How to get Denmark citizenship: One of the Hardest in the EU

Danish citizenship represents one of the most secure forms of legal status in Europe. It can be acquired through pathways like descent, marriage, and naturalization.

The accelerated permanent residence route is known to be the fastest way to become a Danish citizen.

Citizens from other Nordic countries can obtain the nationality in seven years.

Although there is no citizenship by investment program, permanent residence can be acquired through substantial investment, which eventually leads to citizenship.

Keeping that aside, obtaining Danish citizenship requires meeting strict requirements and navigating a complex process that typically takes a minimum of nine to 10 years.

In this guide, we will be discussing:

• How difficult is Danish citizenship?
• How can I get Danish citizenship?
• Do you get citizenship if you marry a Danish citizen?
• Can you get Danish citizenship through Ancestry?
• How do you get citizenship in Denmark by naturalization?
• What are the benefits of having Danish citizenship?

This will provide a comprehensive understanding of the nationality acquisition procedure and be helpful for those willing to become Danish nationals.

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Is it difficult to get Danish citizenship?

Danish citizenship is considered one of the most challenging citizenships to obtain globally.

Statistics reveal that only less than half of the applicants pass the mandatory citizenship test each year.

The overall process involves numerous requirements such as long-term residence, employment history, language proficiency, and knowledge of Danish society and values.

The difficulty stems from several factors.

Danish Citizen Benefits and Drawbacks

Danish citizenship comes with major benefits such as free healthcare, strong social welfare, and EU mobility, but also drawbacks like high taxes, strict naturalization rules, and a high cost of living.

Key Benefits:

• Full Access to Social Welfare. Citizens enjoy lifelong benefits from Denmark’s renowned welfare system. This consists of virtually free healthcare and education (daycare to university) along with generous pensions, unemployment support, and family services.
• Powerful Passport & Global Mobility. As of mid-2025, the Danish passport ranked among the most powerful passports in the world.
• Freedom of Movement & Residency Rights. Danish citizens can live and work anywhere in the EU, EEA, Switzerland, and through the Nordic Passport Union, freely move across Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Iceland.
• Political Rights & Civic Participation. Citizenship gains you full democratic rights: the ability to vote in national, regional, and local elections and to stand for public office.
• Strong Labor Protections & Work-Life Balance. Denmark offers robust labor rights: regulated work hours, high job security, supportive unemployment benefits, and one of the world’s most generous parental leave systems.
• Consular Support Abroad. Danish embassies and consulates provide reliable assistance to citizens overseas, along with e-passport gates that simplify international travel.
• Dual Citizenship Permitted. Denmark allows dual nationality, enabling you to retain your previous citizenship while becoming Danish.

Major Drawbacks:

• High Taxation. Income tax is steep: top marginal rates, including labor market contributions and state, municipal, and church taxes, can exceed 55–56%. However, highly skilled expats may receive temporary tax incentives under the Researcher Tax Scheme.
• Language & Integration Requirements. Naturalization mandates proficiency in Danish, passing a citizenship/social studies exam, demonstrating financial self-sufficiency, and pledging allegiance.
• Lengthy Residency Obligations. Standard naturalization requires nine years of continuous residence (reduced to two, six or eight years in certain circumstances). Applicants must also have held permanent residency for at least two years.
• Small Domestic Job Market. Compared to larger countries, Denmark’s job market is compact. While sectors like tech, healthcare, and green energy actively recruit foreign talent, non-Danish speakers may face limitations, especially in fields requiring direct public contact.
• High Cost of Living & Housing Pressure. Especially in Copenhagen and major cities, prices for housing, consumer goods, and services are significantly above European averages.
• Complex Bureaucracy & Testing Schedule. Citizenship exams and language tests are offered only a few times annually. Navigating applications for permanent residency and naturalization can be bureaucratic and slow.

Is Denmark allowing dual citizenship?

Yes, Denmark has allowed dual citizenship since September 1, 2015. This change means Danish citizens can acquire a foreign nationality without losing their Danish citizenship.

At the same time, foreign nationals can become Danish citizens without renouncing their original nationality.

The law also provided opportunities for former Danish citizens who lost their citizenship before 2015 to reacquire it through declaration.

How to get Danish citizenship

Danish citizenship can be acquired through several pathways: by descent, marriage, naturalization, or investment. Each route has specific requirements and timelines.

How to get Danish citizenship by marriage

Marriage to a Danish citizen offers a slightly accelerated path to citizenship.

Foreign spouses of Danish citizens can apply for naturalization after six to eight years of uninterrupted residence in Denmark, depending on the marriage duration.

The process requires several steps:

1. First, the foreign spouse must obtain a family reunification residence permit.

Both spouses must be at least 24 years old, have a valid marriage or cohabitation of 1.5 years, and provide a bank guarantee of approximately DKK 57,000.

The Danish spouse must demonstrate financial self-sufficiency and have no history of domestic violence convictions in the past 10 years.

• Second, the foreign spouse must pass Danish language tests and meet integration requirements.
• Third, after obtaining permanent residence, they must wait an additional two years before applying for citizenship.

The marriage-based route still requires passing the same citizenship test and meeting employment requirements as other applicants.

How to get Danish citizenship by descent

Children automatically acquire Danish citizenship at birth if at least one parent is a Danish citizen, regardless of birthplace. This rule applies to children born on or after July 1, 2014.

For children born before this date, the rules vary based on the parents’ marital status and the child’s place of birth.

Children born between February 1, 1999, and June 30, 2014, acquire citizenship if their parents are married and one is Danish.

If parents are unmarried and only the father is Danish, the child must be born in Denmark to acquire citizenship.

Children found on Danish soil without a declared birthplace are considered Danish citizens.

Adopted children under 12 years old automatically acquire Danish citizenship when adopted by Danish citizens.

Children of naturalized Danish citizens can also acquire citizenship alongside their parents if they are unmarried, under 18, and live in Denmark with valid residence permits.

How do you get citizenship in Denmark by naturalization?

You can get Danish citizenship by naturalization if you meet strict requirements, including nine years of residence, permanent residency, stable employment, self-sufficiency, language proficiency, and passing a citizenship test.

Naturalization is the most common path to Danish citizenship for foreign nationals. Here’s the seven main requirements:

1. Permanent Residence: Applicants must hold a Danish permanent residence permit for at least two years before applying for citizenship. Obtaining permanent residence itself requires eight years of legal residence (or four years under accelerated conditions).
2. Employment: Applicants must have been employed for 3.5 of the last four years. The employment must be full-time (minimum 30 hours per week or 120 hours per month).
3. Self-sufficiency: No social benefits may have been received in the last two years. Support from spouses is allowed, but government benefits disqualify applicants.
4. Residence: Continuous residence in Denmark for nine years is required. Extended travel outside Denmark can disqualify applicants.
5. Language Skills: Applicants must pass the Danish 3 (PD3) exam or Danish 2 (PD2) in some cases. The language test demonstrates B1-level proficiency according to Council of Europe standards.
6. Knowledge Test: The citizenship test consists of 45 multiple-choice questions covering Danish history, culture, society, and current events. Applicants need 36 correct answers with at least four correct answers on Danish values questions.
7. Ceremony: Successful applicants must attend a municipal constitution ceremony where they pledge allegiance to the Danish Constitution.

How to get Danish citizenship by investment

Denmark does not offer direct citizenship by investment programs. However, investors and entrepreneurs can obtain residence permits through the Start-up Denmark scheme.

This provides a pathway to permanent residence and eventual citizenship.

The Start-up Denmark program requires approval from a Danish Business Authority expert panel for innovative business ideas.

Successful applicants receive a two-year residence permit with possible extensions up to three years.

The investment requirement is in sectors including cleantech, research and technology, or real estate.

After obtaining the initial residence permit, investors must follow the standard naturalization process, requiring nine years of residence before citizenship eligibility.

The investment route does not provide any acceleration of the citizenship timeline.

The easiest way to get Danish citizenship

The fastest legal path to Danish citizenship is through the accelerated permanent residence route, which can reduce the total timeline from 11 years to 6 years.

This route requires meeting all four supplementary requirements for permanent residence:

1. Language Proficiency: Pass Danish 3 (PD3) instead of the minimum Danish 2 requirement
2. Extended Employment: Be employed for 4 of the last 4.5 years instead of the minimum 3.5 years
3. Active Citizenship: Either document participation in civil society or pass an active citizenship exam
4. High Income: Maintain an annual taxable income for two years at least.

Meeting all four requirements allows permanent residency application after four years instead of eight, followed by a citizenship application after an additional two years.

Nordic citizens (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland) have the most straightforward path, requiring only seven years of continuous residence and no citizenship test.

They can apply for citizenship by declaration rather than the standard naturalization process.

Danish Citizenship Process

The Danish citizenship process follows a legislative model unique among European countries.

Unlike most nations where citizenship is granted administratively, Denmark requires Parliament to pass naturalization bills approving each batch of applicants.

Danish Citizenship Requirements

Basic Requirements:

Age 18 or older, indefinite residence permit, nine years of continuous residence, clean criminal record, no overdue public debts, financial self-sufficiency, and employment history.

Language Requirements:

Pass Danish language test at level 2 or 3, demonstrating conversational proficiency and reading comprehension.

The test must be taken at approved institutions and renewed if expired.

Knowledge Requirements:

Pass the citizenship test (Indfødsretsprøven) covering Danish history, politics, culture, and current events.

The test includes 45 questions with a passing score of 36, including mandatory correct answers on Danish values.

Employment Requirements:

Demonstrate 3.5 years of employment within the last four years.

Employment must be full-time with salary and conditions meeting Danish standards.

Danish Citizenship Conditions

Additional conditions can affect eligibility for Danish citizenship:

• Criminal convictions may delay or permanently bar citizenship applications depending on severity. Certain serious crimes result in permanent disqualification.
• Outstanding debts to public authorities, including taxes, student loans, or housing subsidies, must be resolved before application.
• The citizenship test specifically examines knowledge of Danish democratic principles, equality, and the rule of law.
• Travel restrictions apply during the residency period. Extended absences from Denmark can disqualify applicants.
• Generally, more than 365 days abroad during the nine-year period may result in application denial.

Key Takeaways

• Danish citizenship requires a minimum of nine years of continuous residence and meeting seven main requirements, comprising employment, language skills, and passing a challenging citizenship test
• The accelerated permanent residence route can reduce the total timeline to six years by meeting enhanced requirements consisting of higher language proficiency and income thresholds
• Denmark allows dual citizenship, enabling applicants to retain their original nationality while acquiring Danish citizenship
• The citizenship test has a less than half pass rate and covers Danish history, culture, politics, and values, with all questions conducted in Danish
• Marriage to a Danish citizen provides only minor advantages, reducing the residency requirement to six to eight years, depending on the marriage duration
• Denmark does not offer citizenship by investment programs, though entrepreneurs can obtain residence permits through the Start-up Denmark scheme
• Nordic citizens have the most straightforward path, requiring only seven years of residence and no citizenship test

While obtaining Danish citizenship is a lengthy and demanding, the benefits of EU citizenship, comprehensive social welfare, and high quality of life make the effort worthwhile for many applicants.

Success requires careful planning, consistent employment, language study, and thorough preparation for the citizenship test.

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