🇩🇰 Denmark visa and immigration options

Pay Limit Scheme / Positive List / Fast-track (Work Permit)

Denmark offers several employer-sponsored work routes. The Pay Limit Scheme (Beløbsordningen) requires an annual salary of DKK 552,000 for applications from 1 January 2026 (DKK 514,000 in 2025), and the Supplementary Pay Limit Scheme DKK 446,000; a proposed lower threshold (reported as roughly DKK 300,000-322,000) for collective-agreement-covered jobs for…

Processing time

Varies by scheme; Fast-track is designed to be quicker for certified employers.

Typical costs

DKK 6,810 government fee; accompanying family cost DKK 3,080 per person.

Government fees

DKK 6,810 — DKK 6,810 for all SIRI work schemes (Pay Limit, Positive Lists, Fast-track, researchers); extensions cost the same.

Work and study rights

Tied to the specific employer and role named on the permit.

Family

Accompanying family can apply for their own permits at DKK 3,080 per person.

Important: a reduced Pay Limit threshold for nationals of 16 non-EU countries was proposed for collective-agreement-covered jobs but had not been confirmed as enacted in the sources reviewed (earlier versions of this data wrongly presented DKK 300,000 as in force); the confirmed 2026 thresholds are DKK 552,000 (Pay Limit) and DKK 446,000 (Supplementary) -- check SIRI.…

Sources reviewed: https://www.thelocal.dk/20251218/the-immigration-changes-foreigners-in-denmark-need-to-know-in-2026, https://migrationprotect.com/destinations/denmark/visa-fees/

Student Residence Permit

Requires enrolment at a Danish institution (or proof of enrolment at your home institution for exchange/guest students), proof of the SIRI case-processing fee payment, full passport copies, and evidence of sufficient funds for your stay. MAJOR REFORM FLAG: new restrictions targeting non-EU students (naming Bangladesh and Nepal specifically) introduced…

Processing time

Not independently confirmed for this build.

Typical costs

DKK 3,060 government fee; exact required funds figure not independently confirmed for this build — check SIRI's current guidance.

Government fees

DKK 3,060 — DKK 3,060 for study permits and PhDs; extensions cost the same.

Work and study rights

Limited work rights alongside full-time study, as standard for student permits.

Family

new 2026 rules removed the right to bring family members for some non-EU students — confirm your specific situation before assuming family can join you.

Important: non-EU students (Bangladesh and Nepal specifically named in current reporting) face new, stricter admission criteria, certificate-verification requirements, possible additional entrance/language exams, and more frequent activity checks introduced over the 2025-2026 period — confirm the current rules for your specific nationality before applying.

Sources reviewed: https://www.legit.ng/people/1725319-denmark-lists-4-key-documents-foreigners-apply-student-residence-permit-2026/, https://www.thelocal.dk/20251218/the-immigration-changes-foreigners-in-denmark-need-to-know-in-2026

Start-up Denmark Residence Permit

Requires formal approval of your business idea by an expert panel appointed by the Danish Business Authority — it must be innovative with development potential for the Danish business community; ordinary businesses like restaurants or retail shops generally don't qualify. You must be a full or partial owner and actively run the business (holding companies…

Processing time

Normally around 2 months; up to 4 months if SIRI requests further information.

Typical costs

DKK 3,060 government fee plus self-support funds for the first year: DKK 153,240 alone, DKK 306,480 with a spouse, DKK 356,904 with a spouse and children, or DKK 203,664 with children but no spouse (2025 levels).

Government fees

DKK 3,060 — DKK 3,060 application fee.

Work and study rights

Permit holders run their approved business; the annual cap of 75 approvals makes competition for a slot meaningful.

Family

Self-support fund requirements scale up with accompanying spouse and children.

Important: only 75 foreign nationals can be approved under this specific scheme each calendar year — apply well ahead of any time-sensitive plans, and confirm current self-support figures, which are reviewed and adjusted periodically.

Sources reviewed: https://www.nyidanmark.dk/en-GB/You-want-to-apply/Work/Start-up-Denmark

Family Reunification (Spouse/Partner)

Denmark applies the long-standing '24-year rule' — both spouses/partners must be at least 24 years old before a spousal residence permit can be granted, a rule introduced in 2002 to curb marriages of convenience, which the UN Human Rights Committee has found to violate the right to family life, though it remains in force. Additional attachment and…

Processing time

Not independently confirmed for this build.

Typical costs

DKK 8,490 government fee for a first application.

Government fees

DKK 8,490 — DKK 8,490 for a first application, DKK 5,435 for an extension; accompanying family cost DKK 3,080 per person where applicable.

Work and study rights

Dependants generally gain work rights once granted a residence permit.

Family

Covers spouse/registered partner; separate rules apply to children.

Important: the 24-year age rule applies to BOTH spouses, not just the applicant — confirm this and any attachment/financial-guarantee requirements directly with the Danish Immigration Service, since specifics beyond the age rule were not independently confirmed for this build.

Sources reviewed: https://www.globeadvokater.dk/what-is-the-24-year-requirement/, https://migrationprotect.com/destinations/denmark/visa-fees/

Permanent Residence Permit

Denmark uses a two-tier structure: 8 years of continuous legal residence under the standard basic requirements (clean criminal record, no overdue public debt, no qualifying social assistance in the prior 4 years, passing Danish Language Test 2, a signed self-support declaration, and qualifying employment at the time of decision), OR 4 years if you meet at…

Processing time

Not independently confirmed for this build.

Typical costs

Not independently confirmed; language testing costs apply.

Government fees

Fee not independently confirmed for this build; confirm current amount with the Danish Immigration Service.

Work and study rights

Full, unrestricted work and study rights.

Family

Dependants may apply through family reunification once you hold permanent residence.

Important: the 4-year accelerated track requires meeting at least two of four supplementary requirements, not all four — confirm which combination you can realistically meet, since this materially changes your timeline from 8 years to 4.

Sources reviewed: https://yen.com.gh/people/309436-denmark-lists-10-conditions-foreigners-seeking-permanent-residency/

Danish Citizenship by Naturalization

Danish citizenship is granted only through a parliamentary naturalization bill, not an administrative decision. Standard requirements: 9 years of continuous residence (8 for refugees/stateless persons, 2 for Nordic citizens, 6-8 for spouses of Danish citizens depending on marriage length), having held a permanent residence permit for at least 2 years (1 for…

Processing time

Tied to parliamentary bill scheduling, not a fixed administrative timeline — can be lengthy and is subject to political developments.

Typical costs

Not independently confirmed; language testing costs apply.

Government fees

Fee not independently confirmed for this build; confirm current amount with the Ministry of Immigration and Integration.

Work and study rights

Full rights as a Danish and EU citizen upon naturalization.

Family

Minor children may be included under certain conditions.

Important: citizenship requires an act of parliament, so timing depends on political scheduling, not just meeting the stated criteria — and a possible new values-screening system and a debated withdrawal from the Council of Europe Convention on Nationality could both change the process during 2026. Confirm the current legislative status before planning around any…

Sources reviewed: https://lifeindenmark.borger.dk/settle-in-denmark/danish-citizenship/conditions-for-foreign-citizens--acquisition-of-danish-citizenship, https://cphpost.dk/2026-10-05/news/round-up/govt-reintroduces-citizenship-bill/

Visit Denmark (Schengen Type C Visa)

Denmark is a Schengen member, so short tourist/business visits follow the standard Schengen Type C visa (or visa-free entry for exempt nationalities) for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Processing time

Standard Schengen processing, typically up to 15 calendar days, longer if additional documents are requested.

Typical costs

EUR 90 visa fee (where a visa is required) plus travel insurance.

Government fees

EUR 90 — Standard Schengen short-stay visa fee (EUR 45 for children 6-12); exact ETIAS pre-screening launch timing for visa-exempt travellers remains unsettled and should be confirmed closer to your travel date.

Work and study rights

No work rights; business visitors are limited to activities permitted under a Schengen Type C visa.

Family

Dependants travelling together apply individually under the same visa type.

Sources reviewed: Standard Schengen visa framework