Luxembourg · Spouse visas
Luxembourg Spouse of a citizen
First stay: 5 yrs
Residence permit for a third-country family member of a Luxembourg national (spouse or partner)
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Spouse of a citizen is a spouse visas route for Luxembourg. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- First stay
- 5 yrs
Time and long term
RenewalRenewable
The residence permit is valid for 5 years and can be renewed.
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
A permanent residence permit is available after 5 uninterrupted years.
CitizenshipAfter 5 years of residence
Naturalisation needs 5 years of legal residence, the last year uninterrupted, a Luxembourgish language certificate and the "Vivre ensemble" course.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- Applicant is the spouse or registered partner of a Luxembourg national, treated as an EU citizen's family member.
- An unregistered partner qualifies with at least one year of uninterrupted lawful cohabitation or a child in common.
- The sponsor must not become an unreasonable burden on the social welfare system.
What you must show1
- The entry visa for family members of EU citizens is issued free of charge.
Documents2
- Passport valid for at least another 6 months.
- Marriage or registered partnership certificate, with the transcript in the Luxembourg registers if the marriage took place abroad.
Steps2
- If a visa is required, apply at a Luxembourg or Belgian embassy or consulate before entering.
- Within 3 months of arrival register at the commune and apply for the residence permit; the decision takes up to 6 months.
After you arrive2
- The permit is valid for 5 years or for the sponsor's planned stay if shorter, and is renewed within the last 2 months.
- After 5 uninterrupted years of residence the spouse can obtain a permanent residence permit.
When you become tax resident
How Luxembourg decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Foreign-source income
Resident taxpayers in Luxembourg are subject to income tax on their worldwide revenues (domestic and foreign-source) and must report worldwide income, exempt and non-exempt, in their return; non-residents are taxed only on Luxembourg-source income unless they opt for resident treatment.
All tax rules for Luxembourg Tax records checked
Full official text
For the non-EU spouse, registered partner or long-term partner of a Luxembourg national. It gives a five-year residence permit with free access to work, after a free entry visa where one is required. 1
Requirements
- Applicant is the spouse or registered partner of a Luxembourg national, treated as an EU citizen's family member. 1
- An unregistered partner qualifies with at least one year of uninterrupted lawful cohabitation or a child in common. 1
- The sponsor must not become an unreasonable burden on the social welfare system. 1
- The entry visa for family members of EU citizens is issued free of charge. 1
- Passport valid for at least another 6 months. 1
- Marriage or registered partnership certificate, with the transcript in the Luxembourg registers if the marriage took place abroad. 1
- If a visa is required, apply at a Luxembourg or Belgian embassy or consulate before entering. 1
- Within 3 months of arrival register at the commune and apply for the residence permit; the decision takes up to 6 months. 1
- The permit is valid for 5 years or for the sponsor's planned stay if shorter, and is renewed within the last 2 months. 1
- After 5 uninterrupted years of residence the spouse can obtain a permanent residence permit. 1
Stay
- Residence permit valid for 5 years, or for the planned stay of the Luxembourg national if less; permanent residence permit available after 5 uninterrupted years.
- Initial permitted stay: 60 months.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
May carry out paid or unpaid professional activity without prior authorisation.
Family
Descendants under 21 or dependent, and dependent parents of the sponsor or spouse, are also family members.
Official sources
- Third-country family members of EU citizens or Luxembourg nationals: residence permit · Guichet.lu (Government of Luxembourg) · checked 2026-10-12
- Acquerir la nationalite luxembourgeoise par naturalisation · Guichet.lu (Luxembourg government portal) · checked 2026-10-11
Spouse of a citizen and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a citizen | – | 5 yr, renewable | – |
| Spouse of a resident | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| Spouse of a citizen Portugal | – | – | – |
| Spouse of a resident Spain | Needs income of €900+ a month ≈ $1,010 | – | Yes |
| Spouse of a resident Georgia | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the Spouse of a citizen?
Residence permit valid for 5 years, or for the planned stay of the Luxembourg national if less; permanent residence permit available after 5 uninterrupted years.
Can I work on the Spouse of a citizen?
May carry out paid or unpaid professional activity without prior authorisation.
Can I bring my family on the Spouse of a citizen?
Descendants under 21 or dependent, and dependent parents of the sponsor or spouse, are also family members.
Who can apply for the Spouse of a citizen?
Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the Spouse of a citizen lead to permanent residence in Luxembourg?
Time on the Spouse of a citizen counts toward permanent residence in Luxembourg, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. Time on the Spouse of a citizen counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence.
How are Spouse of a citizen holders taxed in Luxembourg?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Spouse of a citizen. The standard rules apply: Resident taxpayers in Luxembourg are subject to income tax on their worldwide revenues (domestic and foreign-source) and must report worldwide income, exempt and non-exempt, in their return; non-residents are taxed only on Luxembourg-source income unless they opt for resident treatment.
More in Luxembourg
Spouse and partner visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 2 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Third-country family members of EU citizens or Luxembourg nationals: residence permit · Guichet.lu (Government of Luxembourg) · checked 2026-10-12
- Acquerir la nationalite luxembourgeoise par naturalisation · Guichet.lu (Luxembourg government portal) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.