Before 2021, a British citizen could register at a Luxembourg commune like any other European. Since Brexit the picture has two halves: those who were already living in Luxembourg on 31 December 2020, and everyone who arrived after. Moving to Luxembourg from the UK now means treating the move like one from any other non-EU country, with a few extra comforts for those who already had rights.
What is the status of British citizens after Brexit?
British nationals (Scots included) are third-country nationals. Guichet.lu has a dedicated section:
- Residents on 31 December 2020 and their third-country family members hold a residence document under the Withdrawal Agreement, with the right to ask for a permanent residence document under the same agreement.
- Cross-border workers (living nearby, working in Luxembourg) can obtain a document confirming their rights.
- Everyone else follows the third-country rules.
If you are not sure which group you are in, the date of your first legal residence in Luxembourg before 2021 is the key fact. Keep the paperwork that proves it.
How does the visa D route work for moving to Luxembourg from the UK?
For a salaried job, according to Guichet.lu (page updated on 1 October 2026), the steps are:
- Before entering: apply for a long-stay visa (visa D) at a Luxembourg or Belgian diplomatic post. An application made once you are already in Luxembourg is inadmissible, so do not travel first and plan to sort it out later.
- After entering: declare your arrival to your commune, have a medical check, and apply for a residence permit before the visa expires.
The visa is valid for six months. The conditions on the employment side:
- a contract signed by you and a legally established Luxembourg employer;
- a gross salary at least equal to the monthly social minimum wage, which is €2,771.33 for an unskilled adult since 1 June 2026 (the Guichet.lu page does not state the amount);
- an ADEM certificate that allows the employer to recruit the person of its choice, applicable when no suitable local candidate is found within three weeks of declaring the vacancy.
The documents include a valid passport, a criminal record extract under three months old (or a sworn affidavit if you cannot get one), a CV with diplomas, the signed contract with the ADEM certificate, and Schengen travel health insurance covering the whole visa period, including repatriation. Documents not in French, German or English need a sworn translation.
What may change with the single permit law?
Guichet.lu lists rules awaiting the entry into force of bill no. 8586 on the single permit: a first permit of up to two years, no change of employer in the first six months, and a notice to the immigration directorate afterwards, which has 30 days to object. They are not in force when we write, so ask the immigration directorate which version applies to your date.
The order of the steps is where most people go wrong: visa first, then arrival, medical check, permit, and only then the bank, the health fund and the tax card. Moovy can lay out the sequence for your case from the official pages and list the documents you will need to translate. The immigration directorate decides the outcome.
What about health, banking and driving?
Health. For temporary stays the UK's GHIC replaces the EHIC. If you work in Luxembourg, your employer affiliates you to the CCSS and you are covered by the CNS like everyone else. A UK State Pension recipient gets an S1 from the NHS Overseas Healthcare Services and registers it with the CNS, and a resident who does not work can join voluntary insurance, according to GOV.UK. See healthcare in Luxembourg for expats.
Banking. The right to a basic payment account concerns consumers who reside legally in the EU; once you live in Luxembourg you benefit like other residents. See bank accounts in Luxembourg.
Driving. A UK licence is not an EEA licence. It should in principle be transcribed within a year of settling, from the 185th day, for €30; if you miss the deadline you must pass an exam. A car imported from the UK is an import from outside the EU, with customs clearance and possibly VAT. See driving in Luxembourg.
And your tax and social security?
The same rules as for other residents apply once you settle: tax card, class, return. Luxembourg has a tax treaty with the United Kingdom, Scotland included, which decides who taxes what in the year you move and on income left in the UK. Ask the tax administration (ACD) how the convention applies to your year of arrival.
What mistakes cost British arrivals time?
- Entering first and applying for the visa afterwards. It is inadmissible.
- Underestimating the ADEM certificate. The employer may need to advertise the job first.
- Forgetting translations. Anything outside French, German or English needs a sworn translation.
- Letting the visa expire before the permit application.
- Not checking which Withdrawal Agreement document you hold if you were a resident in 2020.
What does moving to Luxembourg from the UK involve for families?
A British employee who qualifies can usually bring a spouse and children, who then need their own residence documents. Guichet.lu has separate pages on the residence document for a third-country family member of a British national who arrived after 31 December 2020 and for those who were already residents. The details of the family route are not on the page we read, so ask the immigration directorate which documents it requires, such as marriage and birth certificates, and whether sworn translations are needed. Children enrol in school through the commune or the lycée once the family is registered; see schools in Luxembourg for expat children.
Can you visit first before moving to Luxembourg from the UK?
Yes, for short stays, as a visitor, under the normal rules for non-EU travellers in the Schengen area. A visit is useful to look at housing, the commute and the schools. But it is not a way to start a long-stay application: a visa D request made once you are in Luxembourg is inadmissible, so use the trip for scouting only. Check the current entry requirements for British travellers on the Luxembourg foreign ministry website before you travel, as they can change.
How does moving to Luxembourg from the UK compare with moving as an EU citizen?
The main difference is time. An EU citizen registers at the commune within three months and receives a certificate at once. A British employee has to plan ahead: the employer must first obtain the ADEM certificate, you then apply for the visa D from outside Luxembourg, and only after arrival do you declare yourself, undergo the medical check and apply for the permit. Count several weeks, and avoid fixing your start date before the visa is granted. Compare with residence in Luxembourg for EU citizens to see what you are not getting.
Who can help with the paperwork on the Luxembourg side?
Your future employer is your first ally, since it applies for the ADEM certificate and signs the contract. The Luxembourg immigration directorate decides on the permit and publishes a contact number and email on Guichet.lu. If you were already a resident on 31 December 2020, Guichet.lu has pages on replacing a lost residence document and on applying for permanent residence under the Withdrawal Agreement. Keep your original documents and sworn translations safe, because you will present them several times.
For the full order of local steps after you land, the guide to moving to Luxembourg applies. Immigration rules change; check guichet.lu and the immigration directorate before you act.