A 9 ord

Accompanying Family Member

A spouse, partner, or child who obtains a derived residence permit through the main applicant (e.g. a worker or student).

derived residence permit, dependent permit

Acknowledgement of Receipt

A written confirmation from the authority that an application has been received — typically sent a few days after submission and containing…

receipt confirmation, case acknowledgement

Annual Income

The yearly gross income — decisive for, e.g., the Pay Limit Scheme and financial collateral.

gross annual salary, yearly income

Appeal Case

A case where a negative decision from a Danish immigration authority is appealed to the Immigration Appeals Board or Refugee Appeals Board.

appeal, complaint case

Appeal Deadline

The deadline for filing an appeal against a decision — typically 8 weeks from receipt of the decision.

appeal time limit, complaint deadline

Application (Ansøgning)

A formal request to a Danish immigration authority for a permit such as a residence permit, visa, or citizenship.

request, petition

Association Agreement (Ankara Agreement)

A 1963 EU agreement between the EEC and Turkey giving Turkish citizens expanded rights to residence and work in Denmark.

EU-Turkey agreement, Ankara protocol

Asylum (Asyl)

Protection in Denmark for foreign nationals who are persecuted or face serious harm in their country of origin.

refugee protection, international protection

Attachment Requirement

A requirement that the spouses' combined attachment to Denmark is greater than to any other country — in certain family reunification cases.

connection requirement, tie to Denmark requirement

C 6 ord

Citizenship (Indfødsret)

The formal citizenship — acquired either by birth (original citizenship) or by naturalisation (Folketing resolution).

nationality, naturalisation

Citizenship Test (Indfødsretsprøven)

A citizenship test on Danish society, culture, and history — must be passed to obtain Danish citizenship.

citizenship exam, naturalisation test

Collective Agreement Scheme

A scheme granting work permits to jobs covered by a collective agreement — shorter processing and lower salary thresholds.

CA-based scheme, agreement scheme

Conduct Requirement

A requirement that the applicant has not been convicted of certain offences — decisive for both permanent residence and citizenship.

good conduct requirement, criminal record requirement

Convention Refugee

A refugee recognised under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention — due to a well-founded fear of persecution in the home country.

§ 7(1) refugee, UN refugee

CPR Number (Personal Identification Number)

The Danish personal identification number assigned upon registration in the Central Person Register — typically after residence permit and municipality registration.

personal number, civil registration number

D 6 ord

Danish Aliens Act

The main statute regulating foreign nationals' access to and residence in Denmark — including visas, asylum, family reunification, and work.

Aliens Act, immigration law statute

Danish Citizenship

Status as a Danish citizen with full rights — including a Danish passport, voting rights, and free movement within the EU.

naturalisation, Danish nationality

Danish Immigration Service (Udlændingestyrelsen)

The main authority for asylum, family reunification, permanent residence, visas, and supervision of foreign nationals' residence.

US, Immigration Service

Danish Language Test (Prøve i Dansk)

State-recognised Danish language test at levels 1, 2, or 3 — must be passed to meet language requirements for residence and citizenship…

language test, PD1, PD2, PD3

Declaration of Active Citizenship

A signed declaration of active citizenship — a required component for both permanent residence and Danish citizenship.

citizenship declaration, integration declaration

Dual Citizenship

The right to retain one's original citizenship while acquiring Danish citizenship. Permitted since 1 September 2015.

double nationality, dual nationality

E 4 ord

Entry Ban

A ban on entering Denmark or the entire Schengen area for a specified period — typically imposed after expulsion or illegal stay.

Schengen entry ban, re-entry ban

EU Registration Certificate

A document confirming that an EU citizen has registered their right of residence in Denmark.

EU residence certificate, EU registration

EU Right of Residence

The right of EU/EEA citizens and their family members to reside and work in Denmark without a traditional residence permit.

EU residency, EU rules

Expulsion

A decision that a foreign national must leave Denmark — typically due to criminal conduct or illegal stay.

deportation, removal

F 5 ord

Family Reunification

The right to bring your spouse, partner, children, or parents to Denmark if requirements in the Aliens Act are met.

spousal reunification, family migration

Fast-Track Scheme

A scheme allowing certified companies to hire highly qualified foreign employees through a fast-track procedure.

fast track, expedited work permit

Fee

A processing fee that must be paid when submitting an application to a Danish immigration authority.

application fee, processing fee

Financial Collateral

A requirement that the resident spouse provides a bank guarantee covering possible public costs — applies to spousal reunification.

bank guarantee, financial security deposit

Free Movement (EU)

EU citizens' right to travel, reside, and work freely in other EU/EEA countries — a fundamental principle of EU law.

EU free movement, freedom of movement

H 3 ord

Higher Education

Education at bachelor, master, or PhD level at an accredited Danish institution — basis for study permits and establishment cards.

tertiary education, university degree

Housing Requirement (Boligkravet)

A requirement for suitable, independent housing as a precondition for spousal family reunification.

accommodation requirement, dwelling requirement

Humanitarian Residence Permit

A permit to reside in Denmark for compelling humanitarian reasons, e.g. serious illness without treatment options in the home country.

§ 9 b permit, humanitarian protection

I 3 ord

Immigration Appeals Board (Udlændingenævnet)

An independent quasi-judicial appellate body handling appeals against decisions by the Immigration Service and SIRI.

appeals board, Udlændingenævnet

Integration Requirements ("4 of 6")

A set of 6 supplementary requirements on the spouses' attachment to Denmark; at least 4 of 6 must be met for spousal…

4-of-6 requirements, supplementary requirements

Internship / Trainee Stay

A time-limited internship in a Danish company for third-country nationals — typically connected to studies in the home country.

traineeship, work placement

J 1 ord

Job-Seeking Stay (Establishment Card)

A right for newly graduated third-country nationals from Danish higher education to remain in Denmark to seek employment.

establishment card, post-graduation work search

L 2 ord

Language Requirement

A requirement to pass a Danish language test — e.g. PD2 for permanent residence and PD3 for citizenship.

Danish proficiency, language test requirement

Lawful Residence

Residence in Denmark under a valid permit — a precondition for permanent residence and citizenship.

legal residence, valid stay

M 1 ord

Maintenance Requirement

A requirement that the resident spouse has not received certain public benefits for a period before applying for family reunification.

self-support requirement, benefit-free requirement

N 2 ord

National Visa (D-Visa)

A long-term visa (more than 90 days) primarily valid in Denmark — used, e.g., while awaiting residence permit processing.

D-visa, long-stay visa

Nordic Citizen

A citizen of Sweden, Norway, Finland, or Iceland — has the free right to live and work in Denmark without a residence…

Nordic national, Scandinavian citizen

P 6 ord

Passport

An official travel document issued by a country's authorities. A valid passport is a precondition for most permits in Denmark.

travel document

Pay Limit Scheme (Beløbsordningen)

A scheme granting a work permit to foreign nationals with an annual salary above a fixed threshold — regardless of position or…

salary scheme, income threshold scheme

Permanent Residence Permit

An indefinite residence permit — typically requires 8 years of legal residence plus integration, employment, and language requirements.

indefinite residence permit, settlement permit

Positive List

A list of occupations with a shortage of labour in Denmark — gives easier access to work permits for third-country nationals.

shortage list, in-demand occupations list

Processing Time

The time it takes the authorities to process a case — varies by case type and complexity.

case processing time, waiting time

Public Benefit

Public benefits — e.g. cash benefits or self-support and repatriation benefits — can block family reunification, permanent residence, and citizenship.

cash benefit, social assistance

R 10 ord

Reconsideration

When the original authority re-examines a case after receiving an appeal — happens before the case is referred to the Immigration Appeals…

remonstration, internal review

Reference Person

The Denmark-resident person to whom family reunification is "attached" — e.g. the Danish or resident spouse.

sponsor, main person

Refugee Appeals Board

An independent quasi-judicial appellate body that handles appeals against decisions by the Immigration Service in asylum cases.

asylum appeals board

Rejection (Afslag)

A decision that denies an application for a residence permit, visa, work permit, or citizenship in Denmark.

denial, negative decision

Renewal of Residence Permit

Renewing a time-limited residence permit before it expires — the requirements may differ from those for the original permit.

extension, permit renewal

Repatriation

Voluntary return to the home country with financial support from the Danish state — for refugees and family-reunified persons.

voluntary return, repatriation support

Residence Card

A plastic card with biometric data documenting a residence permit — issued after an approved application.

biometric residence card, residence document

Residence Permit

Permission to legally reside in Denmark — can be temporary or permanent and is the basis for work, healthcare, etc.

permit to reside, residency document

Residence Requirement (Bopælskravet)

The requirement of legal and continuous residence in Denmark for a certain number of years — decisive for permanent residence and citizenship.

residency requirement, length-of-stay requirement

Revocation of Residence Permit

When an existing residence permit is withdrawn — e.g. if the basis for the permit no longer applies.

permit withdrawal, residence revocation

S 7 ord

Salary Requirement (Work Permit)

A requirement for "customary pay and employment terms" in the Danish labour market as a precondition for a work permit.

wage requirement, market salary

Schengen Visa

A short-stay visa (Type C) granting entry to the Schengen area for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

C-visa, short-stay visa

Self-Sufficiency Requirement

A requirement that the resident spouse has not received assistance under the Active Social Policy Act or Integration Act — decisive for…

cash benefit restriction, self-support requirement

Sham Marriage

A marriage entered into primarily to obtain a residence permit — results in rejection and may trigger an entry ban.

marriage of convenience, proforma marriage

SIRI (Agency for International Recruitment and Integration)

The Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration — the authority for work, study, and EU-related residence cases.

Agency for International Recruitment, SIRI

Spousal Reunification

The most common form of family reunification — bringing a spouse or fixed cohabitant to Denmark under § 9(1)(1).

partner reunification, spouse visa

Study Permit

A residence permit to complete an approved higher education programme in Denmark.

student permit, study residence permit

T 5 ord

Temporary Residence Permit

A time-limited residence permit that typically needs to be renewed — the standard form before permanent permission is obtained.

time-limited residence, temporary stay

The 24-Year Rule

Both spouses must be at least 24 years old to obtain spousal reunification in Denmark.

age rule, age requirement family reunification

The 8-Year Rule (Permanent Residence)

The requirement of at least 8 years of legal residence in Denmark as the main rule for permanent residence.

8 years rule, residence 8 years

Tourist Visa

A Schengen visa for short-term tourism in Denmark and the rest of the Schengen area — up to 90 days.

holiday visa, vacation visa

Trainee

A person from a third country staying in Denmark to receive practical training related to their home-country education.

intern, apprentice

U 1 ord

Unaccompanied Minor

A child under 18 seeking asylum who arrives in Denmark without accompaniment by parents or another adult relative.

UAM, unaccompanied refugee minor

V 4 ord

Visa

Permission for short-term entry and stay in a country — in Denmark typically a Schengen visa (Type C) or national visa (Type…

entry permit, travel visa

Visa Requirement

A requirement for a visa to enter the Schengen area — applies to citizens of countries not on the EU's visa-exempt list.

visa obligation, visa-required nationality

Visit Visa (Besøgsvisum)

A Schengen visa for short family or friend visits to Denmark, up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

family visit visa, Schengen visit visa

Visiting Researcher

A researcher from a third country who stays and works at a Danish research institution for a limited period.

guest researcher, research scholar

W 2 ord

Waiting Period (Karens)

A period during which a previous decision blocks a new application — e.g. 4 years after rejection of family reunification in certain…

blocking period, quarantine period

Work Permit (Arbejdstilladelse)

Permission for a third-country national to work legally in Denmark. Granted under schemes such as the Positive List, Pay Limit Scheme, and…

employment permit, job permit

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A–Z Legal dictionary

77 legal terms explained

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