Applying from the United Kingdom

If you travel to another Schengen country on a single-entry Danish Schengen visa, or if you travel to another Schengen country before travelling to Denmark on a multiple-entry Schengen visa issued by Denmark, you may be denied entry to the Schengen area, your visa may be revoked and it may negatively impact any future Schengen visa applications.

Please remember that as a general rule, you must have legal residence in the country from where you apply. To apply from the United Kingdom, you therefore need to show proof of UK residency.

Holders of UK travel documents issued to non-British nationals need a visa to visit Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. If you need to apply for a visa you must provide the letter you received from the Home Office when you received UK residency/the travel document together with your other supporting documents when submitting your visa application.

British citizens holding a UK passport do not need a visa to enter Denmark. However, please be aware of the conditions. 

When you need a visa for the Schengen area as well as Greenland and/or the Faroe Islands:
If you are applying for a visa to enter Greenland and/or the Faroe Islands as well as a Schengen visa, you only need to submit one single application. Please use the checklists for a full Schengen visa.

When you only need a visa for Greenland and/or the Faroe Islands:
If you are only applying for a visa to enter Greenland and/or the Faroe Islands, please follow the normal application procedure and choose Denmark as your main destination when filling in the application form. Please use this specific checklist.
 
Appointment with VFS:
Please choose the relevant booking category according to the purpose of your trip as you would for Denmark and always remember to inform the staff at VFS receiving your application about your intention to travel to Greenland and/or the Faroe Islands, when handing in your application.

Read more about visa to Greenland and the Faroe Islands here.

The Danish procedure for handling visa applications under the EU regulation (Directive 2004/38/EC (right of free movement)) is adjusted per 1 October 2025. The procedure follows the principles in the Visa Code Handbook, part III, paragraph 4.9-4.11.

If you submit an application under the EU regulation, but are not eligible for it, you will be contacted by the Embassy. Depending on the circumstances, you will either be given the opportunity to withdraw the application or the application will be submitted to the Danish Immigration Service (DIS). If DIS assesses that you are not eligible to apply under the EU regulation, your application will be refused based on the failure to demonstrate that you are covered by the Directive 2004/38/EC.

Please find full guidance on who is eligible for applying under the EU regulation on NewtoDenmark: Apply for visa under EU regulations.

The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has commissioned VFS Global to operate the Danish Visa Application Centres in the UK. You find them in London, Manchester and Edinburgh.

Therefore, if you apply for a visa for Denmark, Faroe Islands or Greenland from the UK, you must make arrangements with VFS to submit your application.

Please be aware that you must complete the online application process including payment of the visa fee at ApplyVisa before you can book an appointment with VFS. Please allow up to 24 hours after completing the online application process before you book an appointment with VFS.

If you are unable to secure an appointment with VFS online within a 14-day timeframe, please contact VFS directly and ask for their help. Contact details for VFS can be found under ‘Contact us’ on the relevant VFS centre’s website.

If you are eligible for a longer visa under the Cascade rules in the Visa Code, please be aware that the expiry of your UK residence permit might lead to a shorter visa validity period than otherwise expected.

Please always refer to the current processing time in the yellow banner at the top of this page!

We advise you to apply well in advance of your planned trip. You may apply up to 6 months in advance of your intended date of travel.

The normal processing time in visa cases is up to 15 calendar days, when all required documentation has been provided as per the relevant checklist. In cases where processing requires further enquiries or submission to the Danish Immigration Service, the maximum processing time is up to 45 calendar days.

NB: The case processing time is calculated from the day the Embassy registers the application in the visa system. It is not calculated from the time you apply online or submit the application at a VFS centre. Please be aware that the transportation time between VFS and the Embassy is NOT included in the Embassy’s processing time.

London: add 1 extra day each way
Manchester: add 2 extra days each way
Edinburgh: add 2 extra days each way

If your application is received at the Embassy less than 15 calendar days before your intended travel date, the Embassy can deem your application inadmissible. If so, the Embassy will NOT process your visa application and your passport and documents will be returned to you and the visa fee refunded. Only in exceptional circumstances might we consider processing the application within this deadline.

The Embassy can deem that Denmark is not the Member State competent for examining and deciding on your visa application if we assess that your main destination is not Denmark. If so, the Embassy will NOT process your visa application and your passport and documents will be returned to you and the visa fee refunded. Your application will be closed in our system without prejudice and we will inform you which Member State we deem competent for examining and deciding on your application based on the documentation provided.

For information about the need for a transit visa, please see the website of the European Commission