Communication from the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs concerning temporary immigration restrictions

The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs informs that the temporary restriction on entry into the territory of the Grand Duchy of third-country nationals who have their residence outside the European Union or the Schengen area, has been extended until 31 March 2022 included.

In addition, the ministry informs that following the European Commission's decisions, the certificates issued by the authorities of Montenegro, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay, as well as in the category of entities and territorial authorities not recognized as States by at least one Member State of the European Union, the certificates issued by Taiwan, are to be considered as equivalent.

Consequently, third country nationals holding a certificate proving a complete vaccination pattern issued by Montenegro, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia or Uruguay will be authorised to enter the territory of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, including for non-essential travel, provided that the vaccine administered is accepted by the Grand Duchy.

In Luxembourg, the four vaccines that have obtained marketing authorization at the European level are accepted:

• BioNTech Pfizer / Comirnaty
• Moderna / Spikevax
• AstraZeneca / Vaxzevria
• Janssen / Janssen vaccine

Along with these vaccines, Luxembourg accepts, in the context of the recognition process of vaccination certificates issued by third countries, other vaccines considered to be "bio-similar” to the aforementioned four vaccines, namely:

• Covishield (Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd (SII))
• R-Covi (R-Pharm)
• Covid-19 vaccine (recombinant) (FIOCRUZ)

In view of the new equivalence decisions at European level, Luxembourg currently recognizes, along with the vaccination certificates issued by a member State of the European Union or the Schengen Area, certificates proving a complete vaccination pattern issued by the following third countries, provided that the vaccine administered is accepted by the Grand Duchy (see above):

• States
  • Albania
  • Andorra
  • Armenia
  • Brazil
  • Cabo Verde
  • Canada
  • El Salvador
  • Faroe Islands
  • Georgia
  • India
  • Israel
  • Japan
  • Lebanon
  • Moldova
  • Monaco
  • Montenegro
  • Morocco
  • New Zealand
  • Panama
  • Republic of North Macedonia
  • San Marino
  • Serbia
  • Singapore
  • South Korea
  • Thailand
  • Togo
  • Tunisia
  • Turkey
  • Ukraine
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United Kingdom
  • United States of America
  • Uruguay
  • Vatican
• Entities and territorial authorities not recognized as States by at least one Member State of the European Union
  • Taiwan

It is noted that any person, regardless of nationality and place of residence, holding a vaccination certificate issued by one of the aforementioned states, can use their certificate to meet the additional health measures applicable for all travel by air transport to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Are also authorised to enter the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, third country nationals if their travel is considered essential. To this end, an express request is to be sent by e-mail (service.visas@mae.etat.lu) to the Passport, Visa and Legalization Office in Luxembourg in order to be issued the relevant document.

Furthermore, it is recalled that additional health measures are applicable for all travel by air transport to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. In this context, it should be noted that the validity period of NAAT tests for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA has been reduced from 72 to 48 hours and the validity period of rapid antigen test from 48 to 24 hours.

Any person aged 12 years and 2 months or above, is required to present, before boarding a flight to Luxembourg:

• Either a vaccination certificate attesting to a complete vaccination pattern[1] against COVID-19, established in accordance with article 3bis, paragraphs 1 to 2, of the amended law of 17 July 2020 on measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Namely a vaccination certificate issued by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, a Member State of the European Union or the Schengen Area. Certificates issued by certain third countries are also accepted (see above for the relevant third countries).
• Or a recovery certificate established in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2021/953, for people who have had a recent SARS-CoV-2 infection within 6 months prior to travel and who have completed the applicable isolation period in the respective country with resolution of all symptoms of infection;
• Or the negative result (on paper or electronically) of a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA (PCR, TMA or LAMP methods[2]) carried out less than 48 hours before the flight or of a SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen test[3] carried out less than 24 hours before the flight, by a medical analysis laboratory or any other entity authorised for this purpose. The negative result of the test must be presented, if necessary, accompanied by a translation in one of the administrative languages of Luxembourg or in English, Italian, Spanish or Portuguese.

Additional health measures are applicable, until 14 January 2022 inclusive, for all travel from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

The details of the applicable rules, including the definition of essential travel and the derogations in place, the list of third countries whose residents are authorised to enter the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, including for non-essential travel, as well as the exact procedures to be carried out beforehand can be consulted by following the link below:

https://covid19.public.lu/en/travellers/visiting-luxembourg

[1] a) Any pattern that defines the number and interval of injections necessary to achieve sufficient protective immunity and is complete upon administration of the required doses if multiple doses are given or, for single-dose vaccines, after a 14-day interval. b) For persons who have recovered and have been vaccinated within 180 days of the first positive NAAT test result, the vaccination pattern is complete 14 days after the administration of the single dose of any vaccine administered.

[2] PCR: polymerase chain reaction; TMA: transcription-mediated amplification; LAMP: loop-mediated isothermal amplification.

[3] In accordance with the World Health Organization criteria: antigen-detection in the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection using rapid immunoassays, Interim Guidance, 11 September 2020, and listed in the list of rapid antigen tests established on the basis of Recommendation 2021/C24/01 of 22 January 2021.

Press release by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs