Following the new law on gaining Luxembourgish nationality the government has published the different ways of signing up to civic classes and exams.

The new law, which came into force on April 1, makes obtaining Luxembourgish nationality easier than under the previous legislation.

The obligatory length of residency has been reduced from seven to five years and while applicants need to pass a language test, they only have to achieve level A2 in oral expression and B1 in comprehension.

People who have been living in Luxembourg for 20 years or more can take a total of 24 hours of Luxembourgish lessons before receiving the language certification for nationality, without having to take an exam.

The updated government website offers four options for those who need the Vivre ensemble au Grand-Duché de Luxembourg (living together in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg) certificate to be able to obtain the nationality.

24-hour civic classes

The 24-hour civic course allows people to sign up to three modules for a total of 24 hours.

The modules consist of:

Three two-hour sessions of fundamental citizens’ right
Six two-hour modules on state and local institutions of Luxembourg
Three two-hour sessions on the history of Luxembourg and European integration

The courses are available to all adults but participants must follow all 12 modules to be able to obtain the certificate.

The only way to sign up to the classes is via the link on the top left of the webpage.

Those who have the CAI

The CAI (Welcome and Integration Contract) was created under the law of 16 December 2008 to facilitate integration in Luxembourg.

The CAI is an optional service proposed to any foreigner who is at least 16 years old who resides legally in Luxembourg and wishes to remain on a permanent basis.

The services it offers includes a language training course – which brings participants to A1 level in any of the three administrative languages of Luxembourg, citizenship training course – which gives an insight into integration, and an orientation day which is organised twice a year, aiming to provide further knowledge of Luxembourg’s official establishments and organisations.

According to the Office Luxembourgeois de l’Acceuil et de l’Intégration (OLAI) one of the advantages of the CAI is the “exemption from one of the optional citizenship training courses planned within the acquisition of Luxembourg nationality”.

Under the new nationality law anyone holding a CAI certificate is exempt from the module on the history of Luxembourg and European integration as part of the vivre ensemble au Grand-Duché de Luxembourg certificate.

To sign up for the courses if you already have the CAI click on the top right of the government webpage.

24-hour course exam

This is for those who do not complete the 24-hour course. If you complete the 24-hour course there is no need to sit the exam.

The exam covers the same subjects as the courses and lasts one hour.

There are multiple choice questions and the exam layout is as follows:

10 questions on fundamental citizens’ rights
20 questions on the state and local institutions of Luxembourg
10 questions on the history of Luxembourg and European integration

A score of 28 or higher will result in a pass.

Registration is only available via the bottom left link on the webpage.

Civic course certificate holders

Anyone who holds the former “civic course” certificate can sit a specific exam session which lasts one hour and consists of multiple choice questions.

The exam content covers the following areas:

The State
Democracy
Grand Duke
Legislasive Power
Government
Courts
Rights and Duties
Communes
Ballots and Elections
Law
History before the period of foreign rule
Foreign rule
Three partitions of Luxembourg
The 20th century to the Foundation of the ECSC
Creation of the European Union
Luxembourg and the European Union

The view the full document on which the exam will be based click here.

The list of available exams can be seen on the bottom right of the webpage.

The links to the webpage are only accessible from a Luxembourg IP address.