Luxembourg
Country Specific Information
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April 23, 2012

COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: Luxembourg is a highly developed, stable constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. There are many tourist facilities in Luxembourg. Read the Department of State’s Background Note on Luxembourg for additional information.

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SMART TRAVELER ENROLLMENT PROGRAM (STEP) / EMBASSY LOCATION: If you are going to live in or visit Luxembourg, please take the time to tell our Embassy about your trip. If you enroll, we can keep you up to date with important safety and security announcements. We can also help your friends and family get in touch with you in an emergency. Here’s the link to the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.

Local Embassy information is available below and at the Department of State’s list of embassies and consulates.

U.S. Embassy Luxembourg
22, Blvd Emmanuel Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City
Telephone: (352) 46 01 23 (available 24/7),
Emergency after-hours telephone: (352) 621 547 133 (duty officer)
Facsimile: (352) 46 19 39

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ENTRY / EXIT REQUIREMENTS FOR U.S. CITIZENS: Luxembourg is a party to the Schengen Agreement. You may enter Luxembourg for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes without a visa. Your passport should be valid for at least three months beyond the period of stay. You are required to have sufficient funds and a return airline ticket. For further details about travel into and within Schengen countries, please see our Schengen fact sheet. No immunizations are required.

If you plan to stay longer than three months, you must apply for a temporary-residence permit (“autorisation de séjour”') before entering Luxembourg. This permit, issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, applies to students, employees, self-employed persons, interns, research workers, and family members. If you apply for and receive a permit, it will be mailed to you. You will then have 90 days to enter Luxembourg. You must then register your arrival (“déclaration d'arrivée”) within three weekdays from your date of entry at the town office (“administration communale”) of your future place of residence. You must request your official residency card (“titre de séjour”) from the Immigration Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within three months of your arrival.

For additional information about entry requirements for Luxembourg, you can contact the Embassy of Luxembourg (2200 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008; phone: (202) 265-4171 or -4172), or the Luxembourg Consulates General in New York (phone: (212) 888-6664) or San Francisco (phone: (415) 788-0816).

Visit the Embassy of Luxembourg website for the most current visa information.

The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of Luxembourg.

Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our website. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information page.

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THREATS TO SAFETY AND SECURITY: Terrorist incidents are rare in Luxembourg. Luxembourg's open borders, however, could possibly allow terrorist groups to enter/exit the country unnoticed.

Prior police approval is required for public demonstrations in Luxembourg. Police routinely provide supervision to ensure adequate security for participants and passers-by. Nonetheless, situations may develop which could pose threats to public safety. We advise you to avoid areas where public demonstrations are taking place.

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CRIME: The crime rate in Luxembourg is moderate as compared to other European countries. The predominant forms of crime in Luxembourg are non-violent. Such crimes include the theft of valuables through snatching of purses/bags, and breaking and entering of unoccupied homes. You should take common-sense precautions while in Luxembourg; be especially cautious while in public areas, the airport, and train terminals, where pickpockets can be a problem. Luxembourg has many public parks that are safe during the daylight hours, though the volume of low-level drug vending has increased in some of the city parks. You should avoid these parks after dark, though, because they pose a higher risk. During the summer season, you should be particularly alert to purse snatchings and confidence scams against tourists. Incidents of petty crime spike during the annual “Schueberfouer,” a three-week event held every summer.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal to bring back into the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law. 

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VICTIMS OF CRIME: If you or someone you know becomes the victim of a crime abroad, you should contact the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. 

We can:

  • Replace a stolen passport;
  • Help you find appropriate medical care if you are the victim of violent crimes such as assault or rape;
  • Put you in contact with the appropriate police authorities, and if you want us to, we can contact family members or friend;
  • Help you understand the local criminal justice process and direct you to local attorneys, although it is important to remember that local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting the crime;

The Government of Luxembourg has a website that offers information about local police and justice procedures, as well as victim support services.

The local equivalent to the “911” emergency line in Luxembourg is 113 for the police.

Please see our information on victims of crime, including possible victim-compensation programs in the United States.

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CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While you are traveling in Luxembourg, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own. Criminal penalties vary from country to country. There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States. You can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods abroad. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States If you break local laws in Luxembourg, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not where you are going. 

Persons violating Luxembourg's laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Luxembourg are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

Arrest notifications in host country:

While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in a foreign country, that might not always be the case. To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas.

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SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Luxembourg customs authorities may enforce strict regulations on the temporary import or export of certain items into or out of Luxembourg. Such items may include live animals, plants, endangered species, medication (except for personal use), firearms and ammunition, cultural artifacts, alcoholic beverages, and tobacco products. Please contact the Embassy of Luxembourg in Washington or one of Luxembourg's consulates in the United States for specific information regarding customs requirements. You may travel with any amount of imported currency. The Euro is the official currency in Luxembourg. Please see our Customs Information sheet.

Accessibility: Persons with disabilities can take advantage of a special public transportation system (Novabus) that can be requested for a small fee to transport the customer anywhere within Luxembourg. The buses operated by Luxembourg City are all accessible to persons with physical disabilities. It is also possible to book a special ‘Rollibus’ (minivan).

Luxembourg train station provides assistance to travelers with disabilities. This service can be requested from any platform at the station or by e-mail in advance. Luxembourg CFL (local railway system) has been improving accommodations for persons with disabilities by installing ramps, broader doors, etc.

Most public buildings, sports and cultural centers, theaters, and museums have good accessibility for disabled persons. Luxembourg has a local website that provides information for people with disabilities. 

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MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Medical facilities are widely available. Dial 112 for a medical emergency or the fire department, and 113 for the police. Hospitals in Luxembourg operate on a 24-hour rotation system. We do not advise self-referral to any hospital, with an exception: the “Centre Hospitalier” is always on-call for emergency cases involving children under the age of 14. In Luxembourg City, three major hospitals offer comprehensive general medical and surgical treatment. Additionally, there are two pediatric clinics and two obstetric clinics in Luxembourg City. There are also hospitals in the south of the country (Esch-sur-Alzette) and in the north (Wiltz). For more specialized care, including major burns, transfer to a regional burn center in Belgium or France is necessary. Three medical services (maisons médicales) provide general medical treatment (not suitable for emergency cases) after hours, on weekends and holidays, when a treating physician is not available. Please see information on all medical facilities in Luxembourg at the following website.

Most drugstores are located in the Luxembourg City but can also be found throughout the country in all major communes. Drugstores operate on a 24-hour rotation system for after-hours services, including emergency prescriptions. The on-call pharmacy is listed daily in the local newspaper or can be ascertained by calling 112. A doctor's prescription is sometimes necessary for drugs that are sold over the counter in the United States.

You can find good information on vaccinations and other health precautions, on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC) website. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the the World Health Organization (WHO) website, which also contains additional health information for travelers, including detailed country-specific health information.

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MEDICAL INSURANCE: You can’t assume your insurance will go with you when you travel. It’s very important to find out BEFORE you leave whether or not your medical insurance will cover you overseas. You need to ask your insurance company two questions:

  • Does my policy apply when I’m out of the United States?
  • Will it cover emergencies like a trip to a foreign hospital or a medical evacuation?

In many places, doctors and hospitals still expect payment in cash at the time of service. Your regular U.S. health insurance may not cover doctor and hospital visits in other countries. If your policy doesn’t go with you when you travel, it’s a very good idea to take out another one for your trip. For more information, please see our medical insurance overseas page.

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TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: If you are residing in Luxembourg, you must have your driver’s license transferred within one year. To start the process, you must have been a registered resident of Luxembourg for at least 185 days and the license must have been issued in the country where you were actually residing at the time of issuance. Furthermore, you must submit a recent medical certificate, a criminal record check (affidavit from the U.S. Embassy) and a residence permit for Luxembourg. It is not possible to receive a Luxembourg driver’s license and keep the foreign (U.S.) license. The foreign license must be surrendered to the driver’s license office and will be returned to the issuing authority.  

While in Luxembourg, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. Luxembourg has a modern, well-maintained system of highways and secondary roads. Road signs and markings are clear and primarily worded in French. Streets in the city, construction sites and crossroads are well illuminated at night. On highways, a digital alert system warns drivers of incidents or detours. Roads into and out of Luxembourg City are congested during the morning and evening rush hour. Visitors should drive defensively in high-volume commuter traffic. During the fall and winter, fog and ice can cause sudden slowdowns on highways and secondary roads.

In case of a car accident involving injury or dispute, it is a good idea to call the police at 113. The police will make an official assessment of the accident's circumstances that can subsequently be used if further legal action becomes necessary.

The daily mix of drivers from Luxembourg and its three neighboring countries results in a variety of driving practices and courtesies. While most drivers respect speed limits, traffic signals, and rules, some do not. Vehicle maintenance for cars registered in Luxembourg is controlled by the mandatory yearly car inspection; police can perform random road checks at any time. The possibility of encountering an intoxicated driver increases on weekends, especially during the late evening hours. Driving while intoxicated may result in penalties including imprisonment from eight days up to two years, plus a fine of 251 to 5,000 Euros (approximately $344 to $6,870).

Public transportation throughout the country, including bus services and taxis, is highly developed and is considered very safe.

Emergency road services in Luxembourg are excellent. For breakdown and towing service call the Automobile Club of Luxembourg (ACL) at 26000. In case of an accident, call 112 for a medical emergency and 113 for the police.

Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information. Also, we suggest that you visit the website of Luxembourg’s national tourism office or the Ministry of Development and Infrastructure, the national authority responsible for road safety (in French only).

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AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the government of Luxembourg’s Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of Luxembourg’s air carrier operations. Further information may be found on the FAA’s safety assessment page.

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CHILDREN’S ISSUES: Please see our Office of Children’s Issues web pages on intercountry adoption and international parental child abduction.

 

 

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This replaces the Country Specific Information for Luxembourg dated November 8, 2011 to update the section on Trafffic Safety and Road Conditions.

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