Permanent residence in Denmark and Danish citizenship – requirements, 2026 fees and what is on hold
Last updated 25 September 2026Rules checked every MondayOfficial sourcesSources & methodology →
Permanent residence in Denmark normally takes eight years of legal residence, sometimes four. Danish citizenship takes longer and only Parliament can grant it – and since the naturalisation bill lapsed in February 2026, processing is on hold. Here are the rules, fees and waiting times.
Permanent residence in Denmark and Danish citizenship are how you settle here for good, and both moved in 2025–2026. Citizenship fees rose on 18 June 2025 and were adjusted again on 1 January 2026. The naturalisation bill L98 lapsed on 26 February 2026, when a general election was called. And on 30 June 2026 the window closed for former Danes to reclaim, by declaration, citizenship they lost by taking a foreign one. Udlændingestyrelsen (the Danish Immigration Service) decides on permanent residence; Udlændinge- og Integrationsministeriet (the Ministry of Immigration and Integration) handles citizenship.
Who can get permanent residence in Denmark, and when?
| You are | Route | When |
|---|---|---|
| An EU/EEA or Swiss citizen | Right to permanent residence under EU rules; no fee, normally 3 months' processing | After 5 years of actual and real residence under EU rules |
| A Nordic citizen | No residence permit needed | – |
| A UK citizen | Withdrawal Agreement status if you lived here before 31 December 2020 and applied by 31 December 2023; if you arrived from 2021, the ordinary rules | Cards are valid for up to 10 years, then renewed |
| A former Danish citizen or of Danish descent | A temporary permit, typically for a year | Permanent residence after 1 or 2 years, if you meet certain requirements |
| Anyone else with a residence permit | Permanent residence permit | After 8 years, or 4 if you meet all 4 supplementary requirements |
Source: New to Denmark (Danish Immigration Service and SIRI), read 23 September 2026.
Under EU rules, being registered at an address or owning a home is not enough – the residence must be actual and real. Temporary absences of less than 6 months a year do not in themselves stand in the way.
What are the requirements for permanent residence in Denmark?
On the ordinary route, you need all the basic requirements and at least two of four supplementary ones, according to the Immigration Service's page, updated on 17 September 2026:
| Requirement | Type | Detail (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Prøve i Dansk 2 (Danish test 2) or an equivalent or higher exam | Basic | Part 11 covers the tests |
| Full-time work or self-employment for at least 3 years 6 months in the last 4 years | Basic | Full-time means on average at least 30 hours a week, or 120 a month |
| In work when the decision is made | Basic | At least 15 hours a week, unless you are exempt, for example as a pensioner |
| No overdue public debt | Basic | With a repayment extension, at most DKK 143,100.98 |
| No benefits under the Active Social Policy Act or the Integration Act | Basic | As a rule, 4 years must pass after your last payment |
| Prøve i Dansk 3 or an equivalent or higher exam | Supplementary | – |
| Full-time work for at least 4 years in the last 4 years 6 months | Supplementary | – |
| Annual taxable income of at least DKK 346,155.57 | Supplementary | For the 2 years before the decision |
| Active citizenship | Supplementary | Pass the active citizen exam, or show at least 1 year of active citizenship |
Source: New to Denmark (Danish Immigration Service), read 23 September 2026.
Wage-subsidised jobs, unpaid work and substitute work through a temp agency do not count. The active citizen exam has 25 multiple-choice questions on Danish democracy, culture and history; the alternative is at least a year of active citizenship, such as sitting on a board or being a trainer in a sports club. An unconditional prison sentence of at least 6 months bars you permanently.
Take Anna, an invented example: on the Pay Limit Scheme, she has worked full-time for 4 years, passed Prøve i Dansk 3 and the active citizen exam, and earns above the income threshold. If she meets every basic requirement too, she can apply after 4 years instead of 8.
| Permanent residence permit | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Fee, based on work or study | DKK 7,570 |
| Fee, based on family reunification or asylum | DKK 4,970 |
| Expected maximum processing time | 12 months |
| Fingerprints and facial photo | Within 6 weeks of applying |
| The permit can lapse if | You give up your home and leave Denmark, or stay abroad for more than 12 months in a row |
Source: New to Denmark (Danish Immigration Service), read 23 September 2026.
How do you get Danish citizenship?
A foreign citizen can only become Danish by law, when Folketinget (the Danish Parliament) passes a naturalisation bill that includes you. Bills are usually introduced twice a year, in April and October. The Ministry's main conditions:
| Condition | What applies |
|---|---|
| Residence | 9 years uninterrupted, under circular letter no. 9461 of 17 June 2021 on naturalisation; 8 for recognised refugees and stateless persons; 2 for Nordic citizens; 6–8 if married to a Dane |
| Permanent residence | Held for 2 years (1 for recognised refugees and stateless persons) |
| Danish | Prøve i Dansk 3 or equivalent; Prøve i Dansk 2 if you have had no benefits in the last 2 years and no more than 3 months of them in the last 9 |
| Knowledge of Denmark | Pass Indfødsretsprøven af 2021 (the 2021 Citizenship Test) |
| Work | Full-time for 3 years 6 months in the last 4 years, and at least 15 hours a week when the bill is introduced |
| Self-support | No benefits under the Active Social Policy Act or the Integration Act in the last 2 years, and no more than 4 months in the last 5; state and disability pensions do not count against you |
| Public debt | None overdue, including penalty fares of DKK 3,000 or more, police fines and overdue SU student loans |
| Criminal record | Any prison sentence excludes you; a fine of DKK 3,000 or more means waiting 4 years 6 months |
| Loyalty | Sign a declaration of loyalty to Denmark with MitID when you apply |
Source: Udlændinge- og Integrationsministeriet, read 23 September 2026.
Most new citizens then attend a grundlovsceremoni (constitution ceremony), within 2 years of the law taking effect. You sign a declaration and shake hands with the mayor; only then are you Danish and receive your statsborgerretsbevis (certificate of citizenship). You can vote in general elections and get a Danish passport, and your residence permit lapses under section 18a(1) of the Aliens Act. Denmark has allowed dual citizenship since 1 September 2015; whether your other country does is its own decision.
What does Danish citizenship cost in 2026, and what is on hold?
| Application | Fee from 1 January 2026 |
|---|---|
| First application | DKK 6,270 |
| First application, aged 18–24 and born in Denmark or arrived before age 8 | DKK 4,180 |
| First re-application after a refusal | Free |
| Second or later re-application | DKK 3,135 |
| Certificate of, or retention of, Danish citizenship | DKK 1,254 |
| Declaration of acquisition or reacquisition | DKK 1,150 |
| First application, resident in Greenland or the Faroe Islands | DKK 4,000; re-applications free |
Source: Udlændinge- og Integrationsministeriet, read 23 September 2026.
Fees are not refunded if you are refused or withdraw; the first-application fee was DKK 4,000 until 18 June 2025. Processing takes 24 months on average, though simple first applications can go faster as fasttrack cases.
Because of Denmark's EU presidency in the second half of 2025, only one naturalisation bill was planned for the 2025–26 session, to take effect on 1 April 2026. On 26 February 2026 the bill L98 lapsed: a general election was called and Parliament's work stopped. The Ministry states that, as a starting point, it will not process applications for Danish citizenship until there is clarity after the election about which conditions will apply. That was still its position on 23 September 2026, so processing is in effect paused.
What to do now
| Step | What | When |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Work out your route: EU rules (5 years) or the ordinary rules (8 or 4 years) | Now |
| 2 | Take Prøve i Dansk 2 – and Prøve i Dansk 3 if you aim for 4 years or citizenship (part 11) | Well before you apply |
| 3 | Keep full-time work and clear any overdue public debt | Throughout |
| 4 | Apply for permanent residence, pay the fee and give your biometrics | When you qualify; biometrics within 6 weeks |
| 5 | Avoid staying abroad for more than 12 months in a row | Once you hold the permit |
| 6 | Check the Ministry's status on citizenship processing | Before you pay DKK 6,270 |
Source: New to Denmark and Udlændinge- og Integrationsministeriet, read 23 September 2026.
Official sources
The official pages this guide is based on, read 23 September 2026. Links open the authority’s own website.
- nyidanmark.dk · nyidanmark.dk
- uim.dk · uim.dk
- uim.dk · uim.dk
- uim.dk · uim.dk
- uim.dk · uim.dk
- uim.dk · uim.dk
- uim.dk · uim.dk
- uim.dk · uim.dk
- uim.dk · uim.dk
- uim.dk · uim.dk
- uim.dk · uim.dk
- uim.dk · uim.dk
- uim.dk · uim.dk
- uim.dk · uim.dk
- uim.dk · uim.dk
Relocate in Europe provides general information, not legal or financial advice for your individual situation. Check with the authority named above before you act – rules change, and your case may differ.