Denmark
Denmark visa guide: every visa and residence permit
- 16 visa types
- checked 24 October 2026
How visas for Denmark work
Denmark is part of the Schengen Area, so stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period use a uniform Schengen visa (type C) if your nationality needs one. You fill in the application and pay online in ApplyVisa, then lodge it in person at the Danish mission responsible for your country of residence or the visa application centre it uses. The visa fee is EUR 90 (EUR 45 for children aged 6 to 11), plus any service fee of the centre. The usual target is a decision within 15 days, but waiting times at some missions are much longer.
Anything longer than 90 days, and any work or study, needs a Danish residence permit. Two agencies share the work: the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) handles work, study, research, au pair and trainee permits, while the Danish Immigration Service (Udlændingestyrelsen) handles visas on referral, family reunification, permanent residence and asylum. Both publish their rules on nyidanmark.dk. Every application starts with a case order ID and an upfront fee, and applicants from abroad give fingerprints and a photo at a Danish mission or visa application centre within 14 days of submitting online.
Denmark has a national work-permit system instead of the EU Blue Card. The main routes are the Pay Limit Scheme (salary of at least DKK 552,000 a year at 2026 level), the Supplementary Pay Limit Scheme (DKK 446,000 with extra conditions), the two Positive Lists for shortage occupations, the Fast-Track Scheme for certified employers and Start-up Denmark for innovative founders. Most work permits cost DKK 6,810 and are decided in about 1 month.
Turkish citizens have a few special rights in Denmark under the 1963 EEC–Türkiye Association Agreement: economically active Turkish workers and their families can keep their residence after a year of legal work with the same employer, can be exempt from some Danish language tests after family reunification, and keep student work rights that were removed for others in 2025. Holders of Turkish special (green), service and diplomatic passports can visit Denmark for up to 90 days without a visa.
Which visa do I need?
Holiday, visiting relatives or friends, or a business meeting of up to 90 days: a Schengen visa in the matching category, if your nationality needs one.
Paid job: the Pay Limit Scheme if the salary is at least DKK 552,000 a year; a Positive List if the job title is listed; the Fast-Track Scheme if the employer is certified by SIRI; a researcher permit for research posts.
Study: a SIRI study permit for a full-time higher education programme, followed by a job seeking permit after a state-approved Danish degree.
Founding a company: Start-up Denmark, after approval of the business plan by the Danish Business Authority’s expert panel.
Joining family: accompanying family permits for relatives of workers and researchers; family reunification for spouses and children of Danish citizens and permanent residents.
Settling: permanent residence after 8 years (4 years in some cases); asylum can only be requested inside Denmark.
Visa types for Denmark
Visits and short stays
- Tourist visa Schengen visa (type C) for tourism
A holiday in Denmark of up to 90 days in any 180-day period needs a Schengen visa if your nationality is visa-required.
Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen Area - Family and friends visit visa Schengen visa (type C) for visiting family or friends
To visit relatives or friends in Denmark for up to 90 days, visa-required nationals apply for a Schengen visa with an invitation the host submits on form VU2.
Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
Business and self-employment
- Business visa Schengen visa (type C) for business visits
Meetings, negotiations, trade fairs and short training visits in Denmark use a Schengen business visa if your nationality needs a visa, lodged at the Danish mission or visa application centre for your country of residence.
Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period - Entrepreneur and start-up visa Start-up Denmark residence and work permit
Start-up Denmark gives foreign founders a residence and work permit to build an innovative growth company in Denmark, alone or in a team of up to 3.
Maximum stay: Up to 2 years, extendable up to 3 years at a time
Study and training
- Student visa Residence permit for a higher educational programme (studieophold)
Admission to a full-time higher education programme in Denmark gives you the right to a SIRI study permit.
Maximum stay: The standard length of the programme; extendable by up to 1 year (2 years after pregnancy or parental leave) - Researcher visa Residence and work permit as a researcher (forsker)
Researchers offered a paid position at a Danish university, research institute or company can get a residence and work permit from SIRI when there are research-related reasons for hiring them.
Maximum stay: Up to 4 years at a time, or the contract length - Internship and trainee visa Residence and work permit as a trainee (praktikant/trainee)
Denmark’s trainee permit lets you work at a Danish company for a limited period when the purpose is training, typically within an international group or a strategic partnership with a company abroad.
Maximum stay: 1 year at a time, at most 24 months in total - Au pair visa Residence permit as an au pair
Young people aged 18 to 29 can live with a Danish host family for up to 2 years as an au pair to learn the language and culture, helping with housework and childcare for 18 to 30 hours a week.
Maximum stay: Maximum 2 years in total, also if you change host family
Work
- Work visa Residence and work permit under the Pay Limit Scheme (beløbsordningen) and the Supplementary Pay Limit Scheme
If a Danish employer offers you a job paying at least DKK 552,000 a year (2026 level), you can get a residence and work permit under the Pay Limit Scheme regardless of education or field.
Maximum stay: Up to 4 years at a time, or the length of the contract if shorter; renewable - Skilled worker visa Residence and work permit under the Positive Lists (positivlisterne): higher education and skilled work
Denmark keeps two Positive Lists of occupations with a shortage of qualified staff.
Maximum stay: Up to 4 years at a time, or the contract length if shorter - Job seeker visa Job seeking permit after a completed Danish education (jobsøgningsophold)
Denmark has no job seeker visa for people abroad.
Maximum stay: 6 months, 1 year or 3 years depending on the degree and the date of the study application
Family
- Spouse and partner visa Family reunification with a spouse or cohabiting partner (ægtefællesammenføring)
Spouses and cohabiting partners of Danish citizens or of foreigners with permanent residence can apply for family reunification with the Danish Immigration Service.
Maximum stay: Temporary permit, typically 2 years, extendable while the conditions are met - Family reunification visa Family reunification of children under 15 (børnesammenføring)
A child under 15 can join a parent in Denmark who is a Danish or Nordic citizen or holds a residence permit on grounds other than asylum.
Maximum stay: Usually until the child turns 18, but not beyond the parent’s temporary permit
Residence
- Permanent residence Permanent residence permit (tidsubegrænset opholdstilladelse)
After 8 years of uninterrupted legal residence, or 4 years if you meet all four supplementary requirements, you can apply to the Danish Immigration Service for permanent residence.
Maximum stay: Unlimited
Fast-track and priority services
- Fast-track and priority visa services Fast-Track Scheme (fast-track-ordningen) for employees of SIRI-certified companies
The Fast-Track Scheme is Denmark’s official priority route for companies certified by SIRI.
Maximum stay: As for the underlying track; short-term track up to 90 days within any 365 days
Asylum and international protection
- Asylum and international protection Asylum (refugee status, protected status and temporary protected status)
Asylum in Denmark can only be requested on Danish territory, in person at a police station or at the police in Centre Sandholm; requests at Danish embassies or by letter from abroad are not accepted.
Maximum stay: Convention status: permits extended up to 2 years at a time; protected status: first up to 1 year; temporary protected status: up to 1 year at a time for the first 3 years
Frequently asked questions
Where do I apply for a Danish visa?
Online in ApplyVisa, then in person and by appointment at the Danish mission responsible for your country of residence or the visa application centre it uses. Where Denmark has no mission, another Nordic country may represent it.
How much does a Danish Schengen visa cost in 2026?
EUR 90 (DKK 669) for adults and EUR 45 for children aged 6 to 11 under the fee list valid from 1 January 2026, plus any service fee of the visa application centre. Fees are not refunded after a refusal.
How long does a Danish visa take?
The legal target is 15 days, extendable to 45 if the case is referred to the Danish Immigration Service. Some missions have much longer backlogs, so apply as early as the rules allow (up to 6 months ahead).
Does Denmark issue the EU Blue Card?
No. Denmark has its own national schemes; the Pay Limit Scheme (DKK 552,000 a year in 2026) is the closest equivalent for highly paid workers.
Who decides residence permits for Denmark?
SIRI decides work, study, research, au pair and trainee permits; the Danish Immigration Service decides family reunification, permanent residence and asylum. Refusals can be appealed to the Immigration Appeals Board, asylum refusals to the Refugee Appeals Board.
Do Turkish citizens have special rights in Denmark?
Yes, under the EEC–Türkiye Association Agreement. After one year of legal work with the same employer a Turkish worker is entitled to renewal for that employer, after three years may change employer in the same occupation and after four years has free access to paid work.
Embassies and consulates
Last checked 24 October 2026. Each visa page lists the official sources it is based on.