With its capital located in Copenhagen, it is home to royal palaces, colorful Nyhavn harbor, the Tivoli amusement park, and the iconic “Little Mermaid” statue.
In essence, Denmark is a great place to live, work, spend a vacation, and even naturalize. In this article, I’ll be giving you a step-by-step guide on how to naturalize for Denmark. You’ll also get to see the best features of the Danish capital, why this country is a great place to live, and the entire naturalization process.
How is life in Denmark?
What is the public option of becoming a Denmark citizen? Well, most foreigners see Denmark as a great place to live instead of a casual vacation spot. It has one of the most beautiful policies for ex-pats. These laws attract millions of tourists from all around the world to this beautiful paradise to live in. Here are some of the reasons why we think Denmark is a great place to live.
- Work-life balance – Danish business culture makes Denmark one of the best family-friendly places to live in. All employees enjoy up to 5 weeks of vacation annually. This makes it easier for parents to organize dedicated family time and holidays.
- Good working culture – If you plan to work in Denmark, this country has one of the most productive and hardworking workforces in Europe [the European Investment Bank’s Investment Report 2018/2019]. Dane employees also enjoy a high degree of autonomy and empowerment.
- Educated people – The Danes are among the happiest and most satisfied people in the world. They are by far one the most educated and super intelligent in Europe. There are schools in the country that offer International Business (IB) programs that teach in English, French, or German, while Danish is a mandatory subject.
Other benefits of living in Denmark include free education, free healthcare, standard road networks, extensive & stable public transport systems, active cultural activities, and buzzing city life and beautiful countryside.
Advantages of acquiring Danish citizenship
There are so many benefits of becoming a Dane. Some of them include:
- You become eligible to live, work, and study in Denmark and other EU countries.
- You can travel in and out of Denmark anytime you want
- You are allowed to become citizens of other countries.
- Your children become citizens of Denmark.
- You easier access to free health care, education, and other social amenities.
- You obtain the right to vote and be voted for in Denmark.
How to acquire Danish citizenship
There are two primary ways to acquire Danish nationality. You can gain Danish citizenship from your parents or by naturalization.
Nationality at birth
If one or both of your parents have Danish nationality, you automatically become a citizen of Denmark. This condition is also valid if the parent is separated or divorced. The only limit is that a child is older than 18 years cannot attain citizenship by birth or marriage.
Nationality by naturalization
If you want to become a Denmark citizen by naturalization, you’ll have to go through a complicated procedure once you meet the stated requirements. Before you can apply for Denmark citizenship, you must live in Denmark for over nine years and possess a permanent residence permit.
If you don’t have a permanent residence permit, you can apply for one at the Danish Immigration Service. You can also obtain Denmark citizenship if you are a refugee, you only have to stay in the country for eight years.
The naturalization process is shorter if the beneficiary is a Nordic national, married to a Danish national, resides in the country as a child, or received Danish education [general education or vocational training].
How to apply
If you’re planning on knowing the easiest way to obtain Denmark citizenship, we are here to guide you and ensure that you have a fast and stress-free application. The application procedure for Danish citizenship by naturalization is a very lengthy and complicated process.
Before you begin your application, try to contact an immigration lawyer in Denmark to check if you met all the stated requirements. Your lawyer will also help see you through the application process because it involves a lot of paperwork.
To apply, you’ll have to submit your online application. The naturalization process can take time; it typically involves the assessment of your application. There is a vetting process in this stage. Still, once your application is approved, it will be included in a parliamentary bill [an Act of Naturalization].
This parliamentary bill is only introduced twice a year: in April and October. It takes about 19-21 months to process each application, from the moment they are received by the Ministry of Immigration, Integration, and Housing to when they are included in the Act of Naturalisation.
Requirements
Your naturalization process must meet the following requirements before your application can be accepted.
- You must pledge allegiance & loyalty to Danish society.
- You must be debt-free.
- You must have been financially independent for at least two years.
- You must comply with Danish laws.
- You must have a Denmark permanent residence permit.
- You must have stayed in the country for at least nine consecutive years.
- You must have a clean record and not have committed significant crimes.
- You must pass your “Prøve I Dansk 3”, “Prøve i Dansk 2”, and indfødsretsprøven [citizenship test].
- You must be in the right sense of mind. If you meet the following requirements, you should naturalize for Denmark.
Required documents
You’ll need to present personal identification documents like your international passports, birth certificates, etc. You must also have a clean personal detail with no criminal record. If you meet the requirements stated for naturalization, you should come with the following documents to complete your application.
- A copy of your passport
- A copy of your permanent residency permit
- Completed declaration of self-support
- Documentation of parental responsibility [if applicable]
- Original copies of your Danish language test
- Original copies of Citizenship test results
Does Denmark allow dual citizenship?
Yes. On the 18th of December 2014, The Danish Parliament passed a bill that would allow its citizens to become foreign nationals without losing their Danish citizenship. It would also allow foreign nationals to attain Danish nationality without renouncing their prior citizenship. This law became active on the 1st of September 2015 and has been upheld to date.
Danish laws do not limit the number of nationalities you can possess. It allows both citizens and foreigners to maintain both double, triple, or multiple citizenships. You don’t need to renounce your previous nationalities to become a Dane.
You will also lose your citizenship rights if you acquired your Danish nationality by fraudulent conduct, never lived in the Kingdom of Denmark before the age of 22 years, commit crimes against national security, or voluntarily forfeit your Danish nationality.