Country guide — Europe
Expat insurance and health insurance in Luxembourg
In short
A French national settling as a resident in Luxembourg doesn't need a visa and isn't legally required to take out private health insurance before leaving. Registration with the Caisse Nationale de Santé (CNS), however, is mandatory as soon as they take up a job or self-employed activity — the employer handles it for an employee. No minimum private insurance is required by law, but anyone with no rights opened at the CNS risks having to pay for the entirety of their care. There's no visa-refusal type penalty, but a lack of cover leads to unreimbursed costs.
Key figures
- 31,684 French nationals registered with the consular register in 2025 (31,376 in 2024, +0.98%); STATEC counts 49,104 resident French nationals (59,368 including dual nationals). Distinct from the ≈126,000-127,000 cross-border commuters.
- Life expectancy: 83.2 years in 2024 — above the EU average (81.4 years).
- Health spending: 5.6% of GDP in 2023, but the highest public spending per capita in the EU-27 (≈6,888 €/inhabitant).
Local healthcare system
The system relies on mandatory health insurance run by the Caisse Nationale de Santé (CNS), a single body for employees, self-employed people and public servants. Registration goes through the Centre commun de la sécurité sociale (CCSS). All doctors licensed to practise are automatically contracted, at CNS fee-schedule rates.
Patients generally pay out-of-pocket for outpatient care and get reimbursed (standard rate 88% for an adult, 100% for a minor); in hospital, stay costs are covered directly, aside from a flat co-payment. The remaining out-of-pocket cost is generally covered by a voluntary supplementary plan.
Legal and visa obligations
- Entry and stay: no visa required, an ID card or passport is enough.
- Arrival declaration: to the municipality of residence within 8 days; additional registration as an EU citizen beyond 90 days.
- Registration: the employer registers the employee with the CCSS within 8 days of hiring; a self-employed person must register themselves.
- People with no activity: voluntary registration possible with health-maternity insurance through the CCSS, either as the main insured person or as a co-insured (a spouse with no professional activity, etc.), on request to the CCSS.
- Failure to register: no immigration penalty, but health costs are fully out-of-pocket.
Cost of some medical procedures
Orders of magnitude from specialised sources, not official fee schedules.
| Procedure | Public sector | Private sector |
|---|---|---|
| GP consultation (practice) | 59.50 € (88% reimbursed, ≈52.36 €) | — |
| Specialist consultation | 43.10 to 88.80 € depending on specialty (88% reimbursed) | — |
| Emergency consultation | 72.50 € (88% reimbursed) | — |
| Night-time consultation | up to 120.90 € (88% reimbursed) | — |
| MRI | 146.10 € (at an approved facility) | — |
| Standard blood tests | 7.87 € for a full blood count (CNS code BG003), 3.50 € for a simple count (BG002) — covered at 100% of the fee-schedule rate | — |
| Hospital night (shared room) | Fully covered, 23.68 €/day co-payment (max 30 days/year) | — |
| Private hospital room | Surcharge not covered by the CNS (fee increase of around 66% borne by the patient, unless supplementary insurance) | — |
Social security agreements with France
EU member state: coordination via regulations 883/2004 and 987/2009, no specific bilateral agreement.
- Settled resident: CNS registration via the employer, ceases to fall under the French scheme for this activity.
- Retiree: form S1 with the French fund, then registration with the CNS.
- Seconded employee (up to 24 months): form A1, stays on the French scheme.
- Temporary stay: the EHIC grants cover as a Luxembourg insured person would receive.
- Cross-border worker (residing in France): distinct status, registered with the CNS for employment but tax residence in France.
Which insurance for my profile
General matrix — does not recommend any specific product or insurer.
| Profile | Regulatory constraint | Points of attention |
|---|---|---|
| Working holiday visa | Not applicable (EU free movement) | — |
| Student | Mandatory cover for any student enrolled in Luxembourg: as a co-insured (dependant of a registered parent) if applicable, otherwise mandatory personal registration with the CCSS/CNS | EHIC useful at the start of the stay, before registration is confirmed |
| Seconded employee | Form A1, stays on the French scheme | Distinct from a long-term move |
| Resident employee / self-employed | Mandatory CNS registration via the CCSS | Employer for an employee, personal process for a self-employed person |
| Retiree | Form S1 with the French fund | Opens the same rights as a registered resident |
Hospitals and care network
- Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL) — public, emergency department, maternity ward (Maternité Grande-Duchesse Charlotte), paediatric clinic (Kannerklinik).
- Hôpitaux Robert Schuman (HRS) — private, Luxembourg City and Esch-sur-Alzette, formed from the merger of several clinics in 2014.
- Centre Hospitalier du Nord (CHdN), Ettelbruck — reference for the north of the country.
Practical steps
- Before departure: request an EHIC from your French fund for the transition period.
- Within 8 days of arrival: arrival declaration to the municipality of residence.
- Beyond 90 days: additional registration as an EU citizen.
- On hiring: the employer registers the employee with the CCSS within 8 days.
- Retiree: request form S1 from the French fund, then forward it to the CNS.
- Registration with the roll of French nationals living abroad is recommended.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to take out private health insurance before moving to Luxembourg?
No, it's not a legal requirement. CNS registration becomes mandatory as soon as you take up a job or self-employed activity; an EHIC is recommended for the transition period.
What's the difference between a resident and a cross-border worker in Luxembourg?
A resident lives in Luxembourg and is registered with the CNS and taxed there. A cross-border worker lives in France and works in Luxembourg: registered with the CNS for their job, but with administrative residence in France.
Is the EHIC still useful once you're settled?
No, once registered with the CNS as a resident, that registration covers your care. The EHIC becomes useful again for temporary stays in another EU country.
How does a French retiree open rights with the CNS?
By obtaining form S1 from the French fund paying their pension, then having it registered with the CNS.
Are children automatically covered?
They can be added as dependants of the main insured person with the CNS, with a 100% reimbursement rate on many procedures up to age 18.
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Written by Expavy
Sources
- CLEISS — Luxembourg country factsheet
- France Diplomatie — Register of French nationals abroad (carte-registre, 2025 data)
- CNS — Registration
- Guichet.lu — Registration for a resident employee
- France Diplomatie — Luxembourg, bilateral relations
- STATEC — 2025 population growth
- CCSS — Voluntary registration with health insurance
- Guichet.lu — Social security registration for students in Luxembourg
- CNS — Hospitalisation, treatment and rehabilitation (private room not covered)
- CNS — Laboratory test fee schedule (version as of 01/01/2025)