Quota refugee
Read more about the resettlement of refugees in accordance with the quota agreement.
Questions and answers
A quota refugee is s refugee who is residing outside of Denmark and is resettled in Denmark following an agreement with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) or a similar international organisation.
When assessing whether you qualify for resettlement, the Immigration Service assesses whether you could have been granted a residence permit if you had entered Denmark as an asylum seeker.
The Immigration Service also considers your chances of settling in Denmark and benefiting from a residence permit (potential for integration). This involves looking at such factors as language skills, educational background, work experience, familial situation, network, age, and motivation.
You must also consent to a medical examination performed by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). Finally, you must sign a declaration accepting the conditions for resettlement in Denmark, including the importance of working and learning Danish.
Part of the resettlement quota is reserved for urgent cases concerning refugees who are at risk of immediate expulsion to their country of origin or abuse in their country of residence (urgent cases) and to refugees who are critically ill and in need of immediate treatment (Twenty or More cases). In such cases, the integration potential criterion is not used.
Refugees selected on quota trips
Most quota refugees are offered resettlement in Denmark during quota trips to the countries where the refugees temporarily reside. During the trips, members of the Danish delegation interview the individual refugees in order to determine who will be offered resettlement in Denmark.
These visits are carried out by the Immigration Service, with the occasional participation of municipal representatives and/or the Danish Refugee Council. The Immigration Service is responsible for making the final decision and issuing residence permits in individual cases.
Before you choose to accept an offer of resettlement in Denmark as a quota refugee, you will receive written material describing your rights and obligations in Denmark. The goal is to adjust your expectations to the reality you will meet in Denmark.
Prior to being offered resettlement, you must sign a declaration that you have been informed of the conditions for resettlement in Denmark, and that, based on this, you wish to be resettled. Download declaration regarding the conditions for resettlement in Denmark (pdf)
If you are chosen for resettlement in Denmark as a quota refugee during a quota trip, you will go through a 'pre-departure course', which is held in your country of residence. The course is an introduction to the Danish language and society and is intended to make the transition to living in Denmark as smooth as possible.
The 'pre-departure courses' are held by the Immigration Service. Representatives from the municipalities and the Danish Refugee Council can participate as teachers at the courses.
Residence permits for quota refugees granted in accordance with Aliens Act section 8 are issued for a maximum of two years at a time. After arriving in Denmark, the residence permit is extended to up to five years from the date of entry. After this period, you can apply for an extension of the permit, if you still meet the conditions for residence in Denmark.
Read more about extending a residence permit granted to a refugee
Film about quota refugees
The film 'A new life in Denmark' is about the Danish Immigration Service's work on resettlement of quota refugees in Denmark and gives an insight into life as a quota refugee in this country.