Citizenship is not a “permanent residence premium” situation. The requirements and process are really different.
Miriam Thompson, Professional Citizenship Consultant
Danish citizenship: what does it mean? How can it benefit you? Who can apply? When can you apply? A quick glance at any social media group for internationals shows how important all these questions are to us, and also how confusing and complex the answers can be. The current global turmoil has intensified the importance of Danish citizenship for many.
Whether Danish citizenship is a long term goal for you, or something you’ve started thinking about more recently, we’re here with professional citizenship consultant Miriam Thompson to give you the facts. Miriam, originally from the US, has been through the process herself, from initial application to holding her Danish passport in her hand. Having worked for NGOs for nearly 10 years as a volunteer advisor, she combines her expert knowledge with personal experience. All this makes her ideally placed to be your guide through the long and intense process that is applying for Danish citizenship.
How is citizenship different from permanent residence?
Danish citizenship gives full rights and responsibilities, including voting in all elections, holding public office, receiving a Danish passport and being able to travel freely in and out of Denmark and the EU. It means your residence in Denmark is not tied to your employment, a partner or family member’s residence permit or any other conditions.
Also, while permanent residence grants many benefits, citizenship confers the highest level of integration into Danish society. And since Denmark doesn’t participate in the reciprocity agreement for permanent residence, citizenship offers more freedom to work across borders. It can open doors for jobs that require citizenship, such as certain governmental or diplomatic positions or the police force, along with jobs that require frequent travel or stationing abroad for longer periods of time. Holding citizenship also allows you to compete on Danish national teams.
In short, it gives you the security and peace of mind as an international that even permanent residence cannot offer. In the current political situation, that’s very valuable.
Who decides whether you get Danish citizenship?
Foreign citizens can only acquire Danish citizenship by law. You must be listed in a law proposal passed by the Danish Parliament. This process is called acquisition of Danish citizenship by naturalisation. The majority of cases are assessed by the Office of Citizenship in the ministry. Cases that require special consideration or exemption are decided on by the parliamentary Citizenship Committee of 17 politicians who represent the parties according to their election mandate. Currently the Social Democrats, led by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, have 6 seats on the committee.
What are the conditions for Danish citizenship?
There are eleven conditions:
- Making a declaration of allegiance and loyalty to Denmark
- Permanent residence permit and residence in Denmark
- Meeting the “resident in Denmark” conditions regarding uninterrupted residence
- Meeting the requirements regarding criminal records (including fines)
- Owing no debt to the Danish public sector
- Financial self-sufficiency
- Meeting the employment requirements
- Meeting the Danish language requirements
- Passing the Citizenship Test of 2021
- Paying the mandatory fee (DKK 6270 kr.* for first-time applicants as of January 2026)
- Attendance at the municipal constitution ceremony
*this fee is adjusted annually
For further information, refer first to UIM’s website. A translation function is available in the browser if necessary.
https://uim.dk/statsborgerskab/udenlandske-statsborgere/betingelser/
A general guide to citizenship can also be viewed at Life in Denmark.
Miriam’s top 5 Danish citizenship “need to knows”
Above all, remember citizenship is not a “permanent residence premium” situation. It is a very different situation with different conditions and processes. If you get permanent residence and are considering citizenship in the future, it is important to keep your ears open for changing requirements.
- Employment conditions
You must meet the conditions continuously with reference to whichever law proposal your citizenship case is based on. I have worked with people who have been in work for 20 years and put in a citizenship application. At that time, they fulfil the employment requirements, then they become unemployed and suddenly they no longer meet the requirements.
- Be cautious about self-employment
Think carefully about becoming self-employed. If you have an established customer base and an immediate income in that business, at a level equivalent to full-time work in that sector, then you might be OK. It’s common for internationals to be advised this is an easier route to employment, but a large number of self-employed people are rejected for citizenship, especially if they started their business only recently or after they submitted their application. It can be crucial to document all your activities and earnings carefully. If you cannot, that can be an issue. Creating an ApS and hiring yourself can help avoid these issues.
- Be cautious about time spent away from Denmark
Right now, there has been a change in the interpretation of stays abroad. Some offering advice on citizenship will say that visits to your homeland or maternity leave spent there doesn’t count as an interruption in your residency in Denmark, but it can, and in some cases does! You have to think of it this way: your attachment to Denmark is being evaluated. The more time you spend in your home country, that undermines your attachment to Denmark in the authorities’ eyes.
You are currently allowed up to one year of stays abroad that count as interruptions within the last twelve years without it affecting your application. “Interruptions” can include shorter stays abroad. Some applicants who have had more than a year of “interruptions” have been informed that they may not leave Denmark for anything over 24 hours for a period of at least 3 years, if they wish to be considered for citizenship.
- The process is very unpredictable.
Many are shocked at how long it takes to complete the entire process. In some cases from application to passport in hand it can be 3 years or more.
Also be prepared for regular changes in the rules for citizenship. Almost every time there is an election, the rules will change. Citizenship is one of the hottest topics in politics. In 2021 there were a slew of changes, which were then retrospectively applied to all applications going back to April 2020. And this can and in all likelihood will happen again in the near future. You need to be alert to these and how your case might be affected. Also citizenship tests taken can become irrelevant as new versions of the test are issued and applicants can then be required to take that new version as part of their citizenship application.
- The process isn’t transparent
It can seem arbitrary as to who gets citizenship and who doesn’t. Decisions by the Folketinget’s citizenship committee are not something you can look up. Their decisions are taken confidentially behind closed doors and there is no public record of what the deciding factor(s) were. You also cannot appeal a rejection like you can with permanent residence. You can take your rejection case through the court system but it might take up to ten years to get a decision, and you might get some financial compensation if you are lucky, but still not be granted citizenship. It is very important to be cautious if approaching lawyers to take on your case and to choose someone you trust. In the end, unfortunately, no one can force the Danish government to grant you citizenship.
How to contact Miriam
Ask Miriam – Danish Citizenship and Permanent Residence
Have a question you want Miriam to answer about citizenship? Post it in her Facebook group, where you can get answers to general questions regarding the rules and procedures for obtaining Danish citizenship through naturalisation.
For more individualized advice you may be asked to book a consultation.
Each month, Miriam will be choosing common questions to answer in depth in Last Week in Denmark, beginning on Sunday 8th February.
Miriam T. Consulting ApS (miriamt.dk)
You can also approach Miriam directly for bespoke advice and assistance with applications for Danish citizenship as well as permanent residence. Prices are tailored to the amount and type of assistance required.
