Immigration Law & Right of Residence
Visas, residence permits, asylum, work permits, family reunification and citizenship under Danish immigration law — the Aliens Act and related laws.
Covered in this guide:
If you live in Denmark on a visa, your rights rest on Udlændingeloven (the Aliens Act), administered by Udlændingestyrelsen (the Danish Immigration Service). Citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA need a residence and work permit for stays over 90 days — the main routes are the Pay Limit Scheme (beløbsordningen), the Positive List (positivlisten) and Start-up Denmark. Asylum applications go through a two-track process with the option to appeal to Flygtningenævnet (the Refugee Appeals Board). Family reunification is subject to strict requirements on income, housing and attachment. Citizenship, governed by Indfødsretsloven (the Nationality Act), requires naturalisation by an act passed by the Folketing (Parliament).
Key Laws
Udlændingeloven
LBK nr 1205 af 25/08/2022
Entry, residence, asylum, family reunification and expulsion
Indfødsretsloven
LBK nr 1029 af 10/07/2018
Citizenship by birth, naturalisation requirements and dual citizenship
Integrationsloven
LBK nr 1146 af 22/06/2020
Integration programmes, Danish lessons and municipal obligations towards refugees
EU-opholdsbekendtgørelsen
BEK nr 1457 af 06/10/2020
EU/EEA citizens' right of residence, registration and permanent residence
Residence Permits
Citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA need a residence permit to live and work in Denmark:Work permits: Issued through several schemes — the Pay Limit Scheme (beløbsordningen) (fast track for high...
Asylum
Denmark provides protection to people fleeing persecution, but has some of the EU's most restrictive asylum rules:Convention status (§ 7(1)): Granted if you are persecuted on grounds of race,...
Family Reunification
Denmark has strict family-reunification requirements — among the toughest in the EU:Spousal reunification: Both spouses must be at least 24 years old. The resident must have held permanent residence...
Danish Citizenship
Danish citizenship is acquired by birth, adoption or naturalisation (by an act passed by the Folketing):By birth: A child acquires Danish citizenship if one of the parents is a Danish citizen...
Expulsion and Removal
Foreign nationals can be expelled from Denmark under certain conditions:Criminal expulsion: The courts can expel a foreign national convicted of a serious criminal offence — the more serious the...
Work Permits for Non-EU Nationals
Citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA must, as a rule, hold a work permit, issued through one of several schemes:The Pay Limit Scheme (beløbsordningen): For jobs with an annual salary of at least...
EU/EEA Citizens' Right to Free Movement
EU/EEA citizens and their family members have extensive rights in Denmark:Right of entry: No visa required — a valid passport or national ID card is sufficient.Right of residence (up to 3 months): No...
Rights for Persons Without Legal Residence
Even without a legal basis for residence, certain fundamental rights apply in Denmark:Emergency healthcare: Hospitals must provide acute and urgent treatment regardless of residence status (Health...
CPR Registration, MitID and Digital Post for New Arrivals
The CPR number (Det Centrale Personregister, the Central Person Register) is the 10-digit identifier that unlocks virtually every service in Denmark: tax, NemKonto, GP visits, utility contracts,...