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Immigrate to Denmark from South Africa

Immigrate to Denmark from South Africa

Foreigners who wish to immigrate to Denmark from South Africa will need to obtain a right type of visa that will allow them to enter the country.

South African citizens are subject to the visa requirement for entry irrespective of the duration of their stay. In this article, we list the main conditions to enter Denmark, as well as the types of residence permits available.

Moving to Denmark includes several steps, the most important one being obtaining an adequate residence permit as a South Africa citizen. Once this is secured, our team can guide you throughout the other mandatory steps, such as setting up your NemKonto and the MitID for residents. In addition to these, we can also answer questions about housing and the education system.

If you wish to move to Denmark from South Africa, our team can help you throughout all of the needed steps. Submitting the application is subject to certain requirements, depending on the purpose of your stay. Our agents specializing in Denmark immigration can give you complete details on the needed documents, depending on your particular case.

Types of visas that allow you to relocate to Denmark from South Africa

If you want to visit, work in or reunite with family living in Denmark, you will need to apply for a long-term visa.

Our immigration lawyer in Denmark lists the most important types of visas below:

  1. Study: for South African students who have been accepted by a Danish university or educational institution; the acceptance letter is provided when making the visa application;
  2. Work: this is a common type of visa for those who immigrate to Denmark from South Africa; a precondition is for the visa applicant to have already secured a job position with a Danish employer;
  3. Business: for those who wish to open their own business and they propose an innovative business idea;
  4. Family reunification: if your spouse or another family member already resides in Denmark, you can apply to join him or her.

In addition to the work and the business vias, South African nationals can also access a visa for those who are able to fulfill a special job position as an individual with special qualifications (for example athlete or specialized chef, or an artist).

South African citizens can also apply for a short-stay visa, which indeed allows them to enter the country, however, it allows for stays of no more than 90 days, which do not suit the intended purposes for those who immigrate to Denmark from South Africa.

South African nationals who have remained in the country based on a temporary Denmark residence permit can reach out to our team of immigration experts if they have questions about how they can renew or change their permit, and how they can make their stay in the country a permanent one. We provide complete assistance for the needed applications and representation, if required, in front of the authorities.

Conditions for visa applications from South Africa

Each of the types of visas mentioned above is subject to a visa-specific set of documents as well as a number of documents that are required in all cases. Those who move to Denmark from South Africa should start preparing their visa application file in due time.

With our help, gathering the needed documents will be easier and applicants will rest assured that they meet all the requirements. This makes it easier to have the application accepted during the first submission, as opposed to having it be rejected for incompleteness.

If you want to immigrate to Denmark from South Africa based on a work or business visa, the following criteria are relevant:

  • you have been offered a job in Denmark or you have an innovative business idea;
  • you are able to pay the processing fee of DKK 1,890 for the Start-up Denmark visa or DKK 4,405 for the Fast-Track visa for employment in a certified company;
  • you are able to observe the normal processing time for the visa, between 1 and 2 months;
  • you meet the conditions for employment or meet the conditions for starting a business.

For the Start-up Denmark visa, the applicant is expected to have his business idea approved by a number of experts with the Danish Business Authority. In addition to this, the investor must be able to show that he can support himself and that he will play a central role in managing the Danish business.

South African nationals who have been living in Denmark for 8 years or more can apply for a permanent residence permit. This can be the goal for many of those who immigrate to Denmark from South Africa. The applicant cannot have been convicted of certain crimes and cannot have overdue public debts. Moreover, the individual cannot have received certain types of social benefits in order to apply for permanent residency.

Statistical data regarding immigration

Our Denmark immigration team lists the following statistics were issued according to the types of visas issued for South African citizens only in 2020:

  • tourist visas: 281;
  • visit: 144;
  • business: 183;
  • culture/sport: 3;
  • official visit: 10;
  • study: 6.

The total number of visas issued to South African nationals, for the categories listed above and for other categories, was 588. The data was issued by the Danish Immigration Service.

If you wish to apply for any of the types of visas mentioned in this article, our team can assist you.

Contact us for more information on how to immigrate to Denmark from South Africa. Relocating to a new country is easier with the right help. We are ready to answer your questions.