Work - waiting for an answer

If you have submitted your application in person to an application centre or to a Danish representation abroad or in one of SIRI's branch offices, your biometric features (fingerprints, photo and signature) were recorded at the same time as you submitted the application.

If you instead have submitted your application directly to SIRI or online, you must have your biometric features recorded no later than 14 days after you submitted the application.

If a person holding power of attorney have submitted the application on your behalf, you must likewise have you biometric features recorded no later than 14 days after the application was submitted.

In certain countries Denmark does not have a Danish representation or an agreement with an application centre. If this is the case, you can be referred to a Norwegian representation, with which Denmark has an representation agreement.

If you have submitted your application to a Norwegian representation, you have at the same time also submitted 2 passport photos. If you have applied online, you must submit 2 passport photos to the Norwegian representation no later than 14 days after you submitted the application. If you are later granted a residence permit based on your application, you must within a specific time frame after your entry to Denmark have your biometric features recorded.

See which diplomatic missions or application centres you can have your biometric feautures recorded at, on The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark's website

Read more about biometrics here

If your biometric features are not recorded within 14 days, your application can be rejected. A rejection means that SIRI will not be processing your application.

If you are unable to have your biometric features recorded within the time limit of 14 days, because you are unable to book an appointment at a Danish diplomatic mission, you can inform us using our contact form of the appointed time you will have your biometrics recorded. This way you can avoid having your application rejected.

You can find SIRI's contact form here

SIRI has established service goals for most case types, i.e. maximum time limits on how long time processing an application will take.

We aim to give you an answer to your application witihin 1 month from you have submitted the application.

Read more about service goals and case processing times here

If SIRI has to ask you to send more information, we will make a decision as soon as possible upon receiving all the information necessary to process your application. 

If your case is sent for an assessment at, for instance, one of the regional labour market councils, the service goal will be 3 months. You will be notified, if this is the case.

Many applicants would like to have their application processed faster.

SIRI normally processes applications in the order they are received. It is therefore not possible to jump to the front of the queue.

You will be notified if any information is missing in your case or if your application has been processed.

Yes, it can. Your family can submit their applications at the same time as you or after you have submitted your application.

Your family members can, however, receive their answers to their application no sooner than at the same time as you.

If you are already in Denmark and have obtained MitID, you can follow your own and any family members cases on My Page.

You can access My Page here (opens in a new window)

If you are abroad and have not obtained MitID, you can call us.

Find information on phone numbers and opening hours here

If you have not applied online, it might take some time from you submit the application until it appears in our system.

The guidance you will receive if you call us is meant as a supplement to the information available on newtodenmark.dk. Read about what you can expect when you call us here

If you are outside of Denmark when you submit your application, you must normally have been granted a permit before you travel to Denmark.

If you wish to travel to Denmark before SIRI has processed your application, you can only do so if you:

• are a citizen of a country that allows you the opportunity to travel to Denmark without a visa,
• are a citizen of a country from which a visa is necessary, but you have already been granted a visa for Denmark or another Schengen country, or
• have a residence permit for another Schengen country.

In any case, you must comply with the visa regulations in force. If you, for instance, have traveled to Denmark with or without a visa, and the period of time for which you are allowed to stay legally in Denmark expires before SIRI reaches a decision in your case, you must leave and await the decision abroad.

You can read more about travelling to Denmark with or without a visa here.

If you have submitted an application for a residence permit, you will normally not be able to be issued with a visa during the period of time we are processing you application.

If you need a visa in order to be able to travel to Denmark, you must wait until you have received your permit before you travel to Denmark. You will be granted a visa allowing you to enter Denmark with your permit.

Regardless of your location after you have submitted your application, it is important that SIRI has correct information about your address and phone number making it possible for us to contact your regarding your application.

If it is the first time that you are applying for a residence and work permit in Denmark based on work, you are, as a general rule, not allowed to work before you have been granted your permit. This also applies if you can legally travel to Denmark before you are granted the permit.

Fast-track scheme

If you have applied under the fast-track scheme, you can, however, be granted a temporary permit to begin working.

Students with a master’s degree

If you hold a residence and work permit as a student and you have completed a master’s degree in Denmark, you are also allowed to take up employment as soon as you have submitted an application to SIRI for a new residence and work permit under one of the following schemes:

• Positive list for people with higher education

• Positive list for skilled work

• Pay Limit scheme

• Researcher scheme

• Special individual qualifications

• Employees on drillrigs and other mobile workplaces

• Herdsmen as Farm managers

• Fast-track scheme 

Job change rule

If you already have a residence permit in Denmark based on:

• Work
• The Auhorisation Scheme
• Permit for job seeking
• Employment as a PhD student

and you have been offered a new job, you are also allowed to take up employment as soon as you have submitted an application to SIRI for a new residence and work permit under one of the ordinary work schemes.

You can see which schemes are subject to the so-called job change rule 

It is a condition that you submit your new application while your current permit is still valid.

Greencard

If you have a greencard, you are allowed to take up employment as long as your current greencard is valid. If it is no longer valid and you have submitted an application on new grounds, you are not allowed to take up employment before you have been granted your new permit. 

Labour market attachment and interns

If you have a permit in Denmark based on: 

• labour market attachment

• or as an intern

you are not allowed to take up employment before you have been granted your new permit.

It is very important that you were staying legally in Denmark, when you submitted your application.

If you submitted the application while staying legally in Denmark, you can remain in Denmark and wait for an answer to your application, even though your visa or the period for which you are exempt for a visa expires while you wait. You are allowed to stay because you are granted the right to a procedural stay.

If you leave Denmark after having submitted an application in Denmark, the submission in Denmark will not grant you the right to re-enter Denmark again before a decision is made. Unless you can re-enter based on other grounds (e.g. a visa or if you are visa exempt), you must wait for our answer abroad. 

If you wish to add new information to your application, you can send this to SIRI using our contact form or by regular post.

You can find SIRI's contact information here

For instance, if you are issued a new passport while we are processing your application, you must submit a copy of all pages of your new passport, including the cover.

If you move from the address stated in your application, you must inform SIRI of this as quickly as possible. We need to be able to contact you when a decision has been made or if we need more information from you regarding your application.