Immigration Rights
Visa, residence permit, asylum, work permit, family reunification, and citizenship rights under Danish immigration law — Udlændingeloven and related statutes.
Covered in this guide:
If you live in Denmark on a visa, your rights sit under the Aliens Act (Udlændingeloven), processed by the Danish Immigration Service. Non-EU/EEA nationals need a residence and work permit beyond 90 days — main routes are the Pay Limit Scheme, the Positive List, and Start-up Denmark. Asylum applications get a two-stage review with appeal to the Refugee Appeals Board (Flygtningenævnet). Family reunification comes with strict income, housing, and attachment requirements. Citizenship, governed by the Danish Nationality Act (Indfødsretsloven), requires parliamentary naturalisation.
Key Laws
Aliens Act (Udlaendingeloven)
Consolidation Act No. 1205 of 25 August 2022
Entry, residence, asylum, family reunification, expulsion
Danish Nationality Act (Indfodsretsloven)
Consolidation Act No. 1029 of 10 July 2018
Citizenship by birth, naturalisation requirements, dual citizenship
Integration Act (Integrationsloven)
Consolidation Act No. 1146 of 22 June 2020
Integration programmes, language courses, municipal obligations for refugees
EU Residence Order (EU-opholdsbekendtgorelsen)
Executive Order No. 1457 of 6 October 2020
EU/EEA citizens' right of residence, registration, permanent residence
Residence Permits
Non-EU/EEA nationals need a residence permit to live and work in Denmark:Work permits: Issued through various schemes — Pay Limit Scheme (fast track for high earners, minimum salary approximately DKK...
Asylum (Asyl)
Denmark provides protection for people fleeing persecution, but has some of the most restrictive asylum policies in the EU:Convention status (§ 7(1)): Granted if you face persecution based on race, re...
Family Reunification
Denmark has strict family reunification requirements, among the tightest in the EU:Spousal reunification: Both spouses must be at least 24 years old. The sponsor must have held a permanent residence p...
Danish Citizenship (Indfødsret)
Danish citizenship is obtained by birth, adoption, or naturalisation (by act of parliament):By birth: A child acquires Danish citizenship if either parent is a Danish citizen (regardless of where the...
Deportation and Expulsion
Non-citizens can be expelled from Denmark under certain conditions:Criminal expulsion: Courts may expel a non-citizen convicted of a serious criminal offence — the more serious the crime, the more lik...
Work Permits for Non-EU Nationals
Non-EU/EEA nationals generally need a work permit, issued through one of several schemes:Pay Limit Scheme (Beløbsordningen): For jobs with an annual salary of at least approximately DKK 514,000 (2025)...
EU/EEA Free Movement Rights
EU/EEA citizens and their family members have extensive rights in Denmark:Right to enter: No visa required — a valid passport or national ID card is sufficient.Right to reside (up to 3 months): No for...
Rights of Undocumented Persons
Even without legal status, certain fundamental rights apply in Denmark:Emergency healthcare: Hospitals must provide acute and emergency treatment regardless of immigration status (Sundhedsloven § 80)....
CPR Registration, MitID & Digital Post for New Arrivals
The CPR number (central personregister) is the 10-digit identifier that unlocks almost every service in Denmark: tax, NemKonto, doctor's visits, utility contracts, MitID, and Digital Post. The format...