The biometric passport (with fingerprints) is a travel document enabling its bearer to travel abroad.
The passport is only required to enter the territory of the countries requiring it, namely most foreign countries outside the European Union (EU). Entry and residence visas are affixed to the passport in those foreign countries when this formality is required.
Find the procedure for requesting a biometric passport on the Citoyens (citizens) portal, guichet.lu. This procedure deals in particular with requests:
- for a Luxembourg resident’s passport
- for a Luxembourg non-resident’s passport
- for reimbursement for a passport (in French)
Information on the introduction of the biometric passport
After several years of a negotiation process concerning the introduction of minimum standards for security features in passports and other travel documents, on 13 December 2004 the Council of the European Union adopted EC Regulation no. 2252/2004 laying down standards for security and biometric features to be included in passports and travel documents issued by Member States.
The introduction of biometrics in Luxembourg passport was phased in (photos, fingerprints) starting in August 2006.
May we remind you that the digitised photo must comply with the quality standards (PDF) defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), given that the European Regulation is based on these ICAO recommendations governing machine-readable travel documents.
The main fingerprints to be incorporated in the European passport are the prints of the left index finger and right index finger. Nevertheless, the European Regulation stipulates that the following people are exempt from the requirement to provide their fingerprints:
- Children under the age of 12;
- People who are physically incapable of providing their fingerprints.
To collate the mandatory biometric identifiers, local authorities have been provided with devices enabling both the capture and reading of fingerprints and the automated recording of the biometric passport applicant’s facial image. The same devices can also be used to capture the applicant’s signature. This data is then automatically sent electronically to the passport registry, thereby enabling the central authority to personalise the travel document in the shortest possible time.
This document enhances travel document security by creating a direct link between the signature, fingerprints, facial image and alphanumeric data of the individual in question when passing his or her request to the local authority.
Note that biometric passports are issued individually. The passport office works on the principle of “one person, one passport” (in accordance with Regulation EC no. 444/2009). Children are no longer entered in the parents’ passport. However, the names of parents or any individuals with parental authority (based on a judicial decision) are entered in the child’s passport.
ID card
This section only concerns Luxembourgers abroad who apply for their ID card at an embassy. The Passport Office in Luxembourg is not responsible for ID cards.
All information regarding a Luxembourg identity card on the Guichet.lu website: