🇩🇰Denmark Visa for British Citizens2026 Requirements, Fees & Documents

Pay Limit Scheme (Løngrænseordningen)

Residence and work permit for non-EU/EEA nationals who have received a job offer in Denmark with a salary at or above the annual threshold (DKK 552,000 in 2026), regardless of occupation or education level.

Fee is DKK 6,810 (~USD 1,001). Minimum salary DKK 552,000/year (2026, adjusted annually 1 January). Salary must be paid into a Danish bank account in the applicant's name within 180 days. Minimum 30 hours/week. Permit is typically 4 years for employment of 4+ years, or for the employment period plus a 6-month job-seeking extension for shorter contracts. Applicant must not receive social benefits. Family members (spouse/partner and children under 18) may accompany. Applications submitted online via nyidanmark.dk.

Fast-Track Scheme

Accelerated residence and work permit for employees of SIRI-certified companies, offering five tracks: Pay Limit, Supplementary Pay Limit, Short-Term, Researcher, and Educational.

Fee is DKK 6,810 (~USD 1,001). Requires employer to be SIRI-certified. Five tracks: (1) Pay Limit – DKK 552,000/year minimum; (2) Supplementary Pay Limit – DKK 446,000/year minimum (requires Jobnet/EURES posting for 2 weeks); (3) Short-Term – max 90 days in 365 days, non-extendable; (4) Researcher – specific research role; (5) Educational – highly qualified training. Standard processing 1 month; Quick Job Start allows work start within 0–30 days if applicant can enter Denmark legally. Employer applies online.

Positive List for People with Higher Education

Residence and work permit for non-EU/EEA nationals who have a job offer in a profession listed on the Danish Positive List for Higher Education (shortage occupations updated twice yearly).

Fee DKK 6,810 (~USD 1,001). Positive List updated 1 January and 1 July each year; as of 1 January 2026 includes 183 job titles. Salary must meet Danish professional standards; must be paid to a Danish bank account. No employer certification required. Processing time approximately 1 month. Applications submitted online via nyidanmark.dk.

Positive List for Skilled Work

Residence and work permit for non-EU/EEA nationals who have a job offer in a skilled trade or craft occupation on the Danish Positive List for Skilled Work (shortage occupations updated twice yearly).

Fee DKK 6,810 (~USD 1,001). Positive List updated twice yearly; as of 1 January 2026 includes 57 skilled job titles. Employer must demonstrate meeting apprenticeship training obligations. Salary paid to Danish bank account required. Processing time approximately 1 month.

Researcher Scheme

Residence and work permit for non-EU/EEA nationals employed in a paid research position at a Danish research institution or company, where the role has specific research-related ties to the individual's qualifications.

Fee DKK 6,810 (~USD 1,001). Salary must meet Danish professional standards; only liquid salary and pension contributions count. Primary purpose must be research. Permit duration matches employment contract (up to 4 years). Biometrics required within 14 days of application. Permit holder may change positions within same employer, take sideline employment, and serve as external examiner at other universities without additional permits. Family members (spouse/partner and children under 18) may accompany.

Guest Researcher Scheme

Residence permit for non-EU/EEA academics with a master's degree who are invited to conduct research at a Danish institution but are not employed (self-funded or externally funded).

Fee DKK 6,810 (~USD 1,001). Applicant must hold at minimum a master's degree and have a written invitation from a Danish research institution providing facilities without employment. Must demonstrate financial self-sufficiency (DKK 12,770/month for single applicant in 2025). Maximum permit duration 3 years; expires 14 days after invitation lapses. Permit holder is exempt from work permit requirement for sideline employment. Family members may accompany.

Trainee Scheme

Residence and work permit for non-EU/EEA nationals employed as trainees in Denmark as part of an educational course connected to their home-country employer, under a verified strategic cooperation agreement.

Fee DKK 6,810 (~USD 1,001). Maximum stay 24 months total; individual permits up to 1 year. Requires verified strategic cooperation or partnership between a foreign company and the Danish employer. Must follow an educational course relevant to the job the applicant will return to abroad. Permit is employer-specific; changing positions within the same employer requires new application. Family members may accompany.

Special Individual Qualifications (Athletes, Coaches, and Other Unique Roles)

Residence and work permit for non-EU/EEA nationals who possess unique, individually assessed qualifications for a specific role where no other person can immediately take on the job - most commonly used for professional athletes, jockeys, and coaches.

Fee DKK 6,810 (~USD 1,001). Permit validity is tiered: up to 1 year initially, up to 2 years in years 2–4, up to 3 years after 4 years of stays. Applicant can only work at the specified employer; new employment requires new application (may begin work upon submission). Salary must meet Danish professional standards. Family members may accompany.

Sideline Employment Permit

Allows non-EU/EEA nationals already holding a Danish residence and work permit to take additional part-time employment that is naturally related to their primary job, without requiring a new full residence permit.

No fee. Work-only permit; cannot serve as basis for residence. Typically 8–15 hours per week. The sideline work must be naturally related to the primary permit-basis job. Researchers, guest researchers, PhD students, artists, and professional athletes automatically have unlimited sideline employment rights without applying.

Start-up Denmark

Residence and work permit for non-EU/EEA entrepreneurs with an innovative business idea approved by the Danish Business Authority expert panel who wish to establish and operate a new company in Denmark.

Fee DKK 3,060 (~USD 450). Business idea must be approved by Danish Business Authority before applying to SIRI. Maximum 75 permits issued per year. Teams of up to 3 persons may apply together. Minimum personal funds DKK 153,240 (2025 level; single applicant). Initial permit up to 2 years; renewable for up to 3 years at a time. Applicant must be full or partial owner and actively involved in management. Permit is company-specific.

Student Residence Permit (Higher Education)

Residence permit for non-EU/EEA nationals enrolled as students at a Danish university or accredited higher education institution.

Fee DKK 3,060 (~USD 450) confirmed from official fee overview page (nyidanmark.dk/en-GB/Words-and-concepts/Faelles/Fees/Fee---overview-of-fee-rates, verified 2026-06-29). Permit duration matches the standard (nominal) duration of the study programme. Students may work up to 20 hours per week during the academic year (September–May) and full-time in June–August. Applicants must be enrolled at an approved Danish educational institution. Applications submitted online via nyidanmark.dk.

PhD Student Residence Permit

Residence permit for non-EU/EEA nationals enrolled as PhD students at a Danish university, whether the position is salaried or unpaid.

Fee DKK 3,060 (~USD 450). Valid for the standard duration of the PhD programme. Salaried PhD students are self-supporting; unpaid students must demonstrate DKK 7,426/month (2026 level). Work rights: 90 hours/month during academic months, full-time in June–August, unlimited for work naturally related to PhD. Post-graduation: 3-year job-seeking period with same work rights. EU/EEA/Swiss nationals apply for an EU residence document instead.

Family Reunification – Spouse or Cohabiting Partner

Residence permit allowing the non-EU/EEA spouse or registered/cohabiting partner of a person residing legally in Denmark to join and live with that person.

Fee DKK 8,490 (~USD 1,248). Both applicant and sponsor must be at least 24 years old (exceptions for children or serious illness). Relationship must be legally valid and voluntary. Applicant and sponsor together must meet 4 of 6 integration conditions. Sponsor must have independent housing of at least 20 sq. metres per occupant, be self-supporting, and post a financial guarantee of DKK 61,709.34 (2026). Sponsor must also have passed 'Prøve i Dansk 3' or equivalent. Processing time up to 10 months. Initial permit typically 2 years; renewable.

Accompanying Family Member Permit (Work/Study-based)

Residence permit allowing non-EU/EEA spouses, registered partners, cohabiting partners, and children under 18 to accompany a primary permit holder who is living in Denmark for work or study.

Fee DKK 3,080 (~USD 453). Permit duration matches the sponsor's permit. Holder is generally entitled to work in Denmark without a separate work permit (exception: employment at the sponsor's own company or closely related entities requires a separate application). Cohabiting partners must demonstrate at least 1.5–2 years of cohabitation. Family members must reside at the same address as the sponsor. Cannot receive public social benefits.

Working Holiday Scheme

Residence and work permit for young citizens of Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, New Zealand, or South Korea whose main purpose is an extended holiday in Denmark, with the option to do some salaried work to supplement travel funds.

Fee DKK 3,060 (~USD 450). Available only to nationals of Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea under bilateral agreements. Age limits vary by nationality (e.g. Australia and Canada 18-35, South Korea 18-34, New Zealand 18-30). Permit is valid for one year from date of entry and cannot be extended beyond 1 year. Paid work allowed for up to 6 months of the stay, but no more than 3 months with the same employer and no permanent employment; only salaried work is permitted. Applicant must document funds of ~DKK 15,000 plus ~DKK 5,000 for a return ticket, and full health/hospital/repatriation insurance. Processing time approximately 3 months. Applied online (or paper form) via SIRI/nyidanmark.dk.

Au Pair Residence Permit

Cultural-exchange residence permit for a young person aged 18-29 to live with a Danish host family, help with light housework and childcare in exchange for board, lodging and monthly pocket money.

SIRI case-processing fee DKK 4,305 (~USD 633). Applicant must be at least 18 and must not have turned 30 at the time of application (exception when changing host family). Permit granted for a maximum of 2 years, limited to the au pair contract period or until the youngest child in the family turns 18. Host family must pay pocket money of at least DKK 5,250/month (2026 level) and, for first-time applicants, a one-off DKK 20,900 (2026 level) to cover the au pair's Danish lessons. Processing time normally 3 months (up to 4 if further information is needed). Online or paper application (form AU1).

Graduate Job-Seeking Residence Permit (3 years)

Residence permit allowing non-EU/EEA graduates of a Danish professional bachelor, bachelor, master or PhD programme to stay in Denmark for up to 3 years after completing their studies to look for and take up work.

Fee DKK 3,060 (~USD 450). Open to holders of a Danish student residence permit who have completed a state-approved professional bachelor, bachelor, master or PhD programme. Valid for up to 3 years (cannot extend to beyond 3 months before passport expiry). Grants the same work rights held as a student: up to 90 hours/month September-May and full time June-August; a job requiring more hours needs a separate work permit. Replaced the Establishment Card scheme, which was abolished on 1 April 2023 (only extensions of existing establishment cards remain possible). Permit lapses if the holder gives up their Danish address or stays abroad for more than 6 consecutive months (exceptions for PhD and certain Erasmus programmes). Processing time approximately 3 months.

Religious Worker Residence Permit

Residence and work permit for missionaries, preachers and other religious workers affiliated with an officially recognised religious denomination or order in Denmark.

Fee DKK 10,760 (~USD 1,582). Initial permit granted for seven months (~210 days); extendable one year at a time up to a maximum of 3 years total (longer if the holder is authorised to perform weddings). Applicant must document work as a missionary or religious worker for an officially acknowledged/sanctioned denomination in Denmark. Within 6 months the holder must pass an extension test (Danish language and knowledge of Danish society) and complete a course in Danish family law, individual rights and democracy. A national sanction list bans certain named religious preachers from entering Denmark. Application form RF1, available online. Expected maximum processing time 6 months.

Diplomatic/Official Entry (Passport-Based Exemption)

Visa-free entry to Denmark for holders of diplomatic, service, or official passports from countries that have bilateral visa-exemption agreements with Denmark, allowing official and non-official visits without a Schengen visa.

No visa required. Applies to holders of diplomatic/service/official passports from countries with bilateral agreements with Denmark, including (but not limited to): Bolivia (diplomatic + service), China (diplomatic only), Egypt (diplomatic + service), India (diplomatic + service + official), Indonesia (biometric diplomatic + biometric service), Morocco (diplomatic + service), Pakistan (diplomatic + service + official), Philippines (diplomatic + service), Thailand (diplomatic + service + official), Turkey (diplomatic + service). Albania, Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Tunisia, Ukraine (diplomatic only for most). Full list in the official PDF overview document.

Visa-Free Short Stay (Schengen 90/180 Rule)

Allows nationals of visa-exempt countries to enter and stay in Denmark (and the Schengen Area) for up to 90 days in any 180-day period for tourism, business, family visits, or other short-term purposes without obtaining a visa.

No visa required. Valid travel document must be valid for at least 3 months beyond intended departure and issued within the last 10 years. Must show sufficient financial means (approx. DKK 350/day private or DKK 500/day hotel), documentation of visit purpose, and must not be registered in the Schengen Information System or listed on UN/EU sanctions. Special bilateral arrangements for nationals of Australia, Canada, Chile, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and the USA allow 90 days/3 months calculated from first Nordic entry. ETIAS authorization will be required once launched (expected Q4 2026; EUR 20 fee).