within a week of arriving. Within three months family members must acquire an address registration certificate from the same office.

There are 134 countries on the visa exemption list whose nationals can travel to holiday, visit family, for cultural reasons or business trips. There are also 34 countries whose nationals can obtain a travel visa on arrival and 18 countries who can apply for an e-visa online.

However, there are many countries whose nationals require a visa to enter. For less than 90 days this will require a short stay visa (Schengen visa).

For more than 90 days, a long stay D visa is required.

Third Country Nationals (non-EU) who want to live and work in Luxembourg, need a job offer, an appropriate visa, ‘an authorization to stay’ and a residence permit which also gives them a work permit.

• Short Stay Schengen Visa (C) allows up to 90 days in a 180-day period generally for business purposes e.g., conferences, networking, signing contracts, meetings … or for family trips and holidays
• Long Stay National Visa (D) is designed for foreign nationals who want to work, live, or study for longer than 90 days e.g., salaried, self-employed, or highly skilled people. This, with the ‘Temporary Authorization to Stay,’ allows entry to Luxembourg
• Temporary Authorization to Stay should be applied for from outside Luxembourg to the Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (Ministère des Affaires étrangères et européennes) or through an embassy / consulate. The process depends on the category required e.g., salaried worker, highly qualified worker; these are the most common applied for
• EU Blue Card is for foreign nationals wanting to work for longer than 12 months who are highly skilled and qualified and who meet the requirements of this visa. There is a particular process, and it provides additional benefits
• Residence Permit for third country national salaried workers is applied for within 90 days of the ‘Declaration of Arrival’ at the Commune Office where the applicant wishes to reside. This declaration should be made within 3 days of arriving in Luxembourg

 Information for potential employees:

1. There are 102 Communes and all residents whether nationals, EU citizens or Third Country Nationals must register (make a declaration) in their commune within a few days of arriving to stay for more than three months. This is done in the commune’s census office (Bureau de la population). If they move from one commune to another or leave Luxembourg for a new residence, this must be reported at the commune.
2. Employers must first advertise a job vacancy with the National Employment Agency (Agence pour le développement de l’emploi – ADEM) and if the position has not been filled in three weeks, ADEM issues a certificate which permits the employer to fill the vacancy with a Third Country National. The prospective employee is given this certificate before taking the ‘first step.’
3. All documents submitted with the visa applications must have notarized translations if not already in English, French or German. This includes EU/EEA/Swiss citizens who request a registration certificate or making a declaration of arrival.