Apply for permanent residence based on strong ties to Denmark

You need to be over the age of 18 in order to qualify for a permanent residence permit.  

This requirement applies to all types of applicants with strong ties to Denmark.
 

You still need to meet the continuous requirements for your current residence permit.

You must be aware that normally it is a condition in order to get a permanent residence permit that you reside in Denmark, when the Immigration Service makes a decision in your case.

This requirement applies to all types of applicants with strong ties to Denmark.

If you:

• belong to the Danish minority in South Schleswig
• have an affiliation with the Danish minority in Argentina, or
• are a former Danish citizen

and you were granted a residence permit based on Aliens’ Act section 9 c or 9 d, you need to have resided in Denmark for 1 year.

If:

• both your parents are natural-born Danish citizens, or
• in very special cases, one of your parents is a natural-born Danish citizen,

and you were granted a residence permit based on Aliens’ Act section 9 c, you need to have resided in Denmark for 2 years.
 

You may not have been convicted of certain crimes.

If you were sentenced to less than six months of incarceration, or if the sentence was suspended, you will be temporarily ineligible for a permanent residence permit.You will also be temporarily ineligible for a permanent residence permit if you are charged or indicted for a crime that can result in a sentence of less than six months of incarceration, or a suspended sentence.

If you were sentenced to more than six months of incarceration, you are permanently ineligible for a permanent residence permit. You will also be permanently ineligible for a permanent residence permit, if you are charged or indicted for a crime that can result in more than six months of incarceration.

The list below provides an overview of certain types of sentences and how they affect your eligibility for permanent residence:

• Suspended custodial sentence without terms about community service entails a penalty period of 6 years starting from the time the final verdict is given

• Suspended custodial sentence with terms about community service entails a penalty period of 7 years and 6 months starting from the time the final verdict is given.

• Mandatory custodial sentence of less than 60 days entails a penalty period of 12 years starting from the time of release.

• Mandatory custodial sentence of less than 60 days for violations of part 12 or part 13 of the Danish criminal code entails a penalty period of 18 years starting from the time of release.

• Mandatory custodial sentence of 60 days or more, but less than 6 months entails a penalty period of 15 years starting from the time of release.

• Mandatory prison sentence of at least 6 months entails being barred from being granted a permanent residence permit in Denmark. This applies to all types of crime.

• Mandatory prison sentence of at least 60 days for violations of part 12 of the Danish criminal code (crimes against the independence and security of the state) or part 13 of the Danish criminal code (crimes against the constitution of the state and the higher state authorities, terrorism, etc.) or sections 210, 216, 222-224, section 225 cf. section 226, or sections 243-246 of the provisions of the Danish criminal code (specific crimes concerning family affairs, sexual offence and crimes of violence) entails being barred from being granted a permanent residence permit in Denmark.

• Mandatory prison sentence of at least 60 days for violations of the provisions of the Danish criminal code’s section 215 (child abductions), section 215a (re-education trips), section 260 (2) (forced marriages) and (3) (forced covering), or section 260a (religious marriages of minors) entails being barred from being granted a permanent residence permit in Denmark. This applies to all applications for permanent residence submitted from and including 27 January 2022.

• Sentence for working illegally in the country according to Section 59 of the Aliens Act, when the person does not have a residence permit in this country, entails a penalty period of 15 years and 22 years and 6 months if subsequent offence. The penalty period starts from the time of parole, the date of delivery of the final judgment, date of the parole’s expiration or date of the agreement on the fine, depending on which date entails the latest expiration of the penalty period.

• Sentence for working illegally in the country according to Section 59 of the Aliens Act, when the person has a residence permit in this country, entails a penalty period of 7 years for a subsequent offence. The penalty period starts from the time of parole, the date of delivery of the final judgment, date of the parole’s expiration or date of the agreement on the fine, depending on which date entails the latest expiration of the penalty period.

• Youth sanction entails a penalty period of 6 years starting from the time of termination of the measure.

• A sentence to be placed in an ambulatory psychiatric treatment with possible hospitalization in accordance with part 68 or part 69 of the Danish criminal code entails a penalty period of 6 years starting from the time of termination of the measure. However, at least 9 years must pass from the date the final measure is given by the court.

• A sentence to be placed in psychiatric treatment in accordance with part 68 or part 69 of the Danish criminal code entails a penalty period of 9 years starting from the time of termination of the measure. However, at least 12 years must pass from the date the final measure is given by the court.

• A sentence to be committed to a mental hospital entails a penalty period of 12 years starting from the time of termination of the measure. However, at least 15 years must pass from the date the final measure is given by the court.

• A sentence to be placed in secure detention entails a penalty period of 30 years starting from the time of termination of the measure.

If your application for a permanent residence permit is refused because you were charged or indicted for certain crimes, you can request for a re-opening of the application, if you have information, that you are expected only to be sentenced with a fine penalty, beside situations mentioned in the Alien’s Act section 11 b, or when the criminal proceedings have been concluded finally.

You may not have any overdue public debts. A debt is considered overdue if the public is entitled to payment of the debt, or if the amount due has not been repaid by the due date.

The following types of debt are those that are considered public debt. If you have overdue payments for any of the types of debt below, you cannot qualify for a permanent residence permit (conlusive list):

• Social Service Act or Active Social Policy Act benefits that you are required by law to repay (such as overpaid social benefits)
• Child support paid in advance
• Day-care payment
• Overpaid housing benefits
• Housing-subsidy loan 
• Taxes and levies, unless the amount in arrears is due to circumstances beyond your control

Other debts, such as student loans, bank loans or loans from a building society are not considered public debts and will not disqualify you from being granted a permanent residence permit.

Payment extension

You can still be granted a permanent residence permit if you have been granted an extension to repay outstanding debt. However, the amount you owe may not exceed DKK 132,180.25 (2024 level).

Being granted an extension means that the creditor (the state or municipality) has given the debtor (you) permission to postpone repayment of your debt until beyond the original due date. For example, SKAT, the Danish customs and tax administration, may award you an extension.

If you are uncertain whether you have been granted a payment extension, contact your municipality, SKAT or Udbetaling Danmark.

Repayment schedule

You cannot be granted a permanent residence permit if you have overdue public debts, even if you have been allowed to repay your debt in set number of instalments (also known as a repayment schedule).

If you have a repayment schedule, the state or municipality has agreed to let you pay back your debt in instalments, rather than as a lump sum. For example, you may agree to pay DKK 500 per month for three years.

If you repay your debt

If you repay an overdue public debt after you submit your application, but before the Immigration Service issues reaches a decision, you need to provide documentation showing you no longer have any public debt.

You need to pass the Danish language test 2 (Prøve i Dansk 2), or a Danish exam of an equivalent or higher level. This requirement applies to all types of applicants for a permanent residence permit based on strong ties to Denmark.

See a list of Danish language tests that are equivalent to or higher than the Danish language test 2

If you belong to the Danish minority in South Schleswig, you can also meet the requirement regarding the Danish language test for example by documenting that you have passed 9th grade final exams at a Danish school in South Schleswig.

If you are a former Danish Citizen, you can also meet the requirement regarding the Danish language test if you have attended a Danish school.