by EUDO CITIZENSHIP expert Denis Scuto
7.361 people acquired Luxembourg nationality within the ten months that followed the introduction in January 2009 of a new law on nationality in the country.
In November 2009, Luxembourg Minister of Justice François Biltgen presented the statistics concerning the new law on nationality that came into force on January 1, 2009. According to the survey, the number of requests for Luxembourg citizenship increased from 1.065 in 2008 to 4.299 in the ten first months of 2009, thanks to the introduction of a dual or multiple nationality provision. 3.125 persons acquired the Luxembourg nationality in this period, compared to 1.129 for the whole 2008.
Only 637 out of the 837 applicants who were required to take a language test succeeded. As the success rate lowered from 91 to 69 percent, the NGO ASTI (Association de Soutien aux Travailleurs Immigrés) asked in a press statement whether the requirements are not too high for most immigrants.
The survey shows also the impact of the double ius soli provision. 4.209 minors (below 18 years of age) acquired the Luxembourg nationality by this mode of acquisition on January 1, 2009.