Luxembourgish Citizenship by Descent: Your "Get Started" Guide

Luxembourgish citizenship is one of the most valuable in the world, granting access to the European Union (EU) and the Schengen Zone with one of the highest standards of living.

However, the landscape for obtaining citizenship by descent has changed dramatically. The famous "Article 89" route (reclaiming citizenship from an ancestor alive in 1900) had a strict deadline to sign a declaration by December 31, 2018.

If you missed that deadline, the only remaining path for "Descent" is the "Verification of Nationality" (proving you are already a citizen by blood) or applying through a parent who is currently a citizen.

This guide outlines the essential first steps, key requirements, and what you can expect in terms of timeline and cost to begin your journey.

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1. Am I Eligible? Key Requirements (Verification of Nationality)

For new applicants starting today, eligibility depends on proving that the chain of citizenship was never broken by your ancestors.

• Requirement Category: Eligible Ancestor
  
  • Specific Criteria: Parent (Solus) or Unbroken Lineage.
  • Details:
    
    • Direct Route: If your parent is a Luxembourgish citizen, you are eligible.
    • Verification Route: If claiming through a grandparent or further back, you must prove that none of your ancestors lost their Luxembourgish nationality before the next generation was born.
  • The "Dead End" Warning: If your ancestor naturalized voluntarily in another country (e.g., became a US citizen) before 2009, they likely lost their Luxembourgish citizenship automatically. If the chain broke, and you didn't sign the Article 89 declaration before 2018, you are not eligible for descent.
• Requirement Category: Lineage
  
  • Specific Criteria: Strict Continuity.
  • Details: You must provide birth, marriage, and death certificates linking you to the last known Luxembourgish ancestor.
• Requirement Category: Language
  
  • Specific Criteria: No Language Requirement.
  • Details: For citizenship by descent (Verification), there is no Luxembourgish language test. (Language is only required for Naturalization by residence or marriage).
• Requirement Category: Dual Citizenship
  
  • Specific Criteria: Permitted.
  • Details: Since 2009, Luxembourg fully recognizes dual citizenship.
• Strategic Tip: Check the 2018 Deadline Status. If a family member (e.g., your parent or sibling) signed the "Candidate Declaration" before December 31, 2018, ask if they included you. If they did not, you cannot piggyback on their application now under the old Article 89 rules.

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2. The First Action: Document Collection & Preparation

Your initial focus must be on gathering civil records to prove the "Sole Nationality" or "Non-Loss" of nationality. The authority in charge is the Ministry of Justice (Service de l'Indigénat).

Document integrity (Apostilles and Certified Translations) is the single most critical factor for approval.

📑 What to Collect First

• Your Ancestor's Proof:
  
  • Birth Certificate: Issued by the commune in Luxembourg.
  • Certificate of Nationality: If they possessed one.
• The "Non-Naturalization" Proof (Vital):
  
  • To prove the chain wasn't broken, you often need a "Certificate of Non-Naturalization" from the country your ancestor emigrated to (e.g., from USCIS in the USA or CNE in Argentina), proving they never became a citizen of that country, or did so after the birth of the next generation.
• Lineage Documents: Your own Birth Certificate, and the Birth and Marriage Certificates for every generation connecting you to the ancestor.
  
  • (Requires Long-Form certified copies).
• Personal Integrity:
  
  • Criminal Record Check: Required for all applicants aged 18+. Must be issued by the authorities of the country of residence (and usually every country lived in).

📝 Document Authentication is Key

Luxembourg is a small but highly efficient bureaucracy that demands precision.

• Authentication (Apostille): Every foreign public document must have an Apostille stamp (Hague Convention).
• Certified Translation: Documents not in French, German, or Luxembourgish must be translated.
  
  • Accepted Languages: Luxembourg accepts documents in French or German without translation. English is often accepted in practice, but legally, a translation into one of the three administrative languages is usually required.
  • Sworn Translator: Use a sworn translator (Traducteur assermenté) to avoid rejection.

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3. What to Expect: Timeline and Cost

The process is centralized in Luxembourg City.

⏱️ Estimated Timeline

If you are eligible for Verification (Article 7), the process is strictly administrative.

• Step: Preparation
  
  • Estimated Time: 3–6 Months.
  • What Happens: Ordering certificates from Luxembourg communes (they are often quick) and getting non-naturalization proofs from foreign governments (which is slow).
• Step: Submission
  
  • Estimated Time: 1 Day.
  • What Happens: You mail your application to the Ministry of Justice in Luxembourg or submit it via the local municipality if you live there. Consulates generally do not process these directly; they forward them.
• Step: Processing
  
  • Estimated Time: 4–12 Months.
  • What Happens: The Service de l'Indigénat reviews the file to verify if citizenship was ever lost.
• Step: Finalization
  
  • Estimated Time: 1–2 Months.
  • What Happens: You receive a Certificate of Nationality (Certificat de Nationalité). You can then apply for a passport immediately.

💰 Estimated Cost

Luxembourg charges very few fees itself, but the cost of proving "non-naturalization" abroad can be high.

• Cost Category: Official Application Fees
  
  • Estimated Range: €0 - €50.
  • Details: Issuance of the Certificate of Nationality is often free or involves a nominal stamp duty.
• Cost Category: Document Retrieval
  
  • Estimated Range: $100 - $300.
  • Details: Luxembourg communes charge very little for birth certs, but ordering them from abroad incurs shipping.
• Cost Category: Apostilles & Translations
  
  • Estimated Range: $500 - $1,500.
  • Details: Translating documents into French or German is the main expense.
• Cost Category: Total Estimated Administrative Cost
  
  • Estimated Range: $600 - $1,800.
  • Details: Significantly cheaper than Italy or Romanía, provided you have the eligibility.

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✅ Your Next Steps

• The "Loss" Check: Before spending money, interview your family. Did your Luxembourgish ancestor become a US/Canadian/Brazilian citizen? If yes, when? If it was before 2009, they likely lost Luxembourgish citizenship.
• Check the 2018 List: Ask your parents if they signed the "Article 89 Declaration" before 2018. If they did, and you were a minor then, you might still have a path through them.
• Order the Birth Cert: Contact the specific Commune (Town Hall) in Luxembourg (e.g., Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg City) to ask for your ancestor's Acte de Naissance.

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