Living in Luxembourg

This page tells you what to do ahead of Brexit. It will be updated if anything changes, including if a deal is agreed.

Visas and residency

Check entry requirements for Luxembourg in our travel advice.

You are required to register at the local town hall (“commune”) in Luxembourg when you arrive.

If you plan to stay in Luxembourg for more than 90 days, you must make a declaration of arrival (déclaration d’arrivée) at the local town hall (commune) in your locality within 8 days. Within 3 months of arrival, you must get an address registration certificate (déclaration d’enregistrement) from the Commune. The Luxembourg government has more information on registering in Luxembourg.

If you are applying for nationality or residency and require a ’casier judiciaire’, you must apply for a police certificate from the ACRO Criminal Records Office. If you have never resided in the UK, please record this in the ‘additional information’ section on the application form.

If you have lived in Luxembourg legally for a continuous period of 5 years, you automatically acquire the right of permanent residence in Luxembourg. You can get an ‘attestation de séjour permanent’ from your local commune or fill in the ‘attestation’ form and send to the address on the form.

Read our travel advice for Luxembourg and sign up for up-to-date information on local laws and customs and safety and emergencies.

Read our guidance on moving or retiring abroad.

Visas and residency visas after the UK leaves the EU

For the latest information on residency rules and registration processes in Luxembourg after Brexit, look at the Luxembourg government’s information on Brexit.

Passports and travel

You can apply for or renew your British passport online from Luxembourg.

Passports and travel after Brexit

After Brexit the rules on travel will change. Check your passport is valid for travel before you book your trip. You must renew your passport before travelling if you do not have enough time left on it.

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, nothing will change until the end of 2020. During this time, you can continue to travel freely in the Schengen area with your UK passport. What happens after 2020 will form the next part of negotiations.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, new travel rules will apply. You must have at least 6 months left on an adult or child passport to travel to most countries in Europe (not including Ireland). If you renewed your current passport before the previous one expired, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. Any extra months on your passport over 10 years may not count towards the 6 months needed.

If there’s no deal, UK nationals will not need visas for short stays elsewhere in the EU. You will be able to stay up to 90 days in another EU, EEA or EFTA country, within a 180-day period. You must retain evidence of travel (such as train and plane tickets) in case these are requested by national authorities. If you hold a residence permit from an EU, EEA or EFTA country, you will be able to transit through other EU, EEA or EFTA countries to reach your country of residence. We will update this guidance as more information becomes available.

Healthcare

Read the NHS guidance on accessing healthcare in Luxembourg and how to register.

You can find English-speaking doctors in Luxembourg. You must check your prescriptions are legal.

If you are resident in Luxembourg, you should not be using a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from the UK to access healthcare in Luxembourg.

When you travel from Luxembourg for a temporary stay in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland, you can use an EHIC to access state-provided healthcare in that country. During that short stay:

• the EHIC covers treatment that is medically necessary until your planned return home
• an EHIC is not a replacement for comprehensive travel insurance
• read our travel advice pages and advice on foreign travel insurance

If you live in Luxembourg and receive an exportable UK pension, contribution-based Employment Support Allowance or another exportable benefit, you may currently be entitled to state healthcare paid for by the UK. You must apply for a certificate of entitlement known as an S1 certificate by calling +44 (0)191 218 1999.

If you are an S1 form holder and are travelling outside of Luxembourg but within the EU, you must apply for a UK-issued European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Read the NHS guidance about the EHIC and how to apply.

Read the Luxembourg government’s information on Brexit.

Working in Luxembourg

If you are registered as a resident in Luxembourg, you have the right to work in Luxembourg. Read our guidance on working in another EU country.

Check if you need to apply for a UK criminal records certificate, known in Luxembourg as a ‘casier judiciare.’

Working in Luxembourg after Brexit

If the UK leaves with a deal, your right to work will not change until the end of the implementation period.

Read the Luxembourg government’s information about Brexit

If you are planning to start a business, provide a service, or do a job in a regulated profession after Brexit read the guidance on providing services after Brexit.

Money and tax

The UK has a double-taxation agreement with Luxembourg to make sure that people do not pay tax on the same income in both countries. You should direct individual taxpayer questions about double-taxation relief to the relevant tax authority.

Read:

• our guidance on tax if you leave the UK to live abroad
• our guidance on tax on your UK income if you live abroad
• guidance on paying income tax in Luxembourg

You should get professional advice on paying tax in Luxembourg.

Find out if you can pay National Insurance while abroad in order to protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances.

Money and tax after Brexit

Brexit will not change existing double taxation arrangements for UK nationals living in Luxembourg.

If there’s no deal, it may become more expensive to use your UK bank card in the EU. Read our guidance on using a bank card, insurance or other financial services in the EU.

Pensions

You must tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.

If you retire in Luxembourg, you can claim:

• your UK State Pension or new UK State Pension. Contact the International Pensions Centre to claim
• your Luxembourg and UK State Pension (in French) if you worked in Luxembourg
• if you have worked in other EU countries, check with the International Pension Centre

Life certificates

If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you must respond as soon as possible. Your payments may be suspended if you don’t.

Pensions after Brexit

The UK government will continue to pay a State Pension to those eligible in the EU after Brexit. Your UK State Pension will be uprated in April 2020, 2021 and 2022 if you live in the EU, EEA or Switzerland.

If there is a deal and you work and pay social security contributions in Luxembourg, you will still be able to add your UK social security contributions towards your Luxembourg pension. This will happen even if you claim your pension after the end of the implementation period.

Read the Luxembourg government’s information on the UK’s departure from the EU.

Read our guidance on pensions if there’s no deal.

Benefits

You may still be able to claim some UK benefits like child and disability benefits if you live in Luxembourg. You should:

• read our guidance on which benefits you can claim if you live abroad
• use our tool to check which benefits you can claim while your abroad

Many income-related benefits such as Pension Credit and Housing Benefit cannot be paid to you if you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks.

You may be eligible to claim some Luxembourg social security benefits – read about Luxembourg social security benefits.

You can request proof of the time you have worked in the UK from HMRC and any social security contributions made if you are asked for this.

Benefits after Brexit

The UK government will continue to pay child benefits and disability benefits to those eligible in the EU after Brexit.

If there is a deal and you work and pay social security contributions in Luxembourg, your UK social security contributions will be taken into account when applying for Luxembourg contributions-based benefits. This will happen even if you claim contributions-based benefits after the end of the implementation period.

Read our guidance on pensions if there’s no deal.

Driving in Luxembourg

YouIn the event of a No Deal Brexit, if you are resident in Luxembourg on Exit Day you must exchangeconvert your UK driving licence forinto a Luxembourg drivingone licencewithin before12 months of the UKdate leavesof the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. UK licence holders moving to Luxembourg after Brexit will have 12 months’ time to exchange their licence from the moment they are registered as Luxembourg residents. Further detail can be found here. If you are visiting Luxembourg after Brexit, you can continue to use your UK driving licence.

You can still use your Luxembourg licence in the UK for short visits or exchange it for a UK licence without taking a test if you return to live in the UK.

For information on driving in Luxembourg, read our guidance on:

• what you need to drive abroad
• road travel in Luxembourg

Read the European Union’s guidance on exchanging or renewing your driving licence.

Bringing a UK-registered vehicle to Luxembourg

Read our guidance on taking a vehicle out of the UK. Find out how to change your UK vehicle licence plates to Luxembourg plates.

You can read the EU’s guidance on vehicle registration abroad and importing a vehicle into Luxembourg. You may be exempt from some taxes. If so, you will need certificates of exemption.

Driving in Luxembourg after Brexit

If there is a deal, you will continue to be able to drive in Luxembourg with a UK driving licence until the end of 2020.

If there is no deal,deal and you are resident in Luxembourg on the date of the UK’s withdrawal you will need to exchange your UK licence for a Luxembourg one.one within 12 months of the date of the UK’s withdrawal. If you move to Luxembourg after Brexit, you will have 12 months to exchange your licence from the moment you are registered as a Luxembourg resident.

Read our guidance on driving in the EU after Brexit.

Read the Luxembourg government’s guidance on Brexit.

Voting

You may be able to vote in some UK elections. You can:

• check if you are able to vote
• register as an overseas voter if you would like to vote

If you’re resident in Luxembourg, you can vote in local municipal and European parliamentary elections.

If you’re resident in Luxembourg, you can vote in local municipal and European parliamentary elections.

Voting after Brexit

You will still be able to vote in local elections in Luxembourg after Brexit.

Births, deaths and getting married or civil partnership

If your child is born in Luxembourg, you will need to register the birth abroad.

If someone dies in Luxembourg, you can:

• read our guidance on what to do after someone dies abroad
• read guidance for UK nationals on bereavements in Luxembourg
• find a list of English-speaking funeral directors in Luxembourg

Find out how you can get married or conduct a civil partnership abroad.

You may also need:

• notary services for Luxembourg
• English-speaking lawyers in Luxembourg
• English-speaking translators and interpreters in Luxembourg

Accommodation and buying property

You can read our guidance on buying a property abroad.

Pets

You will still be able to travel to and from the UK with a cat, dog or ferret after Brexit, but the rules will change. Read the guidance on pet travel to Europe after Brexit.

While the UK is still an EU Member State you’ll be able to travel with your pet to the EU under the current pet travel rules using your current EU pet passport. If you are travelling with your pet for the first time, you must visit your vet to get a pet passport.

Read guidance on returning your cat, dog or ferret to the UK. For moving pet horses and other equines read guidance on export horses and ponies: special rules.

Emergencies

You can dial the European emergency number on 112 or you can dial 113 in Luxembourg for the police.

Look at the full list of emergency numbers in Luxembourg.

If you are the victim of crime, have been arrested, or are affected by a crisis abroad, contact the British Embassy Luxembourg.

Returning to the UK

You must tell the Luxembourg and UK authorities if you are returning to the UK permanently.

You should read our guidance on:

• access to benefits and services in the UK if there is no deal
• bringing your family to the UK
• access to higher education, 19+ further education and apprenticeship funding
• importing vehicles back to the UK
• bringing your pet back to the UK
• checking your tax status after returning to the UK

To move your pension to the UK, contact the International Pension Centre.

If you receive healthcare in Luxembourg through the S1 form, you must contact the Overseas Healthcare Team on +44 191 218 1999 to make sure your S1 is cancelled at the right time.

Disclaimer

Please note that this information is provided as a guide only. Definitive information should be obtained from the Luxembourg authorities. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information