LuxembourgBusiness and self-employment

Luxembourg business visa (Schengen type C)

Schengen visa (type C) for business, conferences, culture and sport

In short

Business meetings, trade fairs, conferences and cultural or sports events in Luxembourg are covered by a Schengen visa from the Luxembourg mission for your place of residence or its service provider. The file must show who invites you, who pays and where you stay; any actual paid work in Luxembourg needs a separate permit from the DGIM.

checked 24 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area.
Validity
Single or multiple entries as stated on the sticker; Luxembourg can issue one, two or multiple-entry visas.
Fee
€90Standard Schengen visa fee under the EU Visa Code; EUR 45 for children aged 6 to under 12, free under 6. Not refunded after a refusal. An external service provider, where the mission uses one, adds its own service charge.
Funds required
€30,000 for the stayMinimum medical cover of the travel insurance. Luxembourg publishes no fixed daily amount; embassies ask for three months of payslips or bank statements; it must be clear who pays for the trip.
Processing time
Usually 15 calendar days; up to 45 days when further checks or documents are needed. Apply at least 15 days and at most six months before the trip.
Work
Meetings, negotiations and attending events only. Any work in Luxembourg for less than 90 days requires a prior work permit from the DGIM.
Family
Each traveller, including children, needs their own application.
Where to apply
At the Luxembourg embassy or consulate responsible for your place of legal residence, or its external service provider; a Schengen state representing Luxembourg where it has no post.

Business activities covered

The embassy uses one checklist for business trips, conferences and cultural or sporting events. Typical cases are meetings with Luxembourg clients or banks, visits to a parent company, trade fairs, seminars and performances. Frequent travellers with a good visa history can be issued multiple-entry visas, but the 90-days-in-180 rule always applies.

Luxembourg draws a clear line between a business visit and work. Guichet.lu states that every third-country national who wants to work in Luxembourg for less than 90 days must first apply to the General Department of Immigration for a work permit. Installing machines, providing services on site or performing for a fee therefore needs that permit in addition to the visa.

Business documents

Besides the common Schengen papers, Luxembourg embassy checklists ask for an invitation from the Luxembourg company or event organiser, a letter from your employer stating your position and the purpose of the trip, and a hotel reservation if you stay in a hotel. Together these documents must make clear who pays the travel costs and where you will stay.

Proof of means is three months of payslips or, if you are not employed, three monthly bank statements. Self-employed applicants and company owners add their tax number, business licence or a copy of the income tax return. Return is shown with the employment contract or company records.

Required documents

Identity

  • Schengen visa application form, completed, dated and signed
  • One recent colour photo on a white background, ICAO standard, not older than 3 months

Travel

  • Passport issued in the last 10 years, valid 3 months after leaving the Schengen area, with 2 blank pages; copies of the data page, stamped pages and earlier Schengen visas
  • Travel reservations in your name (a cancellable booking, not a paid ticket)

Money

  • Three months of payslips or three monthly bank statements

Work

  • Invitation from the Luxembourg company or event organiser
  • Employer letter stating your job and the purpose of the trip; for self-employed applicants tax number, business licence or tax return

Insurance

  • Travel medical insurance in your name, valid in all Schengen states for the whole trip, at least EUR 30,000, covering hospital, emergency care and repatriation including death

Other

  • Proof of ties to your country of residence: employer letter or contract, school or university certificate, children's school records or title deed

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Family

  • For minors travelling alone or with one parent: birth certificate, consent of both parents with ID copies and, if relevant, custody ruling

Fees and exemptions

The fee is EUR 90, plus any service provider charge. Members of non-profit organisations aged 25 or under taking part in seminars, conferences, sports, cultural or educational events, and researchers on scientific trips, are among the applicants exempt from the fee under Schengen rules.

When to apply

Apply 15 days to six months before the trip. A decision usually takes 15 days and can take up to 45 days. For conferences with fixed dates, ask the organiser for the invitation early so that it can be included at your appointment.

On arrival

At the border keep the invitation and hotel booking at hand, since possession of a visa does not by itself give a right of entry. Within three days the hotel form counts as your declaration of arrival; in private accommodation you declare yourself at the commune.

How to apply, step by step

  1. Find the Luxembourg mission responsible for your place of residence, choose the checklist for your purpose and gather originals and copies.
  2. Book an appointment with that mission or its external service provider.
  3. Lodge the application in person between 15 days and six months before departure; fingerprints are taken when you apply.
  4. Pay the EUR 90 visa fee plus any service provider charge, and keep the receipt.
  5. Wait for the decision, usually within 15 days and in some cases up to 45 days, and collect your passport.
  6. Within three days of arrival, register at a hotel (the accommodation form counts) or declare your arrival at the commune if you stay privately.

Frequently asked questions

Can I work on a project in Luxembourg with a business visa?

No. Work of any duration needs a work permit from the General Department of Immigration before you start.

Who must pay for the trip?

Either you, your employer or the host; the documents must show clearly who covers the costs.

Is there a special document for self-employed people?

Yes. Add your tax number, a business licence or a copy of your income tax return.

Can I get a multiple-entry visa?

Luxembourg can issue single, double or multiple-entry Schengen visas; the embassy decides based on your travel history and needs.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Luxembourg

Visits and short stays

Business and self-employment

Study and training

  • Student visa Maximum stay: For the length of the study programme, through renewable residence permits.
  • Researcher visa Maximum stay: For the research project, through renewable residence permits.
  • Internship and trainee visa Maximum stay: For the length of the traineeship stated in the training agreement.
  • Au pair visa Validity: Visa D: 6 months; the au pair residence permit is then issued in Luxembourg.

Work

  • Work visa Validity: First residence permit up to 2 years; renewals up to 4 years. Visa D: 6 months.
  • EU Blue Card Validity: Renewals for 4 years, or for the contract length plus 3 months if shorter. Visa D: 6 months.
  • Intra-company transfer visa Maximum stay: Up to 3 years in total for managers and specialists, 1 year for trainee employees.
  • Seasonal work visa Maximum stay: 5 months within a 12-month period.

Family

  • Family reunification visa Validity: Visa D: 6 months; the family member residence permit is then issued and renewed in Luxembourg.

Residence

Protection

  • Asylum and international protection Maximum stay: Applicants may stay while the claim and any suspensive appeal are pending; protection holders receive a 5-year residence permit.

Luxembourg visa guide