The Misconception About “Ending” Dual Citizenship
If you’ve been following news about luxembourg dual citizenship, you’ve likely encountered headlines suggesting that Luxembourg’s dual citizenship program is “coming to an end” on December 31, 2025. This is a significant misnomer that has created unnecessary panic among potential applicants.
The truth is more nuanced: while one specific pathway (Article 89) has a deadline, Luxembourg’s Luxembourgish nationality opportunities are far from disappearing. In fact, thousands of Luxembourg Citizens have continued to obtain Luxembourgish citizenship through ancestry in recent years, with all applications submitted since January 1st, 2019 being processed under alternative legal provisions that remain available through the Ministry of Justice.
Understanding Article 89: What’s Actually Ending
The most famous pathway to Luxembourg dual citizenship through ancestry in Luxembourg is the “Recovery of Luxembourg citizenship,” which refers to Article 89 of the Luxembourgish nationality law. The criteria is a person with a direct lineage ancestor who was alive and had Luxembourgish citizenship on January 1st, 1900. The article envisioned time-limited special recovery provision with specific deadlines:
- First deadline: December 31, 2018 (for initial applications)
- Travel deadline: Originally December 31, 2020, extended to December 31, 2025 due to COVID-19
Here’s the key point many miss: no new Article 89 applications have been accepted since January 1, 2019. Everyone applying for Luxembourg dual citizenship through ancestry since then has been using other parts of the Luxembourgish nationality law, and none of these provisions have a deadline.
By the end of 2018, the Ministry of Justice had received 47,472 qualified initial applications. The only applications accepted under Article 89 after 2019 were for minor children of validated initial applicants who turned 18 during the pandemic and could not travel to the Grand Duchy. Additional certificates were issued to these children who became legal adults because their parent was already validated.
Current Open Pathways for Luxembourg Dual Citizenship
1. Article 7 – Paternal/Maternal Lineage Recognition
Requirements:
- Direct lineage to a male ancestor born in Luxembourg
- OR the above applies through your mother’s lineage and you were born after January 1st, 1969
2. Article 23 – Citizenship by Option
Requirements:
- Parent or grandparent who is/was a Luxembourg citizen
Important note: This process requires an in-person trip to Luxembourg but has no deadline constraints. Knowledge of the Luxembourgish language may be helpful when handling administrative steps..
3. Article 7/23 Combination Process
Previously known as “Posthumous Citizenship by Option”
Requirements:
- Living or deceased parent/grandparent with all-male lineage to Luxembourg ancestor (qualifying under Article 7)
- You don’t qualify independently under Article 7 or Article 23
- Requires travel to Luxembourg (no deadline)
Previously, this process was limited to people whose parent or grandparent with an all-male Luxembourg lineage were already deceased, hence the name posthumous citizenship by option. However, by 2024, the Government started to accept living parents or grandparents as well.
Applicants sometimes strengthen their cases with documented family history proving Luxembourg ancestry, which is particularly important when lineage records are incomplete or archived in older local registries.
What Changes After January 1, 2026?
Contrary to popular belief, very little changes regarding Luxembourg dual citizenship opportunities:
What Ends:
- Article 89 recovery deadline expires – affecting only those who submitted an initial written Luxembourg citizenship application before December 31, 2018
- No more extensions for Article 89 travelers
At the start of 2025, 681 Americans and 2,893 Brazilians were still eligible to complete their dual citizenship application under Article 89. However, considering that applications could first be made in 2009, many of the remaining applicants have either passed away or abandoned the process.
Therefore the total number of people this highly publicized deadline affects is negligible.
What Continues:
- Article 7 remains fully operational – permanent pathway for those with proper lineage
- Article 23 continues unchanged – option for those with Luxembourg parent/grandparent connections
- Article 7/23 combination process – available for complex ancestry situations
- Regular naturalization pathways – Regular naturalization in Luxembourg requires five years of legal residence, during which applicants must also pass the Luxembourgish language test and complete a course on civic participation (or pass the related test)
The Reality of Current Applications
Since 2019, the vast majority of successful Luxembourg dual citizenship cases have proceeded under Articles 7, 23, or combination processes – not Article 89. The year 2023 saw record numbers of people reclaiming Luxembourgish nationality through ancestry, demonstrating that these alternative pathways are robust and effective.
Applicants who pass the Luxembourgish language test and complete all steps often qualify for a Luxembourg passport, which grants full mobility across the European Union.
Why the Confusion Exists
The misconception about Luxembourg dual citizenship “ending” stems from several factors:
- Media focus on Article 89 – Without nuanced understanding of the Luxembourgish nationality law provisions, Article 89 is the most evident pathway to ancestry citizenship and has been the most covered in the media.
- Limited government website information – Guichet.lu and official sites don’t necessarily explain all the pathways in a straightforward way.
- Commercial marketing – Some services have emphasized urgency around Article 89 without adequately explaining alternatives.
Looking Forward: Changes Could Be Afoot
With the backdrop of tightening European citizenship laws, especially pertaining to ancestry, in countries like Portugal, Spain, and Italy throughout 2025, it is impossible to ignore the eventual possibility of changes to the citizenship law in Luxembourg in the no too distant future.
Historically, since the 1960s, Luxembourg has updated its Luxembourgish nationality law approximately once every eight years. The last reform came in 2017, suggesting that discussions for future amendments could arise soon within the European Union framework.
Take Action: Assess Your Eligibility
If you want to obtain Luxembourgish citizenship, now is the time to act while the current laws remain intact. The three main pathways (Articles 7, 23, and 7/23 combination) remain fully available and will continue beyond 2025.
Your Path to Luxembourg CitizenshipConclusion
Luxembourg dual citizenship is not ending on December 31, 2025. While Article 89 recovery applications face a final deadline, the main pathways for Luxembourgish nationality by descent remain permanent and accessible.
The real story isn’t about endings – it’s about ongoing opportunities for people of Luxembourg heritage to reclaim their ancestral citizenship through well-established legal processes that will continue for years to come. Whether you’re reconnecting with your family history or pursuing a stronger link to the European Union, the process remains open and rewarding for new generations.
Find out if you are eligible for Luxembourg dual citizenship! Sign up now for the Citizenship.EU platform to get started.