Visa applications are processed at Luxembourg embassies and consular posts around the world, or at a diplomatic mission that represents Luxembourg. Personal appearance at the embassy or consular post is generally required.

A request for a permanent residence permit with authorization to work in Luxembourg may only be filed further to receipt of a temporary authorization from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Direction de l'Immigration). If the foreign national resides in a non-European Economic Area country, the temporary residence certificate and visa request must be made in the foreign national's country of residence and submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Luxembourg.

A registration or declaration of arrival will be required at the commune of the place of residence in Luxembourg.

A business that intends to recruit staff must file a job vacancy declaration with the Employment Administration Office (Administration de l'emploi (ADEM)) at least three working days before publishing the job offer. The ADEM will conduct a market labor test for occupations that are not listed as having serious shortage and, should a suitable candidate not be found within three weeks, the employer may request a certificate entitling the hire of a third-country national (Blue Card candidates are exempt from this requirement). This certificate will be required for the residency permit processing of certain categories of workers.

Non-EU nationals (or assimilated nationals) who wish to stay for more than three months in Luxembourg must undergo a medical check-up, involving a medical examination by a doctor established in Luxembourg and a tuberculosis (TB) screening by the Health and Social Welfare League (Ligue médico-sociale (LMS)).