Danish Citizenship Requirements

A person who wants to be eligible to apply for Danish citizenship must meet basic conditions such as being over 18 years old, having a permanent residence permit, having resided in Denmark for 9 years, having financial resources to support himself/herself, and successfully completing Danish language tests and Danish naturalization tests.

The Danish Ministry of Immigration and Integration is the institution that accepts and evaluates applications for Danish citizenship. The Danish government has the authority to approve or reject applications for Danish citizenship. Applications for Danish citizenship can be made online or in person.

Does Denmark Grant Citizenship to Foreign Nationals?

Yes, the Danish government grants Danish citizenship through naturalization to foreign nationals listed in the naturalization bill, provided that the necessary conditions are met.

What are the Danish Citizenship Requirements?

The requirements to apply for Danish citizenship are listed below.

The citizenship applicant must be over 18 years of age.
The applicant must have a permanent residence permit in Denmark and be registered in the Danish central population registry.
The applicant must have resided in Denmark continuously for 9 years.
The applicant must be able to support himself/herself and must not have received state aid under the Danish Social Policy and Integration Act in the last two years.
The applicant for citizenship must be proficient in Danish and successfully pass the language tests administered by the state.
The applicant for citizenship must successfully complete a Danish naturalisation test, which proves that he or she has the required level of knowledge of Denmark.
The applicant is expected to sign digital declarations stating that they will abide by Danish law, respect fundamental Danish values and legal principles, and feel commitment and loyalty to Danish society.
The applicant for citizenship must not have any overdue debts to Danish public institutions.
The applicant must have a clean criminal record.
A citizenship application fee of 3,800 Danish crowns must be paid.
The Danish citizenship application form must be filled out and signed.
In order to receive the Danish citizenship certificate, the applicant must attend the constitutional ceremony held by the municipalities.

How can I obtain Danish citizenship?

The official ways to obtain Danish citizenship are listed below.

Danish citizenship through marriage
Danish citizenship through naturalization
Danish citizenship by birth
Danish citizenship through adoption
Danish citizenship by investment
Danish citizenship with refugee status

How to Get Citizenship in Denmark Through Marriage?

In order to apply for Danish citizenship on the grounds of marriage, certain conditions determined by the Danish Ministry of Immigration and Integration must be met.

The requirements for applying for Danish citizenship through marriage are listed below.

It is necessary to be married to a Danish citizen. Depending on the duration of the marriage, it is necessary to have resided in Denmark for a period of 6 to 8 years.

What are the requirements for applying for Danish citizenship through adoption?

In order to apply for Danish citizenship through adoption, certain conditions determined by the Danish Ministry of Immigration and Integration must be met.

The requirements for applying for Danish citizenship through adoption are listed below.

At least one of the adoptive parents must be a Danish citizen.
The adopted person must be under 18 years of age.
Children adopted by a Danish citizen before the age of 12 do not need to fulfil the requirement to reside in Denmark, children over the age of 12 must fulfil the requirement to reside in Denmark.
If the adopted person is 15 years of age or older, he or she must not have a criminal record related to certain types of crimes.
The adopted person must not have any overdue debts to Danish public institutions.
The adopted child must not have received any state aid within the scope of Danish social policy regulations in the last two years.
For adopted children over the age of 12, documentation of the child's Danish language proficiency and a citizenship test are required, as well as documentation of the child's knowledge of Danish culture and history.

How to Get Danish Citizenship by Investment?

To apply for citizenship by investment in Denmark, you must have invested at least 100,000 Euros in Denmark, have a long-term Danish investor visa and residence permit, and have resided in Denmark continuously for 9 years.

People who have a long-term Danish investor visa by investing in one of the businesses approved by the Danish Employment Agency are granted the right to apply for permanent residence after 5 years of living in Denmark, and Danish citizenship after 9 years.

How to Get Danish Citizenship as a Refugee?

In order for a person with refugee status in Denmark to apply for citizenship, he/she must have resided in Denmark continuously for 8 years, be able to support himself/herself, have a clean criminal record, have no overdue debts to Danish public institutions, be proficient in Danish language and successfully complete the Danish naturalization exam.

People who have completed their asylum procedures in Denmark by applying are entitled to apply for citizenship after living in Denmark for 8 years without interruption with refugee status.

How to Get Danish Citizenship for Children?

In Denmark, individuals under the age of 18 are not officially considered adults and are defined as children. Under Danish law, a child born on or after 1 July 2014 to a Danish citizen father or mother automatically acquires Danish citizenship at birth.

The spouse and children under the age of 18 of a person who has been granted Danish citizenship are entitled to Danish citizenship without the requirement of 9 years of residence in Denmark. A child under the age of 18 who is adopted by a Danish person can become a Danish citizen by naturalization, provided that the necessary conditions are met and in accordance with the decision of the Danish government.

What are the Exceptions to Obtaining Danish Citizenship?

The following are the cases in which the Danish Ministry of Immigration and Integration accepts applications for Danish citizenship, regardless of the marriage or length of residence requirements.

Applicants who are Scandinavian citizens
Applicants who are former Danish citizens or of Danish origin
Applicants who reside abroad because their Danish spouse works abroad for Danish interests
Applicants who were born to a Danish mother between 1 January 1961 and 31 December 1978 and who are entitled to Danish citizenship if the mother has made a declaration to this effect between 1 January 1979 and 31 December 1981
Children applying for Danish citizenship without their parents

What are the Required Documents for Danish Citizenship Application?

The documents that need to be prepared and declared to apply for Danish citizenship are listed below.

A photocopy of the passport page of the person applying for citizenship that includes the applicant's information and photograph is required.
A photocopy of the applicant's Danish permanent residence permit must be submitted.
A copy of the exam result or diploma showing that the applicant has Danish language proficiency must be submitted.
A copy of the document proving that the applicant has passed the Danish citizenship test is required.
If the applicant requests exemption from the Danish citizenship exam for health reasons, a valid medical report is expected to be submitted.
In order for a child under the age of 18 to receive Danish citizenship as part of an application made by one of his/her parents, proof of custody must be presented.

What is the Danish Citizenship Exam Like?

The Danish citizenship exam, organized by the Danish Ministry of Immigration and Integration, is an exam that measures the knowledge level of people applying for Danish citizenship regarding Danish society, culture and history, and is one of the basic conditions for obtaining the right to naturalization.

The Danish citizenship exam is held twice a year, in summer and winter, at some language schools in Denmark. A person who wants to take the Danish citizenship exam must register for the exam online or in person at the appropriate language school and pay the exam fee of 815 DKK.

The Danish citizenship exam consists of 45 written questions about Danish society, culture and history. The Danish citizenship exam includes 35 questions prepared in line with the exam preparation materials, 5 questions measuring knowledge about current issues that took place in the 6 months before the exam and were covered in the Danish media, and 5 questions measuring knowledge about Danish values such as freedom of expression, equality or the relationship between religion and state.

The time given for the Danish citizenship exam, where the questions are prepared in a multiple-choice format, is 45 minutes. In order to successfully pass the Danish citizenship exam; it is necessary to answer at least 4 out of 5 questions about Danish values and at least 36 out of 45 questions in the entire exam correctly.

The approximately 170-page Danish citizenship exam preparation document, which can be accessed online, consists of 5 sections: Danish history, Danish democracy, Danish economy, Denmark and the outside world, and Danish cultural life. The Danish citizenship exam asks questions such as; How many municipalities are there in Denmark?, Which country did Denmark have to cede to Sweden after the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1814?, How many administrative regions was Denmark divided into in 2007?, Which party founded in 1959 is still in the Danish parliament today?, How can the Danish constitution be changed?

People who are unable to take the Danish citizenship exam due to health problems are granted exemption from the exam, provided that a valid medical report is presented.

Where to Apply for Danish Citizenship?

The documents and application form for applying for Danish citizenship must be submitted to the Danish Ministry of Immigration and Integration online or physically. If the applicant for Danish citizenship is a child applying as the primary person, a person born in Denmark and without citizenship, or a person represented by a power of attorney, the application documents must be submitted physically.

How to Track Danish Citizenship Application?

The application process for Danish citizenship cannot be followed online. If the citizenship application is successful, the Danish Ministry of Immigration and Integration sends the applicant a certificate of citizenship.

How Long Does It Take to Settle in Denmark?

Applications for Danish citizenship are evaluated within an average of 20 months from the date of application, and at the end of the process, applicants are informed by the Danish Ministry of Immigration and Integration. After the Danish Ministry of Immigration and Integration sends the citizenship acceptance document, applicants attend the constitutional ceremony organized by the municipality and receive their citizenship document approximately 1 month after the ceremony.

What to Do If Danish Citizenship Application Is Rejected?

If an application for Danish citizenship is rejected, the applicant is not entitled to appeal the decision. According to the Danish Constitution, the Danish parliament has the authority to grant Danish citizenship, and a rejection of citizenship by the parliament cannot be appealed.

If the application for Danish citizenship is rejected, the application fee is not refunded. The applicant whose application for citizenship is rejected can re-apply and does not have to pay the fee again for the new application.

How Much Is the Danish Citizenship Application Fee?

As of 2021, the expenses required to apply for Danish citizenship are determined as 3,800 Danish crowns for the application fee, 815 Danish crowns for taking the Danish citizenship test, and 1,417 Danish crowns for taking the Danish language proficiency exam.

Does Denmark Recognize Dual Citizenship?

Yes, the Danish government recognizes dual citizenship for foreigners who acquire Danish citizenship.

By decision of the Danish Parliament, Danish citizens are allowed to become foreign nationals without losing their Danish citizenship, and foreign nationals are allowed to acquire Danish citizenship without renouncing their previous citizenship.

What are the advantages of obtaining Danish citizenship?

The advantages of obtaining Danish citizenship are listed below.

A person who acquires Danish citizenship gains the right to live, work and study in Denmark and other European Union countries.
If you have Danish citizenship, you can enter and exit Denmark at any time.
Foreigners who acquire Danish citizenship have the right to vote in Denmark.
People who have acquired Danish citizenship are allowed to apply for citizenship in other countries.
Children of a Danish citizen are also considered Danish citizens.
Foreigners who acquire Danish citizenship have the right to access free healthcare, education and other social facilities.

Is Military Service Mandatory for Danish Citizens?

According to the Danish Constitution, military service is compulsory for all men over the age of 18 in Denmark, and the duration of military service varies between 4 and 12 months depending on class and rank. In Denmark, military service can be postponed for reasons related to education. In Denmark, women participate in military service on a voluntary basis.

In Which Countries Is a Danish Driving Licence Valid?

The countries where the Danish driving licence is valid are listed below.

Greece

Germany

Austria

Belgium

Bulgaria

Czech Republic

Estonia

Faroe Islands

Finland

France

Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus

Croatia

Holland

Ireland

Spain

Swedish

Switzerland

Iceland

Italy

Latvia

Liechtenstein

Lithuanian

Luxembourg

Hungary

Malta

Norway

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Slovakia

Slovenia

2026 Application Checklist

Valid Passport: Must be valid for at least 6 months beyond stay.
Proof of Funds: Bank statements or Blocked Account confirmation (2026 rates).
Biometrics: Appointment confirmation and receipt.
Health Insurance: Travel or private insurance covering €30,000+.
Form IMM 5645: Fully completed Family Information form.

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