Luxembourg

Information for all students

Students should ensure that their passports are signed and stamped when entering and exiting Border Control. These stamps will prove the duration of your visit and, more importantly, prove to the visa official that you have not overstayed your 90-day visit.

It is important to understand the Schengen 90/180 rule. You are allocated 90 visa-free days to use within the Schengen Zone, however you must remember these are rolling days and are added onto a cumulative total of days in the Schengen region. Leaving and entering does not reset your calculator – only leaving for a period of 90 days in a non-Schengen country will reset your visa-free 90-day allowance.

Read more about the Schengen rules.

If you're a British student, you may need to renew your passport. On the day of travel, you passport must:

• have at least 3 months left from the date you intend to leave the EU
• be less than 10 years old (even if it has six months or more left)

It is strongly recommended that your passport is valid for at least 6 month after your entry date to Luxembourg. In many cases, this will save you from having to prove the date of your intended leave from the EU.

You can check if you need a visa to visit Luxembourg here. 

Studying for up to 3 months

EU/EEA students do not need a visa or specific authorisation to enter the country for your study exchange at the University of Luxembourg. You can enter Luxembourg with your passport or National ID – you must also have valid health insurance, covering the entire period of your study exchange.

Non-EU/non-EEA students who do not have a visa-waiver to enter Luxembourg may need to apply for a Schengen visa.

UK students can enter Luxembourg for up to 90 days without a visa to complete the following activities:

• tourism
• visiting family or friends
• attending business meetings
• cultural or sports events
• short-term studies or training

Please note, visits to other Schengen countries within the previous 180 days count towards your allowed 90 days.

Before submitting an application for a visa, you must apply for temporary authorisation to stay in Luxembourg from the Immigration Directorate of the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (ministère des Affaires étrangères et européennes).

Discover if you need a visa here.

Non-EEA students

Non-EEA students with temporary authorisation to stay in Luxembourg who wish to study for up to 90 days should apply for a Schengen short-stay visa C.

Gather your documents

In order to apply for you Schengen short-stay visa C, you must gather the following documents:

• Temporary authorisation to stay in Luxembourg (autorisation de séjour temporaire - AST)
• 2 recent, identical passport photos
• A valid passport or a travel document accepted in the Schengen area (valid for at least another 3 months after the expiry date of the requested visa)
• A hotel reservation
• A return airline ticket
• Proof of sufficient means of subsistence (bank account statements, cash, credit cards, etc.)
• Legalised financial statement of support from the reference person in Luxembourg (if applicable)
• Proof of legal residence in current country
• Health insurance covering the travel period

Applications should be decided on within 15 calendar days of the date of their lodging. This could be extended to up to 45 days. 

Discover further details.

How to apply

Students must submit a completed and signed Schengen visa application in person at:

• The Luxembourg diplomatic mission or consulate in their country of residence

The embassy or consulate of the country in the Schengen area that represents Luxembourg for the issuance of visas

Studying for more than 3 months

UK students

UK Students studying in Luxembourg for a period of more than 90 days will need to obtain a long-stay visa (visa D).

Gather your documents

In order to apply for you long-stay visa (visa D), you must gather the following documents:

• Temporary authorisation to stay (autorisation de séjour temporaire - AST)
• Copy of your valid passport
• Criminal record certificate (CRB check) record or an affidavit (sworn declaration), established in the country of residence
• Proof of enrolment in a higher education establishment in Luxembourg
• Proof of participation in a EU programme/multi-lateral programme with mobility measures/agreement between 2 or more higher education institutions
• Proof of sufficient resources to cover living expenses and return-travel costs (monthly resources must amount to at least 80 % of the current social inclusion income)
• A health insurance certificate covering illness in Luxembourg (travel insurance)

Your may use the following as proof of your sufficient financial resources:

• Original certificate of scholarship/student loan, stating the amount and its duration
• Original bank certificate and bank statement for the past 6 months

If you are financially supported by your parents, they must attest to having enough financial resources/being financially solvent and capable to cover subsistence, medical and study costs for at least one year (12 months). They must also show that they can cover your return travel costs.

Material advantages granted to you (such as free accommodation) or the remuneration from a work contract (maximum 15 hours per week), are also considered.

How to apply

Your visa application must be submitted in the country you legally reside, at a Luxembourg consulate or a diplomatic mission representing Luxembourg.

If not written in German, French or English, the visa application and attached documents must be translated by a sworn translator.

Before entering the country, you must:

• Submit an application for a temporary authorisation to stay to the General Department of immigration of the Ministry of Home Affairs 
• Hold a valid passport 
• Request a type D visa after having obtained the temporary authorisation to stay

After entering the country, you must:

• Make a declaration of arrival in the new commune of residence in Luxembourg; 
• Undergo a medical check; 
• Apply for a residence permit  

Discover further information here.

Working for less than 3 months

EU/EEA students can enter Luxembourg for the purposes of employment for a period of 90 days without any additional paperwork.

UK students travelling to Luxembourg for employment purposes for a period of up to 90 days do not need a visa to complete the following activities:

• attending trade fairs
• board meetings and general assemblies
• meetings with clients or customers
• meetings with colleagues, contractors or sellers
• negotiating, signing or executing deals or contracts
• attending, speaking or presenting at a conference (paid or unpaid)
• receiving classroom-based training

These activities are covered by the Schengen visa waiver.

Your employer must submit an online notification to the Inspection du Travail et des Mines (ITM) for work- and business-related travel.

Non-EU/non-EEA students without a visa-waiver will require a short-term work permit. The permit takes 3-4 months to get and is valid for 90 days in a 180-day period (this cannot be extended). 

To qualify for a short-term permit you must: 

• Have relevant work experience
• Have an employment offer of 90 days for more from a company in Luxembourg
• Be placed on Luxembourg's payroll

You must submit a work permit application to the Immigration Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. You must also submit a declaration of arrival within 3 business days of arriving in Luxembourg.

Gather your documents

To apply for a short-term work permit, you will need the following: 

• UK passport, valid for 6 months with at least 2 blank pages 
• Degree or other qualification certificate 
• CV 
• Signed employment contract for no more than 90 days with a Luxembourg company 
• Labour market certificate from  ADEM’s director confirming that your employer is able to hire you 
• Detailed job description 
• Police clearance certificate 
• Medical certificate (required once in Luxembourg) 
• Proof of suitable housing in Luxembourg (required once in Luxembourg) 
• Marriage certificate, if applying with family 
• Birth certificates for any children, if applying with family 

Discover the full list of required documents here.

How to apply 

• Your employer will carry out a labour market test by posting the vacancy with the Agence pour le Developpement de l’Emploi (ADEM) for 3 weeks. 
• You must submit a work permit application to the Immigration Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. 
• Submit a declaration of arrival  within 3 business days of arriving in Luxembourg. 
• Your employer will notify the Immigration Directorate with your start date within 3 working days of you starting work. 

Upon arrival

You must make a declaration of arrival to your local census office (Bureau de la population) within 3 business days of arriving in Luxembourg, even if you don’t need a visa or permit.

Working for more than 3 months

The type of visa or work permit you need to apply for will depend on the duration and type of work you will be carrying out, for more information visit: 

• Luxembourg Government - Visa and Immigration
• Gov UK - Travel to Luxembourg for work

Non-EU/UK students who wish to reside in Luxembourg territory for more than 3 months for training purposes, must have authorisation to stay as a trainee.

Approval must be granted for employment as a trainee before entering Luxembourg territory. It is not possible to apply for approval of employment after you enter Luxembourg.

UK students do not require a visa to enter Luxembourg. However, after entering you must obtain a valid Residence Permit for all family members.

Discover more about travelling to Luxembourg for work.

How to apply

UK students wishing to stay in Luxembourg for more than 3 months must file an application for a Residence Permit for intra-corporate transferees (ICT) with the Immigration Directorate within 90 days of their arrival.

The following documents must be sent together with the Residence Permit application:

• copy of your valid passport, in its entirety
• copy of the declaration of arrival, issued by the communal administration
• proof of suitable housing (rental agreement, property deed, etc.)
• proof of payment of a fee of EUR 80 to the relevant account

The documents enclosed must be originals or certified true copies (except for the passport where a plain copy will suffice).

If the documents are not drawn up in German, French or English, you must attach an official translation carried out by a sworn translator.