Luxembourg Citizenship by Descent

Luxembourg's well-known ancestral 'recovery of nationality' route — which let descendants of a Luxembourg national (in later versions, of a Luxembourg-born male ancestor who emigrated 1815–1943) reclaim citizenship regardless of generation — has closed. New applications ended on 1 January 2019, and the final deadline to sign the reclamation declaration passed on 31 December 2025; as of 1 January 2026 these requests are no longer accepted. What remains is ordinary descent: a child of a Luxembourg citizen acquires nationality automatically (jus sanguinis, Article 7), and Article 7 filiation can recognise nationality through a direct male-line ancestor born in Luxembourg (or the maternal line if you were born after 1 January 1969). Otherwise, naturalisation by residence applies. Luxembourg permits multiple citizenship.

Current passport design

Eligibility Overview

Luxembourg citizenship by descent is available through two main tracks. The first is direct descent: if a parent or grandparent was a Luxembourg citizen at your birth, you can claim citizenship through this route — but it is limited to two generations (parent or grandparent). The second is the reacquisition route: descendants of Luxembourgers who emigrated between 1815 and 1943 can reclaim citizenship by declaration, with no generational cap. The only conditions are that the qualifying ancestor was born as a Luxembourg national during that period, that they emigrated from Luxembourg, and that you can document an unbroken patrilineal line back to them — reflecting the historical rule that nationality passed through the father. Any generation beyond grandchildren claiming through this route must use the reacquisition track. Luxembourg permits dual or multiple nationality.

Key Requirements

Parent or grandparent is/was a Luxembourg citizen (direct descent route)
OR any generation of direct-line descent from a Luxembourg male ancestor born between 1815 and 1943 who emigrated (reacquisition route — no generational limit)
Unbroken documentary chain from ancestor to applicant
No act of renunciation of Luxembourg citizenship
Basic knowledge of Luxembourg history and nationality law helpful for applications

Documents You Will Need

1Birth certificates for each generation in the lineage
2Marriage certificates linking each generation
3Birth certificate of the Luxembourg ancestor from Luxembourg civil registries
4Proof of Luxembourg citizenship of the ancestor (civil registry excerpts, naturalization records)
5Valid passport of the applicant
6Death certificates where applicable
7All non-Luxembourgish documents require apostilles and certified translations (French, German, or Luxembourgish accepted)

Expected Timeline

Applications through the Luxembourg Ministry of Justice typically take 12-24 months, reflecting the complexity of verifying historical records. Applications in the reacquisition route can be faster (6-12 months) if documentation is well-organized.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Ancestor emigrated before 1815 or after 1943 — outside the reacquisition window
Female-line claims for the historical 1815-1943 window do not qualify under the reacquisition route
Records held in Luxembourg municipal archives or the ANLux (National Archives) may be hard to access remotely
Name discrepancies between French, German, and Luxembourgish forms of names in historical records
Confusion between Luxembourg citizenship and Belgian/Dutch nationality in border-region families

Official Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can qualify for Luxembourg Citizenship by Descent?

Descendants of Luxembourg citizens can qualify through direct descent only: if a parent or grandparent was a Luxembourg citizen at your birth, you can claim citizenship through this route. The well-known reacquisition route (for descendants of emigrants from 1815–1943) closed to new applications on 1 January 2019; the final deadline passed on 31 December 2025, and as of 1 January 2026 these requests are no longer accepted. Article 7 filiation can recognise nationality through a direct male-line ancestor born in Luxembourg (or the maternal line if you were born after 1 January 1969). Luxembourg permits multiple citizenships.

Which documents are required?

You need birth and marriage certificates for every generation from the Luxembourg ancestor to yourself, the ancestor's birth certificate from a Luxembourg commune, and civil registry excerpts proving their nationality. All non-Luxembourgish documents need apostilles and certified translations into French, German, or Luxembourgish.

How long does the process take?

Ministry of Justice processing takes 12-24 months. The reacquisition track can sometimes be resolved in 6-12 months if records are complete. Locating and obtaining historical civil records from Luxembourg communal registries and ANLux may take several months before you can submit.

Legal Basis

Luxembourg nationality is governed by the Loi du 8 mars 2017 sur la nationalité luxembourgeoise (replacing the 2008 law and its 2012 and 2015 amendments). Article 7 covers direct descent; Article 23 governs the reacquisition option for diaspora descendants of emigrants from 1815–1943. The 2017 law also introduced a Declaration of Filiation (déclaration de nationalité) route for grandchildren.

Dual Citizenship

Luxembourg explicitly permits multiple citizenship under the 2008 reform, making it one of the most permissive EU states. Acquiring Luxembourg citizenship does not require renouncing other nationalities, and Luxembourg citizens who naturalise elsewhere do not lose their Luxembourg nationality. This policy was introduced precisely to facilitate diaspora reclamations from countries like the United States, France, Brazil, and Argentina.

Estimated Costs

Ministry of Justice application fee: free (no charge for nationality declarations). Communal civil registry excerpts (extrait d'acte): €3–€15 per document. ANLux archive research: €10–€30 per record. Apostilles: €15–€40 per document. Certified translations into French/German: €60–€120 per document. Total preparation for a reacquisition claim: €600–€1,400 depending on the number of generations.

Key Archives for Research

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About the author

Michael— Claimed Hungarian citizenship by descent firsthand

Founder & Researcher, Heritage Passport Finder

I built Heritage Passport Finder after going through the process of claiming Hungarian citizenship by descent myself. Tracing my family's records and working out what actually qualified turned into a genuine obsession with how citizenship-by-descent law works across Europe, so I started gathering what I learned in one place. I'm not a lawyer, and I don't treat these guides as the final word — citizenship law changes constantly and differs by country, so every page points to official sources and I recommend confirming your own case with the relevant consulate or an immigration attorney. What I can offer is a clear map of the landscape, drawn from official sources and the experience of someone who has actually been through it.