Citizenship by descent in Denmark is possible when one or both parents of the applicant are Danish nationals. The law also extends to children of unmarried parents as well as adopted children. Acquiring citizenship is a process that can also take place through naturalization, a process that is subject to having lived in Denmark lawfully for a minimum number of years.
If you are interested in basic details on acquiring citizenship by birth in Denmark, please read the short guide below. You can always reach out to our Denmark immigration specialists if you need more details, if you have a particular situation or if you simply require assistance during the application process.
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| How to obtain citizenship in Denmark |
If one or both of the applicant’s parents were Danish nationals. |
|
Citizenship by descent for adopted children (YES/NO) |
YES |
| Citizenship by descent in case of unmarried parents (YES/NO) |
YES |
| Citizenship for foreigners born before 1st July, 2014 |
Follows the citizenship rules applicable at the time of birth, based on the relevant laws. |
| Citizenship for foreigners born on and after 1st July, 2014 |
Granted if at least one of the applicant’s parents or co-mother is Danish. |
| Citizenship for children of former Danish citizens |
Granted if one or both parents make a statement, for children under 18 years old. |
| Citizenship by descent through grandparents |
Denmark permits citizenship through the first generation of Danish parents only. |
| General required documents for citizenship by descent |
– birth certificate, – proof of parents’ citizenship, – application form, – ID documents, – marriage certificate (if applicable), etc. |
| Danish heritage permit – characteristics |
A type of residence permit in Denmark for individuals with Danish ancestry, with the potential for permanent residency after one year of residence. |
| Princess Rule |
Allows certain individuals born between 1961 – 1978 to petition for Danish nationality if their Danish mothers didn’t declare the nationality for them at birth. |
| Danish 22 year rule |
If born abroad and never lived in Denmark or had Danish residence, you’ll lose citizenship at age 22. |
| Dual citizenship allowed (YES/NO) |
YES |
| Advantages of immigrating to Denmark |
– high-quality of life, – low crime rates, – top-rated universities, – job opportunities, – high-quality healthcare services, etc. |
| How to obtain citizenship in Denmark |
– by birth, – by descent, – by registration, – by naturalization. |
| Assistance |
Our immigration lawyers in Denmark can help you obtain citizenship or residence permits to facilitate your transition into the country. |
Working with an immigration lawyer in Denmark, such as the one from our team, is recommended when you wish to apply for citizenship and also for procedures that preceded this step, for example, as soon as you decide to move to Denmark and require information on visas and the residence permit in Denmark for permanent purposes.
Read below more about citizenship through descent and please feel free to reach out as needed.
Table of Contents
What are the conditions for acquiring citizenship at birth?
In some cases, an individual acquires Danish citizenship at birth. Some of the conditions include the following:
- Born before 1 July 2014: those who are born until this date can acquire citizenship automatically, however, the specific rules depend on the ones that were in force at the time the applicant was born; for this purpose, if is useful to reach out to our immigration lawyer in Denmark;
- Born after 1 July 2014: those born on this date or afterwards acquire automatic citizenship if one of the parents or co-mother is Danish;
- Other cases: children who are found in Denmark are also considered Danish citizens until further information becomes available.
What are other options for automatic citizenship acquisition in Denmark?
There are two other options through which an individual may acquire automatic Danish citizenship, as opposed to naturalization. These are:
- Through adoption: for foreign children under the age of 12 who have been adopted by a Danish citizen;
- At the time of marriage: when a child has not acquired Danish citizenship at birth, he or she may do so after the parents marry (when he or she is the child of a Danish father and a foreign mother).
- Out of wedlock: children who are born out of wedlock to a Danish father and a foreign mother can obtain citizenship upon application, if they are born between 12 October 1993 and 30 June 2014.
We invite you to watch a video on the main conditions to acquire citizenship by descent:
In all cases involving obtaining Danish citizenship by descent, proof of kinship is very important. This is customarily proven by providing a birth certificate however, the marriage certificate of the parents can also be requested and in some cases the relationship between the child and the parent(s) is determined through a DNA test.
Foreign documents can be used as proof of the parent’s marriage and/or for kinship. Documents issued in some countries do not need to be apostilled or legalized in order to be used, however, they do need to be authentic in order to prove the family bond. The following countries are subject to these lighter requirements in terms of documents: Europe (except from certain countries such as Albania, Georgia, or Ukraine, among others), the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Turkey.
Applicants who wish to obtain citizenship by descent in Denmark and are not residents or citizens of these countries need to submit the original documents or the apostilled/legalized documents. Our immigration lawyer in Denmark can provide more information upon request.
The rules for citizenship by descent in Denmark, based on the parent’s citizenship status at the time the applicant was born, have changed a few times. It is important to note that the citizenship of the child/the applicant will be judged in accordance with the Danish citizenship law that is in place at the time of the application.
The Princess Rule in Denmark
A notable rule concerning some of these legal changes that have taken effect over the years is the “Princess Rule”. This rule concerns individuals born to a Danish mother and a foreign father in wedlock between January 1, 1961, and December 31, 1978. During this specific time, such a child was not awarded Danish nationality by birth and as such children born during this period to a Danish mother who did not make a declaration can be subject to citizenship by naturalization, as opposed to citizenship by descent in Denmark.
For individuals who apply for citizenship under the Princess Rule, the following conditions are relevant:
- They are not obliged to have their current residence in Denmark
- They must have lived in the country for at least 3 months or have visited the country for a total period of 12 months before the age of 22;
- They do not need to pass the citizenship test, or the language test, however, basic Danish language knowledge is required. The individual must be able to have a basic conversation in Danish, as determined through an evaluation performed by the Danish embassy or consulate in the applicant’s country; Our Denmark immigration specialists can give you more details;
- A person may be deemed undesirable for acquiring citizenship via this particular route if he or she was sentenced to imprisonment for a period that exceeds 18 months, or if convicted of certain types of offences.
As an applicant, you cannot include your child on your application under this rule, unless they already are Danish residents.
If you are interested in moving to Denmark under the Princess Rule, please reach out to our team for details. You can also watch the following video for information:
Danish citizenship by descent from grandparents
Danish citizenship by descent from grandparents is not possible. Individuals can claim Danish citizenship by descent only if at least one parent is a Danish citizen.
However, you might qualify for obtaining a residence permit in Denmark based on your lineage.
The standard criteria for obtaining a residence permit based on Danish descent requires that both of your parents (father and mother) or all four of your grandparents are or were natural-born Danish citizens. You can qualify for a residence permit based on Danish descent even if your parents and grandparents are no longer Danish citizens. Regardless of whether descent is through parents or grandparents, you must demonstrate strong ties to Denmark comparable to those of individuals with direct descent from Danish citizens.
Even though you cannot obtain Danish citizenship by heritage from your grandparents, you can seek citizenship by some alternative routes.
Benefits of acquiring citizenship by descent in Denmark
Acquiring Danish citizenship through heritage offers several benefits. It grants individuals the right to reside in Denmark without any time limits or visa requirements. This allows for greater stability and security. We can help you immigrate to Denmark and take advantage of these benefits.
Danish citizenship provides unrestricted access to the Danish job market and educational opportunities, including access to higher education institutions with free tuition fees for Danish citizens. Additionally, moving to Denmark and having citizenship grants access to the country’s free healthcare system.
Citizens in Denmark have the right to vote and stand for elections in national, regional, and municipal elections.
Danish citizens have unrestricted access to the Danish job market. This means they can work in Denmark without needing a work permit. They might also be entitled to various social benefits provided by the Danish government.
Moreover, Danish citizens have the right to live, work, study, and travel in any other EU member state, as well as in the European Economic Area (EEA), which includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. Danish citizenship through origin also grants EU citizenship, which grants them additional rights and protections under EU law.
We remind you that obtaining Danish citizenship by ancestry from your grandparents is not possible. If you wish to obtain citizenship, you can explore the other options.
What are other routes for acquiring citizenship?
Children of former Danish citizens can usually acquire citizenship when one or both parents make a statement, provided that the child is under 18 years of age. In case of adopted children, an important condition is for the adoption to have taken place under Danish law.
Former Danish citizens over the age of 18 can also follow a process based on a declaration in order to regain their citizenship. This is possible if they initially obtained Danish citizenship at birth, if they lived in the Kingdom (also included here are the Faroe Islands or Greenland) until the age of 18 and have had permanent residence in the Kingdom of Denmark for the past two years.
Individuals who lost their Danish citizenship can regain it if after the loss they continued as a citizen of another Nordic country and if they have a residence in the Kingdom of Denmark.
Our team can provide you with additional details on these conditions for residence for former Danish citizens.
Acquiring citizenship through naturalization is a common route for all other foreign nationals, namely for those who have no family ties with Danish citizens. Nordic citizens can be subject to lighter requirements during this process.
When you decide to move to Denmark based on citizenship by descent, you will need to handle several other steps, apart from following the rules for proving your ancestry. You can rely on our assistance if you have questions about your access to health services and a health card as a new resident, the NemKonto and the MitID for residents, and much more. Please reach out to us for details.
You can apply for a Denmark residence permit for reasons other than remaining in the country based on you ancestry. In fact, most foreign nationals will apply for residency on other grounds. You can reach out to us if you want to know more about how you can remain in the country to work, study or start a business. Our team will give you complete details about the conditions.
You can always reach out to us for more information on acquiring citizenship at birth, through adoption, or through another route accepted by the Danish authorities.
Citizenship for Nordic countries’ citizens
If you do not meet the criteria for Danish citizenship by descent, yet hold citizenship in a Nordic country, you still have the opportunity to acquire Danish citizenship.
Nordic citizens (from Finland, Iceland, Norway, or Sweden) can become Danish citizens by declaration or by naturalization. Danish citizenship by declaration is available if you are over 18 years old, have not acquired citizenship of a Nordic country by naturalization, and meet certain residency and legal requirements:
- Currently reside in Denmark and have been resident there for the past seven years;
- Have not been imprisoned.
As Danish citizenship by origin from grandparents is not possible, this can be an alternative way to obtain citizenship if you were born in one of the Nordic countries.
Dual citizenship in Denmark
Denmark allows dual citizenship since September 1, 2015. Citizens are allowed to retain their Danish citizenship even if they acquire citizenship from another country. Alternatively, foreign nationals who obtain Danish citizenship through ancestry can retain their original citizenship as well.
Please note that while Denmark allows dual citizenship, some countries outside the Nordic region may have different rules. In some cases, these countries may require individuals to renounce their previous citizenship to obtain citizenship there. It is advisable to consult with our immigration lawyer in Denmark in such cases.
Statistical data about Denmark’s population
According to Statistics Denmark, the country’s population amounted to 5,964,059 inhabitants in December 2023. Our Denmark immigration specialists highlight other data about the immigrant population living in the country in 2023:
- 15.4% of the population in Denmark consists of immigrants or their descendants;
- 199,743 of these were residing in the country based on their right to do so as Nordic citizens;
- 118,144 citizens were in the country for work purposes from EU countries;
- 71,384 individuals were EU citizens with a residence permit for purposes other than work;
- 58,157 people were non-EU citizens living in Denmark for work purposes;
- 48,904 people were living in Denmark based on family reunification with a Danish or Nordic citizen;
- 29,427 individuals were living in Denmark based on family reunification with a foreign national who was lawfully living in the country.
According to their country of origin, the top three countries from which immigrants and their descendants originate are the following:
- Turkey: 66,517 people in the fourth quarter of 2023;
- Poland: 56,463 people, also in the fourth quarter of 2023;
- Romania: 45,722 people, in Q4 2023.
Do you want to live in Denmark? Contact us for complete assistance during the relocation process.
