Permanent residence in Denmark: requirements in 2026

This guide sums up the standard requirements for permanent residence under section 11 of the Danish Aliens Act, as they apply in 2026. It is general information. The authorities decide each case, and the official rules are on nyidanmark.dk.

Who this guide is for

Applicants aged 20 or older.
People whose current residence permit is based on work or family reunification under the Danish Aliens Act.

It does not cover EU/EEA citizens (who apply under EU rules), refugees and others with asylum, students, or permits under special legislation. It also leaves out self-employment, flex jobs, subsidised jobs, temporary agency work, previous refusals, disability exemptions, unresolved identity and special ties to Denmark. Those cases need a different assessment.

The fee

DKK 7,570 if your current permit is based on work (this also covers accompanying family members of a worker).
DKK 4,970 if your current permit is based on family reunification.
The processing time can be up to 12 months.

The fee is not refunded if refused. If the application is rejected without being processed, for example because documents are missing, it is refunded minus DKK 1,040. The amounts apply to 2026.

Basic requirements: all of them must be met

At least 8 years of continuous legal residence in Denmark, or 4 years if you meet all four supplementary conditions below.
You still meet the conditions of your current permit, for example cohabitation or employment.
You live in Denmark when the decision is made.
No overdue debt to public authorities of the covered types. Deferred debt is accepted if it is no more than DKK 143,100.98.
No assistance under the Active Social Policy Act or the Integration Act in the last 4 years before you apply, and until the decision. SU, unemployment benefits, parental leave benefits and housing support are not covered.
Passed Prøve i Dansk 2, or a test at an equivalent or higher level.
At least 42 months of ordinary full-time work within the 48 months before the decision. Only periods of at least 30 hours a week without a wage subsidy count. Sickness, holiday and parental leave during the job count; unemployment benefits, education, work placements and subsidised jobs do not.
Ordinary work of at least 15 hours a week when the decision is made, with evidence that the job continues.
No conviction, charge or prosecution that blocks permanent residence.

The requirements are assessed on the day of the decision, not the day you apply.

Supplementary conditions

Passed Prøve i Dansk 3 or higher.
At least 4 years of work within the last 4 years and 6 months.
Passed medborgerskabsprøven (the active citizenship test), or at least 1 year of active citizenship, such as board work, coaching or documented volunteering.
An average annual taxable income of at least DKK 346,155.57 over the last 2 years.

With 8 years of residence you need at least 2 of the 4. With 4 to under 8 years you need all 4.

Pensioners

If you have reached the state pension age or have been granted førtidspension, seniorpension or tidlig pension, the employment requirements and the supplementary conditions about work and income do not apply.
With at least 8 years of residence, you need either active citizenship or Prøve i Dansk 3. With 4 to under 8 years, you need both.

What makes it complicated

Stays abroad beyond holidays, a permit that expired before you applied for a new one, or a new permit based on a new marriage or relationship can interrupt or restart the count of your residence.
Prison sentences (also suspended), community service, fines for working without permission and pending charges can block permanent residence for many years or permanently. The waiting periods depend on the sentence.
A month of work only counts if you were employed full time for the whole month.

These are the points where people most easily count wrong. The check asks about them and tells you when your case falls outside the standard rules.

Documents you will need

A copy of every passport page, including covers and blank pages.
Your current residence permit, its expiry date and evidence of the residence period.
Your Danish test certificate.
Employment contracts, payslips and hours for the periods you rely on, and evidence of continued employment.
The fee receipt.

Check your own dates

Residence Check compares your answers with these requirements and shows which ones you meet, what you still need to clarify, and the earliest date you can meet all of them. Answering the questions is free.

Start the check