Luxembourg Citizenship by Descent
Luxembourg is one of the few EU countries with no generational limit on citizenship reacquisition. Under the reacquisition route, any generation — great-great-grandchildren and beyond — can reclaim Luxembourg citizenship, provided they descend in an unbroken line from a Luxembourg-born male ancestor who emigrated between 1815 and 1943. The law was significantly reformed in 2008 and expanded over time, and Luxembourg explicitly permits multiple citizenship.
Current passport design
© Wikimedia Commons
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 two routes: direct descent (parent or grandparent was a Luxembourg citizen at your birth) or reacquisition (any generation in an unbroken patrilineal line from a Luxembourg-born male ancestor who emigrated between 1815 and 1943 — no generational cap applies). Luxembourg permits multiple citizenships, so holding another passport does not disqualify you.
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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