Danish Nationality — Do You Qualify?

Danish Nationality

Answer the questions below to find out how Danish nationality may be acquired, retained or reacquired under the Act on Danish Nationality. This guide covers persons born since 1 January 1951.

Notes

  1. Disclaimer: This tool is for guidance only and is not legally binding. Always verify your situation against current regulations from the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Immigration and Integration.
  2. Marriages contracted since 1 July 2002: A marriage entered into by a person already married has no legal effect under the Act on Danish Nationality as long as both marriages exist, cf. §2B. The child will be regarded as born out of wedlock, irrespective of whether the first marriage is annulled at a later date.
  3. 22-year rule (born outside Denmark): Danish nationality may be lost at age 22 if you have never been resident in Denmark or stayed in Denmark under circumstances indicating a close association. Residence in another Nordic country for an aggregate period of 7 years is equated with residence in Denmark. An application for retention should be submitted to the Ministry of Immigration and Integration before reaching age 22.
  4. Faroe Islands special dates: For persons residing in the Faroe Islands, the rule that any parent's Danish nationality passes to the child regardless of marital status applies only from 3 August 2019.
  5. Greenland special dates: For persons residing in Greenland, the same rule applies only from 26 November 2020.
  6. Loss of nationality before 1 September 2015: Danish nationals who voluntarily acquired a foreign nationality before 1 September 2015 lost their Danish nationality at that time. Reacquisition by declaration may be possible in the period 1 July 2021 – 30 June 2026.
  7. Nordic nationals (§3): Citizens of Finland, Iceland, Norway or Sweden may acquire Danish nationality by declaration if: (1) they acquired Nordic citizenship by birth, adoption or parents' marriage — not through naturalisation; (2) they are at least 18 years old; (3) they have been continuously resident in Denmark for 7 years; and (4) they have no custodial sentences during that period. Residence in another Nordic country does not substitute for Danish residence in the declaration route. Nordic citizens who do not qualify for the declaration may apply for naturalisation on relaxed conditions (2 years Danish residence, 3.5 years employment in the past 4 years).
  8. Co-motherhood: A Danish co-mother (non-biological mother recognised under Danish law) counts as a parent for nationality purposes for children born on 1 July 2014 or later.
  9. Adoption: A child under 12 adopted through a Danish adoption order or a foreign order recognised under §28(2) of the Danish Adoption Act by a Danish national acquires Danish nationality. Stepchild adoptions do not qualify.
  10. Surrogate children: The surrogate mother is legally the mother under Danish law. A surrogate child can only acquire Danish nationality if the Danish biological father contributed the genetic material. A certificate of Danish nationality must be applied for separately.
  11. Princess rule: Persons born between 1 January 1961 and 31 December 1978 to a Danish mother may apply for naturalisation on lenient conditions regardless of residence in Denmark (§12 of the Circular Letter on Naturalisation).

NB: Special rules also apply to stateless persons. The Nationality Division of the Ministry of Immigration and Integration ([email protected]) may be consulted in cases of doubt. Last update of source document: March 2022.