Citizens of New Zealand can enter Denmark visa-free for up to 90 days with a valid passport or travel document. However, to immigrate to Denmark from New Zealand for a longer period, certain requirements must be met. This includes obtaining the appropriate visa for your traveling purpose (work, study, family reunification, etc.) and gathering the necessary documents. Additionally, to become a permanent resident of Denmark, you need to live continuously in the country for at least eight years. Citizenship is possible by naturalization after nine years. Our immigration lawyers in Denmark will explain how to obtain visas and residence permits, based on your specific case.
Table of Contents
Visas in Denmark
If you wish to immigrate to Denmark from New Zealand for an extended period, you can apply for a visa based on your traveling purpose.
For example, if you are immigrating to Denmark for work purposes, you need to apply for a long-stay work visa. However, thanks to the New Zealand – Denmark Working Holiday Scheme, young New Zealand citizens can spend 12 months in the country to work. To apply for this special visa, you must be between 18 and 30 years old and cannot accept a permanent job or work for the same employer for more than 3 months.
To move to Denmark from New Zealand to study, you must apply for a student visa. The duration of your stay in Denmark is equal to the duration of your study program. After graduating, you have the option to stay in the country for six months to search for a job. However, after obtaining a job contract, you must apply for a work permit.
All visas serve as residence permits. To officially settle in Denmark, you must register your Danish address with the municipality where you will be residing. Upon registration, you will receive a Danish CPR, your personal registration number.
Our team will help you with moving to Denmark.
Permanent residence in Denmark
In order to immigrate to Denmark from New Zealand permanently, you need to live in the country for 8 years with a temporary residence permit. Additionally, you must not have been convicted of specific crimes, do not have any outstanding public debts, and do not have received social benefits.
Moreover, you must be employed full-time for a minimum of 3 to 6 months and pass a Danish language test.
There are some exceptions for obtaining a permanent residence permit in Denmark. Some individuals may obtain the permit even if he/she lived in the country for 4 years. Our team can offer additional details about this exception if you are interested to relocate to Denmark from New Zealand permanently.
Statistics about immigration in Denmark
Those who wish to immigrate to Denmark from New Zealand can learn more about the immigration trends in the country from the following statistics, provided by Statistics Denmark. The statistics reflect the total number of immigrants, their nationality, and gender for the year 2023:
- 79,561 total foreign citizen immigrants were registered in the country;
- 18,783 registered immigrants were Danish citizens;
- Most immigrants were Ukrainian (8,229), Romanian (6,163), and German (5,078) citizens;
- Only 131 New Zealand citizens immigrated to Denmark that year;
- 98,852 immigrants were female.
Moving to Denmark can be difficult and complex, especially considering the visa approval process and documentation. Please contact our team for assistance and support in relocating to Denmark from New Zealand, as we can facilitate this process and we can ensure all the requirements are met.
