Eligibility quiz
Was your father, mother or co-mother a Danish citizen when you were born?
Benefits
Benefits for youBenefits for you
Danish passport
Danish citizens can get a Danish passport in Denmark or through Danish embassies and consulates abroad.
The passport must be renewed when it expires; citizenship itself does not expire with it.
Live in Denmark for life
Danish citizens can enter, live in and return to Denmark without a residence permit.
Study in Denmark
Danish citizens can access education on the terms that apply to Danish citizens.
Work in Denmark
Danish citizens can work in Denmark without immigration permission.
Danish citizenship is also a qualification for certain civil service jobs, though exceptions apply and many public jobs are open to others.
Settle in another EU country
After five years of continuous legal residence in another EU country, Danish citizens can gain a permanent right to live there under EU rules.
Get help abroad
Danish embassies and consulates can help citizens abroad, including with emergency travel documents and contacting family, insurers, lawyers or local authorities.
Denmark generally will not pay hospital, legal, travel or other emergency costs, lend money, guarantee release from prison or get someone a job or work permit.
Outside the EU, Danish citizens can seek help from another EU country if Denmark has no embassy or consulate there.
Vote and run for office
Danish citizens aged 18 or over can vote in parliamentary elections if they live permanently in Denmark and have not had their legal capacity fully removed.
Citizens abroad generally must apply to be added to the voting list and meet special conditions.
Citizens aged 18 or over can also vote in local and regional elections if they live permanently in the relevant area.
In another EU country, citizens can vote and run in local and European Parliament elections under that country's conditions.
Use public healthcare
Danish citizens can use public healthcare when covered under Denmark's residence and social-security rules.
GP, specialist and public hospital treatment is normally free.
People who move abroad normally lose Danish coverage unless another rule keeps them covered.
Receive social support
Danish citizens may qualify for social-security benefits, including family, unemployment and sickness benefits and pensions.
Payments depend on conditions such as residence, work, insurance and contributions; citizenship alone does not guarantee them.
How to apply
Applying by mailApplying by mail
Download the application form
Download the Application for proof of or retention of Danish citizenship.
Download the formFill in the form
Fill in and sign the form. If you are applying for your child, fill it in and sign it on your child’s behalf.
Find form guidanceSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I fill in the application for proof of Danish citizenship?”
Gather your documents
Prepare the required documents for the application.
See required documentsMail your application package
Send the completed form and documents to the Ministry of Immigration and Integration, and pay the DKK 1,200 fee to the ministry by bank transfer at the same time. You can also send the application by email, but ordinary email is not encrypted.
Get the mailing addressWait for the decision
Wait for the ministry to decide and answer any requests for more information. If approved, you receive proof that you can use to show that you or your child is a Danish citizen.
See how long it takesSearches DuckDuckGo for “How long does an application for proof of Danish citizenship take?”
Documents needed
Family certificates and recordsFamily certificates and records
Birth certificates
Provide your birth certificate showing your birth details and your Danish parent. Check the form’s attachment list for the version to send and the rules for foreign family documents.
Parent's citizenship records
Provide proof that your Danish parent was a Danish citizen when you were born. If your parent became Danish in a way other than by birth or their parents’ marriage, include evidence of how they became Danish. If you would otherwise have had no citizenship, include evidence of that too.
Marriage certificates *
Provide your parents’ marriage certificate and proof that you were unmarried and under 18 when they married. Your birth certificate can show your age at the time.
* Only if you rely on your parents’ marriage after your birth.
May need translationMay need apostille/legalisationConsiderations
Things to think aboutThings to think about
Military service
Danish men living in Denmark must attend a military service assessment and may have to serve.
Women who turn 18 after 1 July 2025 are also covered by the mandatory assessment and service system.
Service can be in the armed forces or the Emergency Management Agency, with civilian alternatives in appropriate cases.
Citizenship lost at 22
A person born abroad can lose Danish citizenship at 22 if they have never lived in Denmark or stayed there enough to show a sufficient connection.
This does not happen if it would leave them without any citizenship.
In relevant circumstances, they can seek permission to keep their citizenship.
Citizenship taken away
A court can take away Danish citizenship if false or misleading information or concealed facts contributed to obtaining it.
Citizenship can also be taken away after a conviction for conduct seriously harmful to Denmark's vital interests, within Denmark's international obligations.
Related rules can affect a child who gained citizenship through the parent.
Giving up citizenship
Danish citizenship can end if a person is released from citizenship in permitted circumstances, including when they have another citizenship and live permanently abroad.
Different rules apply to someone living in Denmark.
Loss under older rules
Older rules also cover some past cases where citizenship was lost after voluntarily acquiring another citizenship or entering public service in another country.
Acquiring another citizenship today does not by itself normally end Danish citizenship.
Discuss
Online communitiesOnline communities
Foreigners in Denmark
English Facebook group for people living in Denmark interested in Danish local life
Join on FacebookAarhus Internationals
English Facebook group for people living in Denmark interested in Danish local life
Join on Facebookr/NewToDenmark
English Reddit group for people living in Denmark interested in Danish local life
Join on RedditConsultation
Talk to a professionalTalk to a professional
Adavia doesn't provide advice, but we're building a directory of professionals who do. If you'd like, we can notify you when help is available.
Updated