Who can obtain Danish citizenship. Methods and reasons for obtaining a Danish passport. Is it possible to obtain dual or second Danish citizenship? Conditions for maintaining the first passport. Required documents, deadlines and costs.
The most accessible option for obtaining Danish citizenship for immigrants is standard naturalization. For example, a person can arrive in the country and create his own innovative company or establish a branch of a foreign one. A Danish passport gives its owner the rights of an EU citizen. In connection with the above, after purchasing the document, applicants will have access to visa-free travel to any selected EU or Schengen state, employment, study and establishment of a business there.
The main government regulations that regulate the procedure for obtaining a local passport are the Danish Citizenship Act, the Naturalization Circulation Letter and the Constitution of the Kingdom of Denmark. The text below describes ways to legally move to the state, the pros and cons of immigration. The material will tell the person what needs to be done to request a passport and whether it is possible to check the processing status of their citizenship application.
What are the benefits of Danish citizenship?
The Danish passport in 2023 ranks third in the world ranking of the strength of national identity cards. The document gives its owner all the rights of a citizen of the Kingdom and the European Union, it provides the following advantages and opportunities:
- entry under visa-free regime into 172 countries of the world, for example Great Britain, United Arab Emirates;
- requesting and receiving financial assistance and subsidies from the Danish government;
- establishing your own enterprise, for example a joint stock company, in the kingdom and in other EU countries;
- employment in Danish and European companies;
- receiving primary and secondary education in educational institutions of the kingdom without payment;
- service in Danish and European clinics under a universal insurance policy free of charge;
- employment in the government of the kingdom;
- receiving scholarships at Danish and European universities;
- taking part in parliamentary and presidential elections.
Methods and conditions for obtaining Danish citizenship
Conditions that a foreigner must meet in 2023 to become a full citizen of Denmark:
- legally live in the kingdom for 6–9 years (the exact time period depends on the basis for requesting a passport), of which at least 24 months – with permanent residence (a year for refugees and stateless persons);
- register your place of residence in the country;
- confirm proficiency in the official language of the kingdom;
- take the Danish citizenship test;
- provide documentary evidence of the absence of debts to certain local private and public institutions, such as banks;
- sign an online declaration that confirms the applicant’s fidelity and loyalty to the country;
- confirm the absence of a criminal record in the kingdom and at home;
- prove non-receipt of financial assistance for more than 120 days over the past 2–5 years (the period depends on the type of payments).
An alternative to obtaining Danish citizenship may be to obtain a passport from another EU country under a simplified repatriation procedure within a period of 12 months. It is worth contacting migration specialists to clarify all the details of the request for an internal EU national identity card.
Methods for obtaining a Kingdom passport, relevant for 2023 for Russian citizens, as well as other foreigners (based on the current legislation of the Kingdom):
- official work in Danish companies;
- creating a branch of a foreign enterprise or your own company;
- reunification with immediate family;
- training.
Employment
An applicant for Danish citizenship must comply with the following conditions of migration legislation:
- sign an official employment contract;
- work full time for at least 3.5 years;
- carry out regular work activity for at least the last 4 years, 120 hours per month.
Skilled workers of any specialty (including those involved in agriculture), doctors, athletes, artists, cooks, researchers, and religious figures can immigrate. When signing a contract, a foreigner must check whether his employer is certified by the Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI – Styrelsen for International Recruitment Integration). Based on the person in whom the applicant enters Denmark (a simple worker or another specialist), he is required to have an annual salary level – in 2023, approximately from 50,356 EUR.
The basic dossier of a person is supplemented by:
- an employment contract signed on both sides;
- a permit from the Danish authorities confirming the right to work (the document is requested by the boss or a person authorized by him).
To be able to apply for Danish citizenship, immigrants must have lived in the kingdom for at least 9 years.
Business establishment
Subject to a 9-year or longer stay in the kingdom, founders of innovative projects, independent businesses, and founders of branches of foreign companies have the right to obtain Danish citizenship. Before submitting a request to the competent authorities, the above-mentioned applicants need to check whether they meet the following requirements:
- financial solvency (in 2023, one immigrant should earn at least 19,247 EUR per year);
- compliance with the law, including in matters of timely submission of tax reports;
- active working participation in the life of the company (at least 30 hours per week).
The basic dossier is supplemented by the company’s registration documents, a tax registration certificate, a VAT return and the enterprise’s annual reporting.
Family reunion
The following can join with a Danish citizen or permanent resident and request a local passport in 2023:
- Spouse or domestic partner.
It is necessary that the applicant and his partner be at least 24 years old (or 23.5 years younger). To confirm the grounds for immigration, the applicant attaches to the basic dossier evidence of marriage and cohabitation with a spouse. The financial solvency requirement applies to individuals. Unemployed immigrants must provide a written commitment from their partner to cover the costs. - Minor children (natural and adopted).
Single/unmarried persons under 15 years of age request a residence permit provided that they live with their parents (or one of them) and study at a local school (college, university). An adult child can also become a temporary resident if the above conditions (except age) are met. Immigrants from 15 to 18 years old have the right to request a residence permit if there are special reasons (for example, parents cannot take care of children outside the kingdom). The basic dossier is supplemented by the applicant’s birth certificate. - Other family members (parents, brothers, sisters).
Relatives can apply for a residence permit provided they provide documentary evidence of a blood connection. If an immigrant has health problems, he should attach confirmation of the inviting person’s ability to bear the costs of the foreigner’s stay in the kingdom.
Children and other relatives of the inviting person (except the spouse or cohabitant) receive internal Danish documents after a minimum of 9 years of stay in the kingdom. The table below provides information on the required length of stay for partners.
| Duration of marriage, in years | Required period of residence in the kingdom, in years |
|---|---|
| From 3 | 6 |
| 2 | 7 |
| 1 | 8 |
Training
University and college students can obtain Danish citizenship. Applicants must apply to their chosen local university, pass exams (if applicable), and enroll in the institution either full-time or part-time. The required training period is at least 3 years. To request internal documents, individuals must have lived in the state for at least 5 years. The dossier is supplemented by a university diploma.
Procedure for obtaining Danish citizenship
The acquisition of a Danish citizen passport by foreigners in 2023 consists of the following nine stages:
- Request and obtain a visa.
You must register on the official website of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (ApplyVisa portal), submit a preliminary application (print and sign it at the end), attaching a dossier, and pay the mandatory fee. Foreigners receive a visa for a minimum period of 180 days (maximum 5 years). The ApplyVisa portal does not accept applications for long-term entry permits. In connection with the above, the person is required to put a red handwritten note on the printed application form indicating the need for an extended stay. Authorized government agencies process applications within 15–45 days. - Entering the kingdom and submitting a request for a residence permit.
The choice of government agency from which a person should apply depends on the purpose of his stay in the country (Immigration Service or SIRI). An application must first be submitted via the website nyidanmark.dk. Registration for an appointment with an employee of the selected government agency takes place on the Borgerservice portal . Foreigners receive a residence permit ID card within 30–270 days (the exact period depends on the basis for its issuance). - Passing a language test (not lower than A2 level).
The exam is carried out within 6–9 months from the date of registration of a residence permit for applicants. You can register through the website vesteg.onlinebooking.dk. A letter indicating the testing date arrives at the applicant’s place of residence in the kingdom. - Registration of permanent residence.
An ID card can be obtained after 4–8 years of residence in the kingdom. A preliminary application is submitted on the website nyidanmark.dk, and registration for an appointment is carried out through the Borgerservice portal. The application can be processed within 10 months. - Passing the citizenship test (45 written questions).
Government-approved language schools conduct exams twice a year (spring and autumn). The nearest date is November 26, 2023 (registration until October 25, 2023). To successfully pass the test, a person should study information about the history of the kingdom, its values and culture on the website integrationsviden.dk. If the result is positive, the applicant receives a certificate that must be sent to the Immigration Service. - Submitting an application for citizenship.
On the website mitid.dk, a person receives an electronic access code with which he can submit an application through the portal of the Ministry of Immigration and Integration Statsborgerskab. When an application is accepted by a government agency, the applicant receives a corresponding confirmation by e-mail. - Waiting for a response on the possibility of obtaining Danish citizenship.
The application review period in 2023 is 17–22 weeks (the response comes in April and October). During the above-mentioned period, a letter is sent to the applicant’s e-mail about his inclusion in a special government resolution and an invitation to the “Constitution Ceremony”. - Taking the oath.
The “Constitution Ceremony” takes place in city administrations within 30–120 days after the person receives a response to the application (the applicant must register 10 days in advance). The applicant who has become Danish must sign an undertaking to comply with the Constitution of the Kingdom and respect local values and legal principles. The result of the celebration is confirmed by a handshake with the mayor/other government official and the issuance of a certificate of citizenship. - Preparation of internal documents.
City administrations are responsible for issuing the national identity card, as well as duplicate civil status documents.
Immigrants from the Russian Federation can apply for Danish citizenship online, without the need to visit the kingdom in person. The above-mentioned opportunity is realized only on the condition that the applicant has fulfilled all the requirements of migration legislation, for example, lived the period established by the government. If the application is granted, the Russian citizen must enter the kingdom to take part in the “Constitution Ceremony” (this procedure is not carried out at Danish embassies/consulates in the Russian Federation).
Persons planning to move to Denmark have the opportunity to obtain all the rights of Danish citizens by applying for a passport from another EU member state. During the consultation, migration specialists will tell you in which countries you can obtain citizenship using simplified procedures without the need for a long stay, large investments or language learning.
How much does it cost to obtain Danish citizenship and passport?
A person can calculate how much it costs in 2023 to apply for all permits that will ultimately give them the right to apply for Danish citizenship using the table below.
| Expense item | Price, approximately in € | |
|---|---|---|
| Visa application | Applicants over 11 years old | 80 |
| Children from 6 to 11 years old | 40 | |
| Children under 6 years old | 0 | |
| Submitting an application for temporary residence (depending on the purpose of stay) | Family reunion | 1309 |
| Employment | 284–627 | |
| Training | 284 | |
| Business establishment | ||
| Volunteering | 0 | |
| Carrying out religious activities | 1691 | |
| Danish language test | 394 | |
| Registration of permanent residence (depending on the basis for obtaining) | Employment or training | 987 |
| Other reasons | 649 | |
| Passing the citizenship exam | 114 | |
| Mandatory state fee for applying for Danish citizenship | 537 | |
| Passport registration (including fingerprinting) | Children from 0 to 11 years old | 20 |
| Children from 12 to 17 years old | 24 | |
| Adults over 18 years old | 120 | |
| Pensioners (from 65.5 years old) | 51 | |
| Legalization of documents by affixing an apostille (per piece) | 29 | |
| Translation of documents into the official language of the kingdom (per piece) | From 7 | |
| ID card | 20 | |
What do you need to become a Danish citizen?
The first step to successfully applying for and obtaining Danish citizenship is the proper preparation of documents. The applicant’s algorithm of actions consists of:
- Checking the availability of required documents according to the checklist and preparing copies of them (if necessary).
- Contact a specialized translator.
- Legalization of copies of documents translated into Danish or English and (if necessary) affixing an apostille on them.
- Dossier formation.
What documents are needed to obtain citizenship?
An applicant who plans to become a Danish citizen is required to prepare a dossier according to the following checklist:
- foreign travel document (pages with photo and basic information about the immigrant);
- Permanent Resident ID Card;
- certificate confirming knowledge of the Danish language;
- certificate of passing the citizenship exam;
- a health certificate confirming exemption from the above tests (if applicable).
Persons submitting a paper application must additionally attach an application and a receipt for payment of the state fee.
What documents are needed to obtain a passport?
The government agencies of the Kingdom will reject a foreigner’s application for an internal Danish passport if he does not provide all the following documents:
- photo measuring 35 x 45 mm, taken against a light background;
- certificate of acquisition of Danish citizenship;
- birth/baptism certificate or medical card (if available).
Registration of citizenship for a child
Parents of minor children have the right to include their natural and adopted sons/daughters in their application for Danish citizenship. The basic dossier of the mother/father is supplemented by:
- a completed declaration of secondary persons;
- the child’s consent to receive internal documents of the kingdom (if applicable for persons over 12 years old);
- confirmation of parental rights (if the representatives of the children are not married).
If for some reason a minor child was not included in the parents’ application, then his legal representative submits a petition by preparing the following documents:
- a copy of the birth certificate;
- a completed application form on a government form;
- a valid permanent residence ID card (if applicable);
- confirmation of the marriage of the parents (if any, not for adopted children);
- copies of completed pages of the foreign travel document;
- confirmation of the mandatory payment for consideration of the application (for persons over 18 years of age);
- copies of the Danish parent’s passport and birth certificate;
- sole custody document (if applicable);
- a copy of the adoption permit (for adopted children).
If the father of a minor child is not Danish, the dossier is supplemented with:
- certificate of passing the citizenship test;
- a diploma of passing the Danish language proficiency exam or a school certificate of completion of grades 9–10 at an educational institution in the kingdom.
Representatives of minors can submit an application on their behalf only in paper form.
Applying for a Danish citizen passport
The Danish internal passport is made according to EU requirements and looks like a dark burgundy book. The document is intended to be used within the kingdom as an identification document, as well as for travel abroad. Standard algorithm for obtaining a Danish passport:
- Pre-registration of an appointment with an employee of the local municipality at the address of residence through self-service counters at the government agency (if required).
- Visiting the facility, submitting an application and submitting fingerprints.
- Making a mandatory state payment.
- Waiting for the document to be issued (from 11 to 15 days).
- Re-registration for an appointment with a government agency employee and a visit to the institution to receive a completed document.
Depending on age, applicants for a national identity card receive a document of different validity periods – detailed information is contained in the table below.
| Owner’s age, in years | Validity period of the document, in years |
|---|---|
| Older than 18 | 10 |
| From 2 to 18 | 5 |
| Under 2 | 2 |
Applicants over 15 years of age can, if desired, obtain an internal identity card (the document is not mandatory). To obtain an ID card, a person must have at least one Danish civil status document, such as a birth certificate, and submit an application to the municipality where they live in Denmark.
Refusal to obtain citizenship – reasons, solutions
Danish authorities authorized by the government refuse to obtain citizenship to a foreigner and can deprive an already acquired one if the applicant does not comply with their requirements. Requesting and issuing a second Danish passport is not available to a person who provides false documents and has a criminal record. To avoid the risk of having your citizenship application rejected, you should seek help from international law lawyers who carefully study the laws of the state and help you immigrate legally.