International Succession in Luxembourg: Documents to Translate

Managing a cross-border estate connected to Luxembourg? As the home of EU institutions, a global financial centre and one of the highest concentrations of cross-border workers in the world, Luxembourg generates some of the most complex international successions in Europe. Sworn translation is indispensable for proceedings before Luxembourg notaries and courts.

International succession in Luxembourg: a Grand Duchy of complexity

Luxembourg is a country of just 660,000 inhabitants, yet nearly half its workforce - some 220,000 people - are cross-border commuters (frontaliers) living in Belgium, France or Germany and working in Luxembourg. The country hosts the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European Court of Auditors, the European Investment Bank, Eurostat and dozens of other EU bodies. It is also the world's second-largest investment fund centre after the United States.

This extraordinary concentration of international institutions, financial assets and cross-border workers creates succession situations of exceptional complexity. A Luxembourg-based EU civil servant may have a Belgian spouse, French real estate, German pension entitlements and a portfolio of UCITS funds domiciled in Luxembourg. When such a person passes away, the succession spans four jurisdictions - and requires sworn translations in multiple languages for each of the relevant authorities.

EU Succession Regulation 650/2012 in Luxembourg

Luxembourg, as an EU Member State, is fully bound by EU Succession Regulation 650/2012. The Regulation is particularly relevant in Luxembourg given the large number of cross-border workers and EU institution employees. A Belgian frontalier who dies while domiciled in Luxembourg will have their estate governed by Luxembourg succession law, not Belgian law - which can significantly affect inheritance rights and tax treatment.

The European Certificate of Succession issued by a Luxembourg notary is recognised throughout the EU, simplifying the settlement of EU assets. However, sworn translations of foreign-language documents remain required for all Luxembourg succession proceedings.

Luxembourg notaries and courts for international successions

• Luxembourg notaries (notaires du Grand-Duché): Luxembourg notaries are among the most internationally experienced in Europe, routinely handling estates spanning Belgium, France, Germany and beyond, as well as complex investment fund and banking assets.
• Luxembourg District Court (Tribunal d'arrondissement): handles civil succession disputes in the Grand Duchy, sitting in French or German.
• Luxembourg Court of Appeal (Cour d'appel): the appellate court for succession matters, and the court with which sworn translators in Luxembourg must be registered.
• Luxembourg Administration des contributions directes: handles succession and gift tax matters in the Grand Duchy.
• EU institutions pension fund (RCAM/PMO): for successions involving EU civil servant pensions, the EU institutions' own administrative bodies play a role.

For successions with Belgian connections, see our guide on international succession translation in Belgium.

Documents commonly translated for Luxembourg international successions

• EU institution pension certificates and survivor benefit letters (PMO documents)
• Belgian succession declarations and notarial deeds for frontalier estates
• French notarial deeds and property certificates for French-resident heirs
• German Erbschein certificates and property documents for German-connected estates
• Luxembourg UCITS fund ownership statements and banking asset inventories
• Foreign death certificates and wills in all EU and non-EU languages
• Powers of attorney from heirs residing in Belgium, France, Germany or elsewhere
• UK probate orders for post-Brexit cross-Channel succession elements

Turnaround times and pricing

• Standard delivery: 2 to 5 working days depending on volume and language pair
• Express delivery: 24 to 48 hours on request
• Pricing: from €80 per document depending on length and language pair
• Dedicated service for complex multi-jurisdictional estate files