After passing — Denmark Danish Citizenship Test (Indfødsretsprøven)

From passing the test to the citizenship application

After you pass, the language centre gives you a test certificate (prøvebevis). The Ministry of Immigration and Integration (Udlændinge- og Integrationsministeriet) sets no expiry date for a pass in "Indfødsretsprøven af 2021".

Apply online with MitID and attach copies of your passport, permanent residence permit, Danish language certificate and test certificate. You sign the declaration of allegiance and loyalty (erklæring om troskab og loyalitet) with MitID in the application. All other conditions (residence, self-support, employment, no overdue public debt, no excluding conviction) must already be met when you apply.

Fee (from 1 January 2026; adjusted yearly): DKK 6,270 for a first application, or DKK 4,180 if you are under 25 and were born in Denmark or arrived before age 8. Your first re-application is free; later ones cost DKK 3,135. Fees are not refunded after a refusal.

Decision, law and ceremony

Citizenship is granted by law. If you meet the conditions, the ministry puts you on a naturalisation bill (lovforslag om indfødsrets meddelelse), normally presented in April or October. The Folketing reads it three times, which usually takes 2–3 months, and your name appears in the published bill. Only the Folketing's Naturalisation Committee (Indfødsretsudvalget) can grant exemptions.

The ministry gives an average processing time of 24 months; simple first applications can be fast-tracked. The only bill planned for 2025–26 (L 98) lapsed on 26 February 2026, when a general election was called. On 1 October 2026 the ministry had not said when the next bill would come.

After the law takes effect, most adults must attend a constitutional ceremony (grundlovsceremoni) in their municipality, held 1–4 months later; you must attend within 2 years. The ministry needs your sworn statement on crimes and residence at least 10 working days before. At the ceremony you sign a promise to respect the Constitution and Danish values, shake hands with the mayor or a councillor and receive your certificate of citizenship (statsborgerretsbevis). You become Danish that day, or, if you are exempt from the ceremony, when the law takes effect.

ID card and passport

Your residence permit lapses, so hand in your residence card at Citizen Service (Borgerservice). Once your citizenship shows in the CPR register, book a passport appointment there and bring your statsborgerretsbevis. In Copenhagen an adult passport costs DKK 894, plus DKK 130 for a photo (2026); it takes 2–3 weeks and is valid for 10 years. Denmark has no national ID card, but municipalities issue a photo ID card (legitimationskort) from age 15: DKK 150 in Copenhagen (2026), valid 10 years.

Your previous citizenship

Denmark has allowed dual citizenship since 1 September 2015, so you do not have to give up your old citizenship. Your other country may not allow it, so check its rules before the ceremony.

Tax and social security

Tax does not change: Danish tax liability depends on residence, not nationality. Some rights improve:

State pension (folkepension): citizens qualify after 3 years of residence between age 15 and pension age; most non-EU nationals need 10. The amount still depends on your years in Denmark.
Student grant (SU): citizens qualify without applying for "equal status".
Unemployment insurance: as an EU citizen you can count insurance periods from other EU/EEA countries and look for work there for up to 3 months on Danish benefit.

Voting and other rights

Folketing elections and referendums: citizens aged 18 or over who live in Denmark can vote and stand.
Local and regional elections: non-EU residents wait 4 years; citizens do not.
European Parliament: you can vote in Danish elections, also while living in another EU country.
Public jobs: some posts require citizenship, for example police officers, who are civil servants (tjenestemænd).
Military service: young people living in Denmark are called to Defence Day (Forsvarets Dag) in the year they turn 18, including women who turn 18 after 1 July 2025. Service is by lottery if volunteers are too few, and lasts 11 months from August 2026.

Effect on children

Unmarried children under 18 living legally in Denmark can be included free of charge. Children aged 12 or over must consent, and the other parent with custody must agree.
They become Danish with you and need not attend the ceremony. If a child turns 18 before your ceremony, ask your municipality about an earlier date.
Children born after you become Danish are Danish at birth.
A Danish citizen born abroad who never lived in Denmark and has no other ties loses citizenship at 22, unless this would make them stateless.

Frequently asked questions

Does my test certificate expire? No expiry date is set for a pass in Indfødsretsprøven af 2021.

When exactly do I become Danish? At your constitutional ceremony, or when the law takes effect if you are exempt.

Why is it taking so long? The average is 24 months, and the 2026 bill lapsed because of the election. Tell the ministry at once if your job, benefits or family change.

Do my children need to come to the ceremony? No. Children included in your application become Danish when you do.

From passing the test to the citizenship application

Decision, law and ceremony

ID card and passport

Your previous citizenship

Denmark has allowed dual citizenship since 1 September 2015, so you do not have to give up your old citizenship. Your other country may not allow it, so check its rules before the ceremony.

Tax and social security

Tax does not change: Danish tax liability depends on residence, not nationality. Some rights improve:

State pension (folkepension): citizens qualify after 3 years of residence between age 15 and pension age; most non-EU nationals need 10. The amount still depends on your years in Denmark.
Student grant (SU): citizens qualify without applying for "equal status".
Unemployment insurance: as an EU citizen you can count insurance periods from other EU/EEA countries and look for work there for up to 3 months on Danish benefit.

Voting and other rights

Folketing elections and referendums: citizens aged 18 or over who live in Denmark can vote and stand.
Local and regional elections: non-EU residents wait 4 years; citizens do not.
European Parliament: you can vote in Danish elections, also while living in another EU country.
Public jobs: some posts require citizenship, for example police officers, who are civil servants (tjenestemænd).
Military service: young people living in Denmark are called to Defence Day (Forsvarets Dag) in the year they turn 18, including women who turn 18 after 1 July 2025. Service is by lottery if volunteers are too few, and lasts 11 months from August 2026.

Effect on children

Unmarried children under 18 living legally in Denmark can be included free of charge. Children aged 12 or over must consent, and the other parent with custody must agree.
They become Danish with you and need not attend the ceremony. If a child turns 18 before your ceremony, ask your municipality about an earlier date.
Children born after you become Danish are Danish at birth.
A Danish citizen born abroad who never lived in Denmark and has no other ties loses citizenship at 22, unless this would make them stateless.

Frequently asked questions

Does my test certificate expire? No expiry date is set for a pass in Indfødsretsprøven af 2021.

When exactly do I become Danish? At your constitutional ceremony, or when the law takes effect if you are exempt.

Why is it taking so long? The average is 24 months, and the 2026 bill lapsed because of the election. Tell the ministry at once if your job, benefits or family change.

Do my children need to come to the ceremony? No. Children included in your application become Danish when you do.

From passing the test to the citizenship application

Decision, law and ceremony

ID card and passport

Your previous citizenship

Tax and social security

Voting and other rights

Effect on children

Frequently asked questions

Useful links

From passing the test to the citizenship application

Decision, law and ceremony

ID card and passport

Your previous citizenship

Tax and social security

Voting and other rights

Effect on children

Frequently asked questions

Useful links