DenmarkVisits and short stays

Denmark family and friends visit visa

Schengen visa (type C) for visiting family or friends

In short

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. The host can file VU2 online with MitID if registered at a Danish address; quoting the invitation ID shortens processing because the authorities need not contact the host. The fee is EUR 90.

Apply on ApplyVisa – Danish online visa application (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) checked 24 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
Validity
Single or multiple entry; an online invitation itself is valid for 6 months from submission.
Fee
€90Children 6–11 EUR 45; under 6 free (fee list from 1 January 2026). Plus any service fee of the visa application centre. Family members of EU/EEA citizens may be processed under EU rules.
Funds required
DKK 350 per dayApproximate amount Danish checklists use when you stay with a host who covers costs; DKK 500 a day applies to hotel stays. Your own 3-month bank statements are always required.
Processing time
Up to 15 days once the mission has registered the case, or up to 45 days if it is referred to the Danish Immigration Service; waiting times at individual missions can be much longer.
Work
No
Where to apply
The Danish mission responsible for your country of residence or the visa application centre it uses, after applying in ApplyVisa.

Who can invite you

Any private person in Denmark, such as a relative, partner or friend, can invite you on form VU2. Online submission needs MitID and a Danish address in the Civil Registration System; otherwise the host fills in the printable Word or PDF version, signs it and sends it to you to attach. Each traveller needs a separate invitation, including children.

What the invitation changes

An online invitation produces an invitation ID that you enter in ApplyVisa; the invitation stays valid for 6 months and the host can follow it on My Page. Without an invitation ID or completed form the Immigration Service has to contact the host, which makes the case slower. The invitation does not replace your own documents: you still show your job or studies at home, recent bank statements and insurance with at least EUR 30,000 cover.

Required documents

Identity

  • Passport issued within the last 10 years, valid at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen Area, with two blank pages
  • One passport photo, 3.5 x 4.5 cm, white background, not older than 6 months
  • Proof of legal residence in the country where you apply, if you are not a national of it

Money

  • Your own bank statements for the last 3 months, also when someone else pays for the trip

Work

  • Employees: proof of employment and social insurance registration, employer leave letter and recent payslips; retirees: pension proof; students: student certificate

Family

  • Invitation ID from the host’s online VU2, or the signed printable VU2 form

Insurance

  • Travel medical insurance valid in the whole Schengen Area for the travel dates, minimum cover EUR 30,000, including repatriation

Other

  • Signed cover letter generated by ApplyVisa and proof that the visa fee was paid online

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Family

  • Proof of the relationship, such as a civil status or family register extract or photos, and a copy of the host’s ID or residence card

Funds when you stay with your host

Embassy checklists use approximately DKK 350 per day when you stay in a private home and the host covers costs, and the Immigration Service uses DKK 500 per day for hotels. Some missions ask for your own bank statements for the last 3 months regardless of sponsorship; fixed-deposit accounts are not counted on several Danish checklists.

Processing

The deciding mission decides within 15 days once the file is complete, or within 45 days if it refers the case to the Immigration Service. Some missions have long backlogs, so book your appointment as soon as the trip is planned; applications are accepted up to 6 months ahead.

During the visit

Carry the invitation and copies of your documents. If you apply for certain residence permits during a visa stay and then do not leave in line with the visa, you can be barred from a new Danish visa for 5 years; family reunification applications made in Denmark should therefore be planned carefully.

If the visa is refused

You can appeal an Embassy refusal free of charge to the Danish Immigration Service within 8 weeks, stating the case number, your name, nationality and the decision date. The expected maximum processing time for visa appeals is currently 16 months. If your host’s situation changes after the decision, submit a new application instead.

How to apply, step by step

  1. Ask your host to submit the VU2 invitation online with MitID, or to send you the signed printable form.
  2. Complete the ApplyVisa form, enter the invitation ID and pay EUR 90 online.
  3. Book an appointment at the Danish mission or visa application centre for your country of residence.
  4. Gather the family-visit checklist documents, including your own 3-month bank statements and insurance.
  5. Lodge the application in person and give biometrics; then wait for the decision without status enquiries.
  6. Collect the passport where you applied and check the visa sticker details.

Forms

Frequently asked questions

Does my host have to submit an invitation?

It is strongly recommended: with an invitation ID the Immigration Service usually does not need to contact the host, which significantly shortens processing.

My relative pays for everything. Do I still need my own bank statements?

Often yes. Some Danish mission checklists require your personal bank statements for the last 3 months regardless of who sponsors the trip; check the checklist of the mission where you apply.

How long is an online invitation valid?

Six months from the day the host submits it; each invited person needs a separate invitation.

Can I visit my partner and then apply for family reunification in Denmark?

Legally present visa holders can normally apply in Denmark, but if you then do not leave in line with the visa you risk a 5-year bar on new Danish visas. Check the conditions first.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Denmark

Visits and short stays

  • Tourist visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen Area

Business and self-employment

Study and training

  • Student visa Maximum stay: The standard length of the programme; extendable by up to 1 year (2 years after pregnancy or parental leave)
  • Researcher visa Maximum stay: Up to 4 years at a time, or the contract length
  • Internship and trainee visa Maximum stay: 1 year at a time, at most 24 months in total
  • Au pair visa Maximum stay: Maximum 2 years in total, also if you change host family

Work

  • Work visa Maximum stay: Up to 4 years at a time, or the length of the contract if shorter; renewable
  • Skilled worker visa Maximum stay: Up to 4 years at a time, or the contract length if shorter
  • Job seeker visa Maximum stay: 6 months, 1 year or 3 years depending on the degree and the date of the study application

Family

Residence

Faster processing

Protection

  • Asylum and international protection 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

Denmark visa guide