Luxembourgish nationality by option: routes and language requirements

Option is the declaration route to Luxembourgish nationality for adults in specific situations. Some routes ask for the Sproochentest and the Vivre ensemble certificate, others ask for neither, and the 20-year route asks for a 24-hour introductory course in place of both.

Option routes at a glance

The law of 8 March 2017 on Luxembourg nationality sets each route in its own article. Guichet.lu summarises them in a table, updated on 13 March 2026, that agrees with the consolidated law:

For the marriage route, the three-year rule does not apply to a candidate living abroad because their spouse holds a function conferred by a Luxembourg public authority or an international organisation (article 25).

The five routes that need the Sproochentest

Parents of a Luxembourg minor, spouses of Luxembourg nationals, candidates who completed the Welcome and Integration Contract or the citizens' pact modules, candidates who settled in Luxembourg before 18, and stateless persons, refugees or beneficiaries of subsidiary protection all document their Luxembourgish with the pass certificate of the language examination. The exam is the INLL Sproochentest:

• Speaking at A2. A 10 minute test with an interview and a picture description.
• Listening at B1. Three recordings with a multiple-choice questionnaire.
• Registration. 75 euros on MyINL, with the State reimbursing registration fees on request.
• Pass rule. At least half of the points in speaking, or an average of at least 50% over both tests.

The pass certificate is valid for an unlimited period, according to the INLL FAQ.

These routes also need the Vivre ensemble certificate: the 24-hour course or its exam, with free registration. For the Welcome and Integration Contract route, article 29 counts the civic education training of that contract, or the citizens' pact module of at least six hours, as the history module of the course.

The 20-year route: a 24-hour introductory course

An adult who has lived legally in Luxembourg for at least 20 years, with the last year uninterrupted, can make the option declaration after a Luxembourgish introductory course instead of the Sproochentest. Article 28 and the Ministry of Education describe the course:

• At least 24 hours, aimed at an introduction to Luxembourgish in oral expression and oral comprehension.
• Organised by the Service de la formation des adultes (SFA) or by providers whose programme the ministry has approved.
• It must carry the official mention, "Cours visant à offrir une initiation à la langue luxembourgeoise en expression orale et en compréhension de l'oral, conformément à l'article 28 de la loi modifiée du 8 mars 2017 sur la nationalité luxembourgeoise".
• The provider certifies your participation, and you send the original certificate with a pre-stamped return envelope to the SFA in Esch-Belval, which returns it with an official seal.
• A certificate from a more advanced Luxembourgish course can be submitted to the SFA, which assesses it case by case.

INLL points out that its own Luxembourgish courses do not give a certificate valid for this purpose, so choose a course from the approved list. The Ministry of Education points to unipop.lu and lifelong-learning.lu for current course offers, and nationalite.sfa@men.lu answers questions about whether a course falls under article 28.

Good repute applies to every option declaration

Article 33 tells the civil registrar to refuse to record an option declaration when the candidate does not meet the legal conditions, has made false statements, concealed important facts or acted fraudulently, or has a criminal sentence at or above the thresholds in the article, served less than 15 years before the declaration.

From the declaration to the certificate in hand

1. Identify your route in the table.
2. Collect your language and civic certificates: Sproochentest, Vivre ensemble, or the 24-hour course.
3. Gather the documents of article 34 and hand them to the civil registrar of your commune before you sign the declaration. They include a full copy of your birth certificate, a copy of your passport, a signed biographical notice and your criminal record extracts.

Practise the Luxembourgish while you collect the paperwork

Whichever route applies, the Luxembourgish you practise overlaps: simple spoken answers on everyday topics and listening to normal-speed Luxembourgish. MoienLab starts with the free level test: 12 questions across A1, A2 and B1 in under 8 minutes with no account. The six free lessons cover first words, introductions, numbers, family and work, directions and cafés.

For the Sproochentest routes, Full Access adds the complete exam preparation: 57 lessons from A1.1 to B1, 570 exercises, A2 oral practice, photo description, four B1 listening sets and a timed mock exam. It costs 59 € for 12 months with one payment and no subscription. See Full Access. Our guide to the nationality language requirement adds the exam context.