Before applying for a visa in Denmark, you will need to find out whether your country has specific visa requirements in order to enter Denmark and the other Schengen countries. This is purely for moderation purposes so that the authorities can moderate who can and cannot enter. The Schengen countries normally decide amongst themselves which nationalities the visa requirements apply to, with consideration given to immigration and security issues, as well as political concerns.
Who needs a Danish visa?
Citizens of the EU, EEA and Nordic nationals do not need a visa and are allowed to enter and work in Denmark for an unlimited period of time. Nationals of a number of other countries who do not have specific visa requirements may enter without a visa for up to three months, however they are not allowed to work during this time.
Citizens of countries that do have specific visa requirements must apply for a visa. This will enable them to stay in Denmark and other Schengen countries for up to three months. They are not permitted to take on employment during this time.
The Minister of Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs has a list of all nationalities that need a visa to enter Denmark. You can find it here .
What does a Danish visa entitle you to?
A visa will give you the right to stay in any of the Schengen countries for a maximum of 90 days per 6 months. During this time you are not permitted to work in Denmark unless the Immigration Service has given you special dispensation to do so. However, there are some cases in which you are allowed to take on some work-related activity without a residence and work permit. Such activities include teaching, attending a course, participating in meetings or training. In any case, any of these activities must not last longer than three months.
Conditions for granting a visa
In order to be granted a visa for Denmark, you will need to meet the following criteria:
- Your passport must be valid for three months after the visa expiry date. If you do not hold a national passport, you must hold a return permit to the country you have arrived from. Such a return permit must be valid for six months after the visa expiry date.
- You must have appropriate finances to fund your stay and return trip. The amount of money need will be determined by the Danish diplomatic mission, and will be based on factors such as the length of your stay and where you are staying.
- You must normally hold a travel insurance policy that covers all Schengen countries. The minimum policy coverage is €30,000 and the policy must be valid for the same period of time as the visa.
- You must not be registered as an undesirable in the Schengen Information System.
- You may not be listed on the Danish entry ban list.
These conditions apply at the time at which your visa was issued, as well as the start of your stay in any of the Schengen countries. That means it is extremely important that you can prove you have sufficient funding at all times during your trip. You must also be able to show a valid travel insurance policy. Failure to meet these conditions may result in you having your visa confiscated and revoked, meaning you would have to leave the Schengen region immediately.
Types of visa
There are specific rules regarding visas for business visits, private and tourist visits as well as cultural visits.
Business visas for Denmark: You can obtain a visa in connection with a business visit provided there is an actual commercial relationship between your company and the company in Denmark you wish to visit. If you are subject to work permit regulations, you will not be granted a business visa.
As a general guide, the Immigration Service will issue you with a business visa if you can prove that you are commercially active and wish to come to Denmark for any of the following activities: trade, making a business deal or inspecting machines or products before purchasing them from a Danish company.
You must be able to provide the following documents in order to obtain a business visa:
- Business permit or proof of registration issued by the relevant authorities in your home country
- Proof of your education, proof of previous business dealings in the same field, proof of the financial resources of your company or any other documentation of your background
- If visiting as part of a group, the application needs to include a description of each participant’s role throughout the visit
- Confirmation of your visit from the company in Denmark
Cultural visits: You can apply for a visa in connection with cultural or scientific events such as congresses or sporting events. You must be able to provide evidence of the purpose of your visit.
Private and tourist visits: Countries that have specific visa requirements to enter Denmark are divided into three different categories – an asylum group, an immigration group and a tourist group. You will automatically fall into one of these groups according to your nationality. As each of these groups has different rules with regards to visas, you should check in advance which category your country falls into.
- The asylum group: Citizens from countries in this group are normally only granted visas if they are spouses/registered partners/cohabiting partners, children under the age of 18 or parents of the person living in Denmark.
- The immigration group: This category is divided into two sub-groups. The first group lists all the countries whose citizens need to be in a personal or familial relationship with the person living in Denmark in order to obtain a visa. They will need to provide supporting evidence for their relationship during their application. The other group is for citizens of countries whose citizens are generally granted a visa regardless of who they are visiting in Denmark, without the need to supply any evidence.
- The tourist group: Citizens of countries in this group are generally issued with visas purely for tourist-related visits. It is not essential for any applicant to have any connection whatsoever to anybody living in Denmark.
To see which group you fall in, have a look here .