Denmark · Business / Startup

Start-up Denmark

Savings needed: DKK 153k+ ≈ $23k

Start-up Denmark residence permit

First checked against official sources on 11 Oct 2026Change log

Key facts

Start-up Denmark is a business / startup route for Denmark. Applicants need savings of DKK 153k+ ≈ $23k. You can stay 2 yrs, renewable. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.

Money needed: DKK 153k+ ≈ $23k
Government fees: DKK 3,060 ≈ $460
Processing: 60–120 days
First stay: 2 yrs

Cost, time and long term

To apply: government fee DKK 3,060 ≈ $460; savings to show DKK 153k+ ≈ $23k; decision: 60–120 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.

Government feesDKK 3,060 ≈ $460

DKK 3,060 (≈ $460)Processing fee; normal processing 2 months, up to 4 months.

Shown, not spentDKK 153k+ ≈ $23k

DKK 153,240 (≈ $22,900)First year without family (2025 level stated); DKK 306,480 (≈ $45,800) with a spouse; DKK 356,904 (≈ $53,400) with spouse and children; DKK 203,664 (≈ $30,500) with children but no spouse.

RenewalRenewable

Extensions of up to 3 years at a time are available after the first 2 years.

Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration

Permanent residenceAfter 8 years of residence

Permanent residence after 8 years of uninterrupted legal residence, or 4 years if you meet all 4 supplementary requirements (including Danish language test 3). Work, study and family permits count.

Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration

CitizenshipAfter 9 years of residence

Citizenship needs 9 years of continuous residence in Denmark and a permanent residence permit held for at least 2 years when the naturalisation bill passes.

Life in Denmark (borger.dk), Danish public sector portal

Processing60–120 days

Normal processing time is 2 months; up to 4 months if more information is needed.

Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration

Presence rulesStay rule

A Danish permit lapses if you give up your Danish address or live outside Denmark for more than six successive months.

Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration

Why this route may not fit

Check this before you apply.

Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports

What you'll need

Who can apply5

The applicant owns all or part of the company and takes an active part in running it.
The business has innovative potential and a specific Danish business interest.
Restaurants, retail and ordinary trade businesses are normally not eligible, and holding companies are not eligible.
A team of up to 3 people can apply with a shared business plan.
At most 75 foreign nationals can be granted a permit per calendar year.

What you must show4

Funds for the first year are DKK 153,240 (≈ $22,900) without family (2025 level).
Funds are DKK 306,480 (≈ $45,800) with a spouse and DKK 356,904 (≈ $53,400) with spouse and children.
Funds are DKK 203,664 (≈ $30,500) with children but no spouse.
The processing fee is DKK 3,060 (≈ $460).

Documents1

The documents are proof of the paid fee, a copy of all passport pages, the expert panel approval, a bank statement in the applicant's name and proof of company ownership.

Steps3

The Danish Business Authority expert panel must approve the business idea before the application.
Create a case order ID, pay the fee and apply with form SD1; biometrics are recorded within 14 days.
Normal processing takes 2 months, or up to 4 months if more information is needed.

After you arrive2

The permit allows work only in the approved business; a salaried job or a new business needs a new permit.
The permit lapses if the holder gives up the Danish address or stays abroad more than 6 successive months.

When you become tax resident

How Denmark decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.

Foreign-source income: Personal income after labour market contribution; full tax liability on worldwide (including foreign-source) income.

All tax rules for Denmark Tax records checked 10 Oct 2026

Official site

Full official text

For founders (individuals or teams of up to three) of an innovative growth company, or an existing self-employment business or Danish branch of a foreign business; the business idea must first be approved by the Danish Business Authority expert panel; at most 75 foreign nationals per year. ¹

What you must show and pay

Savings of at least DKK 153,240 (≈ $22,900) · First year without family (2025 level stated); DKK 306,480 (≈ $45,800) with a spouse; DKK 356,904 (≈ $53,400) with spouse and children; DKK 203,664 (≈ $30,500) with children but no spouse. ¹
A fee of DKK 3,060 (≈ $460) · Processing fee; normal processing 2 months, up to 4 months. ¹

Requirements

The applicant owns all or part of the company and takes an active part in running it. ¹
The business has innovative potential and a specific Danish business interest. ¹
Restaurants, retail and ordinary trade businesses are normally not eligible, and holding companies are not eligible. ¹
A team of up to 3 people can apply with a shared business plan. ¹
At most 75 foreign nationals can be granted a permit per calendar year. ¹
Funds for the first year are DKK 153,240 (≈ $22,900) without family (2025 level). ¹
Funds are DKK 306,480 (≈ $45,800) with a spouse and DKK 356,904 (≈ $53,400) with spouse and children. ¹
Funds are DKK 203,664 (≈ $30,500) with children but no spouse. ¹
The processing fee is DKK 3,060 (≈ $460). ¹
The documents are proof of the paid fee, a copy of all passport pages, the expert panel approval, a bank statement in the applicant's name and proof of company ownership. ¹
The Danish Business Authority expert panel must approve the business idea before the application. ¹
Create a case order ID, pay the fee and apply with form SD1; biometrics are recorded within 14 days. ¹
Normal processing takes 2 months, or up to 4 months if more information is needed. ¹
The permit allows work only in the approved business; a salaried job or a new business needs a new permit. ¹
The permit lapses if the holder gives up the Danish address or stays abroad more than 6 successive months. ¹

Stay

Residence and work permit for up to 2 years; extensions of up to 3 years at a time.
First stay: up to 24 months, decided case by case.
Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.

Nationality

Third-country nationals; EU/EEA citizens do not need the permit. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.

Work

Run the business.

Family

Spouse or partner and children under 18 living at home can get residence permits as accompanying family members; the funds figure is higher with family.

Checked 2026-10-11

Official sources

Start-up Denmark · Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) · checked 2026-10-10
Permanent residence permit · Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) · checked 2026-10-10
Conditions for foreign citizens' acquisition of Danish citizenship · Life in Denmark (borger.dk), Danish public sector portal · checked 2026-10-11
Researcher · Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) · checked 2026-10-10

Start-up Denmark and its alternatives

Route	Money needed	Stay	Work
Start-up Denmark	Needs savings of DKK 153k+ ≈ $23k	2 yr, renewable	–
Startup Visa Portugal	Needs savings of €6,446+ ≈ $7,200	2 yr, renewable	–
Entrepreneur visa Spain	–	3 yr, renewable	–
Startup Visa Italy	Needs savings of €50k+ ≈ $56k	1 yr, renewable	–
Business investor permit Greece	Needs an investment of €500k+ ≈ $559k	5 yr, renewable	–

Questions people ask

How much money do I need for the Start-up Denmark?

Savings of at least DKK 153,240 (≈ $22,900). First year without family (2025 level stated); DKK 306,480 (≈ $45,800) with a spouse; DKK 356,904 (≈ $53,400) with spouse and children; DKK 203,664 (≈ $30,500) with children but no spouse. A fee of DKK 3,060 (≈ $460). Processing fee; normal processing 2 months, up to 4 months.

How long can I stay on the Start-up Denmark?

Residence and work permit for up to 2 years; extensions of up to 3 years at a time.

How long does the Start-up Denmark take to process?

Normal processing time is 2 months; up to 4 months if more information is needed.

Can I work on the Start-up Denmark?

Run the business.

Can I bring my family on the Start-up Denmark?

Spouse or partner and children under 18 living at home can get residence permits as accompanying family members; the funds figure is higher with family.

Who can apply for the Start-up Denmark?

Does the Start-up Denmark lead to permanent residence in Denmark?

Time on the Start-up Denmark counts toward permanent residence in Denmark, which the rules allow after 8 years of residence. Time on the Start-up Denmark counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 9 years of residence.

How are Start-up Denmark holders taxed in Denmark?

No special regime in our records is tied to the Start-up Denmark. The standard rules apply: 8% labour market contribution on salary, bottom-bracket tax 12.01%, plus municipal tax averaging 25.049% and church tax averaging 0.639% for all taxpayers (0.867% for church members) in 2026; middle-bracket 7.5% above DKK 641,200, (≈ $95,900) top-bracket 7.5% above DKK 777,900, (≈ $116,000) additional top-bracket 5% above DKK 2,592,700 (≈ $388,000).

More in Denmark

Working Holiday · Argentina Working Holiday · Canada Working Holiday · Chile Working Holiday · South Korea Fast-Track · Education Fast-Track · Pay limit Fast-Track · Researcher Guest researcher

Business / startup visas elsewhere

🇩🇪 Self-employed permit 🇫🇷 Entrepreneur / freelancer 🇬🇧 Innovator Founder 🇳🇱 DAFT self-employed 🇨🇾 Startup visa 🇦🇱 Self-employed permit

≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.

Ask the AI about this route AI

An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.

How this was checked

Checked on 2026-10-11 against 4 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.

Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.

Start-up Denmark · Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) · checked 2026-10-10
Permanent residence permit · Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) · checked 2026-10-10
Conditions for foreign citizens' acquisition of Danish citizenship · Life in Denmark (borger.dk), Danish public sector portal · checked 2026-10-11
Researcher · Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) · checked 2026-10-10

Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.