Denmark EU free movement

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens may live and work in Denmark; a stay beyond 3 months needs an EU residence document applied for within 3 months of entry, free of charge. ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13}

What you must show

• Income of at least DKK 7,095 a month (≈ $1,060) · Self-supporting person without children under 18: funds at this level (2026 level, before tax) are always sufficient; SIRI assesses each case individually. ¹³
• Income of at least DKK 11,716 a month (≈ $1,750) · Single provider with children under 18, no spouse or partner in the household (2026 level, before tax). ¹³
• Income of at least DKK 10,004 a month (≈ $1,500) · Provider sharing a household with a spouse or partner, with children under 18 (2026 level, before tax). ¹³
• Income of at least DKK 3,057 a month (≈ $460) · Person under 30 living with one or both parents (2026 level, before tax). ¹³

Requirements

• Citizens of EU and EEA states and of Switzerland may live in Denmark under EU free movement rules. ^{11 1 8 9}
• Stays of up to 3 months need only a valid national ID card or passport. ^{11 1}
• Beyond 3 months, workers and self-employed persons may stay while they work. ^{12 4}
• Beyond 3 months, persons not working need sufficient resources and comprehensive health insurance. ^{13 3}
• Self-supporting persons show funds for themselves and family for at least the first 12 months. ¹³
• Funds equal to the cash benefit rate are always sufficient: DKK 7,095 (≈ $1,060) per month for a person without children. ¹³
• Workers show real, paid work, normally at least 10-12 hours a week for at least 10-12 weeks. ¹²
• A valid national ID card or passport is needed. ²
• Contract or employer declaration for workers, or bank statements for self-supporting persons, with passport or national ID card. ^{12 13}
• Apply online for an EU residence document within 3 months after entering Denmark if staying longer than 3 months. ¹¹
• Appear in person at a SIRI office or International Citizen Service centre within 30 days after the online application. ¹¹
• Job seekers apply for the EU residence document within 6 months after entering. ¹¹
• The EU residence document is needed to get a civil registration (CPR) number. ^{11 12}
• There is no processing fee for the EU residence document. ^{12 13}
• After 5 years with grounds for residence under EU rules, the right to permanent residence applies. ^{12 5}

Stay

• No time limit while the conditions are met; apply for an EU residence document within 3 months of entry (the document has no expiry date).
• First 3 months up to 3 months: Valid ID card or passport only.
• After 3 months: Worker, self-employed person, student, or person with sufficient resources and comprehensive health insurance.

Nationality

Citizens of the 27 EU states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

Work

EU citizens may work in Denmark on arrival without a work permit, with or without an EU residence document.

Family

Close family can apply for residence under EU rules; each family member submits their own application.

Checked 2026-10-10

Official sources

1. Residence rights when living abroad in the EU · European Union - Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
2. Registering residence abroad after the first 3 months · European Union - Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
3. Residence rights for economically inactive EU citizens · European Union - Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
4. Workers: residence rights · European Union - Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
5. Permanent residence (after 5 years) for EU nationals · European Union - Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
6. Working abroad · European Union - Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
7. Work in the public sector abroad · European Union - Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
8. Free movement of EU nationals · European Commission, Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion · checked 2026-10-10
9. Free movement of persons (Switzerland and the EU) · Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs · checked 2026-10-10
10. Your non-EU spouse and children's residence rights in the EU · European Union - Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
11. Residence in Denmark for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens · Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (lifeindenmark.borger.dk) · checked 2026-10-10
12. EU residence as a worker · Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (nyidanmark.dk) · checked 2026-10-10
13. EU residence as a person with sufficient funds (self-supporting) · Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (nyidanmark.dk) · checked 2026-10-10