Luxembourg Names 1 Category of Foreigners Exempt From Writing Citizenship Language Test
- Luxembourg's government identified a category of foreigners who may skip the citizenship language test and a separate civic knowledge exam
- Foreigners who have legally lived in Luxembourg for more than 20 years could qualify, but specific conditions apply
- Qualifying residents must complete a mandatory 24-hour spoken Luxembourgish course through an approved provider
PAY ATTENTION: Find it fast with our new search feature at Legit.ng!
Luxembourg has opened a potential pathway for long-term foreign residents to obtain citizenship without sitting the standard language test or the exam on life in the country, under a framework the government has quietly put in place.
The exemption targets a specific group: foreigners who have lived legally in Luxembourg for more than 20 years. Even within that group, meeting the residency threshold alone is not enough to qualify, as additional conditions must be satisfied before the exemption can be applied.
Source: Getty Images
Mandatory course for exemption eligibility
Residents seeking to benefit from the arrangement are still required to complete an introductory spoken Luxembourgish course covering listening comprehension, with a minimum duration of 24 hours. The course cannot be taken with just any provider. It must be organised either through the adult education service run by the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth, or through a provider that has received official approval to deliver the programme.
The government has also issued a specific advisory urging prospective applicants to verify that their chosen course meets the requirements set out in Article 28 of Luxembourg's nationality law before enrolling. The caution is deliberate: not every Luxembourgish language course on the market qualifies for the purpose of this exemption, and attending an ineligible course could disqualify a resident from benefiting even if they meet the residency requirement.
Why the distinction matters for applicants
For many long-term residents, particularly those who have built their lives in Luxembourg over two decades or more, the standard citizenship language tests can represent a significant barrier. The exemption route offers an alternative that acknowledges the depth of their ties to the country while still requiring a baseline engagement with the Luxembourgish language through the compulsory course.
The requirement that the course be delivered by a Ministry-linked or officially approved provider ensures a level of standardisation, so that all applicants pursuing this route receive instruction that meets a defined threshold before their exemption claim is considered valid.
UK publishes list of English test exemptions
Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that the UK government had published a list of 19 countries and territories whose nationals are exempt from proving their English language knowledge when applying for settlement or British citizenship.
The report also explained that applicants from countries not on the list must meet the English language requirement, even if English is widely spoken or recognised as an official language in their home countries.
Source: Legit.ng
