Moving to Luxembourg – for job changes and relocation from Switzerland

Imports into Luxembourg are the responsibility of the customs authority, the Administration des douanes et accises. It bases the exemption for household goods on EU Regulation (EC) No 1186/2009 and publishes its own conditions and forms for it. Below are the key points, together with what they mean for your move.

Conditions according to the Luxembourg customs authority

The goods must belong to you, and the transfer of your normal place of residence must be proven. For 12 months after import, the goods may not be lent, pledged, rented out or transferred. According to the customs authority, items you have owned for less than 6 months before moving, goods for commercial use and goods from a second home are excluded.

For your planning this means: furniture from a holiday home or second flat in Switzerland does not fall under the same exemption as the household goods from your main residence. Keep the two separate on the inventory list from the start. The same applies to items you bought shortly before the move: they fall under the six-month rule and belong on a separate line with their purchase date.

Documents and the form for household goods

The customs authority lists the following documents:

• an import declaration,
• a declaration of commitment in the form set by the customs authority,
• a dated and signed inventory with the estimated value of the goods,
• a copy of your ID,
• proof of residence in Switzerland, such as a certificate of residence, tenancy agreement or employer's certificate,
• proof of settlement in Luxembourg, such as a transfer contract, tenancy agreement or invoices.

The form «Déménagement d'un pays tiers vers un Etat membre de l'UE – effets personnels» is available on the customs authority's website in French and English. In it, you undertake to pay the duties if any goods are disposed of within 12 months.

The easiest way to record the estimated value is while you pack, room by room. Receipts for more expensive items help with the valuation and answer any questions from customs.

Vehicle: a separate form and Vignette 705

According to the customs authority, there is a separate form for vehicles. Registration in Luxembourg also requires the Vignette 705, a certificate from the customs authority on the vehicle's tax status. According to Guichet.lu, after a move the vehicle must be registered within 6 months of registering your arrival in Luxembourg.

According to the customs authority, you should have ready the proof of purchase with mileage and chassis number as well as the previous vehicle registration documents. For leased vehicles, the customs authority points to special VAT rules. After customs clearance, the vehicle is registered with the vehicle authority SNCA.

Export from Switzerland

On the Swiss side, the BAZG (Federal Office for Customs and Border Security) requires the export to be declared during opening hours at a customs office for commercial goods traffic. For a vehicle not yet registered in Switzerland, form 13.20A must be submitted on departure.

The information from the Luxembourg customs authority is authoritative; check the details with them in advance. Neighbouring destinations: removals to Belgium and removals to France.

Frequently asked questions

Who fills in the French or English customs form for Luxembourg?
We do, as part of our full customs clearance: we transfer the details from your inventory to the form and put together the file for the import. From you we need your signature on the declaration of commitment and the personal proofs that only you can obtain.

Who packs my household goods if I have hardly any time before relocating to Luxembourg?
On request our team takes care of the packing entirely, using our own materials. China and glass are protected individually, and each box is given a destination room and a number. The numbers can be linked directly to the items on your inventory, which makes any queries from customs easier.

How does the flat handover in Switzerland work if I am already working in Luxembourg?
If you book the end-of-tenancy cleaning with us, our team is on site at the inspection and fixes any complaints from the landlord or property management immediately and free of charge. You or an authorised person only need to hand over the keys; no second appointment is required.

When is the best time to buy new furniture before moving to Luxembourg?
Either well before you leave or only after moving into your home in Luxembourg, because newly bought items do not benefit from the customs exemption. If you do buy shortly beforehand, keep the receipt. We list such furniture separately on the inventory so that the rest of the import is not held up.

When is a cost ceiling worthwhile for a move to Luxembourg?
When your employer sets a budget or you want to know the exact cost of the relocation in advance. Once we have seen the volume and access, we agree a cost ceiling as an upper limit or a flat rate as a fixed amount. With a cost ceiling you pay less if the work turns out to take less time.

What should I sort out before the survey for my move to Luxembourg?
Anything you do not want to take with you, such as old furniture, duplicate appliances or boxes in the cellar. That way we only quote for the volume that actually travels to Luxembourg, and the inventory stays clear. We can dispose of discarded furniture properly in Switzerland before departure.

Which papers do dogs or cats need when moving to Luxembourg?
According to the BLV (Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office), a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and the pet passport; for departures to EU countries the same requirements apply as for imports, plus national regulations. Your pet travels with you in your car, not in the removal van, and the papers should be kept to hand in your hand luggage.

Which items are better taken in my own car when relocating to Luxembourg?
Your ID documents and anything you need to show your employer or the authorities in the first few days, plus jewellery, medication and the laptop for your first day at work. You may need these before the removal van arrives. We pack and transport everything else with insurance.

What should I bear in mind if I want to take my leased car to Luxembourg?
First ask the leasing company whether it agrees to the export and which documents it will provide. The Luxembourg customs authority has its own VAT rules for leased cars, so it is worth clarifying this before moving day. We clear your household goods through customs regardless; the vehicle is dealt with separately.

What matters if furniture from a Swiss holiday flat is coming along too?
A clear separation from the packing stage onwards: we label boxes and furniture from the holiday flat separately and load them visibly apart from the rest of your household goods. If the duties on them are still unresolved, this furniture can stay in our dry, alarm-protected storage facility in Switzerland for the time being.