Press coverage
Several want to come live here
Read the original article at RTL →
In-depth report on Americans seeking Luxembourg citizenship, featuring Daniel Atz discussing the cultural and practical appeals of reconnecting with ancestral hAn article from RTL.lu explores the growing interest among Luxembourg dual citizens — particularly those living abroad — in relocating to the Grand Duchy. As applications for citizenship through ancestry continue to rise, more people are not only reclaiming their nationality but also considering Luxembourg as their future home. LuxCitizenship, founded by Daniel Atz, is highlighted in the piece for its role in making this transition possible.
The article, titled “Verschiddener wëlle lo hei liewen” (Several want to come live here), discusses the demographic shifts and motivations behind this movement. Daniel provides context about the types of individuals applying for citizenship and how, for some, the process marks the beginning of a deeper connection with Luxembourg — including plans to move, work, or retire there.
As more descendants of Luxembourg emigrants seek a return to their roots, LuxCitizenship continues to support their journey from paperwork to resettlement.
👉 Read the original report on RTL Lëtzebuerg (Luxembourgish/German): Verschiddener wëllen heihinner wunne kommen →
English translation
American Luxembourgers
Some want to come live here
RTL Luxembourg
2,436 US-Americans have, since 2009, on the basis of the recovery Article 89, become Luxembourgers.
Update: 10.12.2025 11:17
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American Luxembourgers
2,436 US-Americans have, since 2009, on the basis of the recovery Article 89, become Luxembourgers.
Some of them want to move to Luxembourg, but that does not seem so easy. One does not necessarily have to live here to become Luxembourgish. The nationality can, for example, also be obtained if one has an ancestor in direct line who on January 1, 1900 was Luxembourgish. This possibility of the so-called recovery is however soon expiring, but since 2009 more than 30,000 persons in the world have through this path become Luxembourgers. Among them 2,436 US-Americans. Some of them even think about coming to live in the Grand Duchy.
Kelsey from Minneapolis for example. 36 years young, married and 2 small children. Or Erick from St. Paul, also from Minnesota, an American state where many Luxembourgers in the 19th century settled.
“I have no direct plans, but I would be immensely happy, one time, to move there. I am engineer in civil engineering, like to work with trains, infrastructures and in construction. I would be happy if I could in Luxembourg work in this field. In the near future or a bit later in life.”, thus Erick Schauer.
Kelsey became Luxembourgish at the end of 2019. She would still always have felt drawn to her European origins. In addition, her children could in Luxembourg learn many languages. Through the pandemic however the idea to move for a few years to Luxembourg was put on ice.
Daniel Atz meanwhile lives since recently in the Grand Duchy. Through his great-grandmother he became Luxembourgish, therefore now has the dual nationality. However it would as an independent not be evident to settle here. That would be due to the American FATCA law, which would make it very difficult for American citizens to open a bank account abroad. Here in Luxembourg the banks would take that very particularly seriously.
The politics would have to search here for solutions, says the man who in 2016 opened a service to help people to apply for Luxembourgish nationality. Last year he received many requests from US citizens. And in a survey about 20% of these persons would have indicated also wanting one day to come live in the Grand Duchy.
“To rent a dwelling in Luxembourg, one must have a bank account. To open a bank account, however, one would need a dwelling with a certificate of residence. How should we do that? We are Luxembourgers, we have the nationality and there are people who want to come live here.”, thus Daniel Atz.
These concerns are for Erick Schauer still further away. To obtain the nationality at all, he plans, by the end of this year, with his wife to come to the Grand Duchy. To become Luxembourgish would for him also have a sentimental dimension.
“My grandfather was a hero for me as a child. He fought in the Second World War and was wounded in the Battle of the Ardennes.”
During a visit of the American military cemetery in Hamm five years ago he would have felt a strong connection with his ancestors, thus Erick.
Kelsey meanwhile feels at the moment, through the sanitary circumstances, more rooted with her family at home in Minnesota. The plan to come live in Luxembourg would however only be postponed.
According to the Ministry of Justice there are currently still 2,200 Americans “in waiting” to obtain Luxembourgish nationality through the recovery Article 89.