Danish nationality
Danish nationals born outside Denmark may lose their Danish nationality on attaining the age of 22, unless they apply between the age of 20 and 22 to retain it. Please note that the Ministry of Immigration and Integration will now handle submitted applications from the age of 20 for the retention of Danish citizenship as opposed to only from the age of 21 as previous.
Please see the following link for the changes here (Danish only).
Retention of Danish nationality may be granted in the following cases:
- If you are resident in Denmark immediately before the age of 22 and apply in Denmark.
Continuous stay - where you have registered with the authorities in Denmark (Folkeregistret) - of a minimum of 3 months as being sufficient to meet this requirement. Residence in Finland, Iceland, Norway or Sweden for an aggregate period of not less than 7 years is equated with residence in Denmark.
Or
- If you have spent time in Denmark before the age of 22 under circumstances indicating some association with the country.
The total of all stays (holidays and other longer stays) should add up to approx. 1 year before age 22 (or a total of 7 years in another Nordic country), and you should have a working knowledge of the Danish language.
All applications are assessed individually and it is advisable to apply, even if you are in doubt whether you qualify.
If you are already over 22 years old you may still apply, but your total stays in Denmark must add up to at least 1 year before age 22.
Or
If loss of Danish nationality will make you stateless.
For further information please contact the Nationality Office at the Danish Ministry for Aliens and Integration:
Udlændinge- og Integrationsministeriet
Indfødsretskontoret
Slotsholmsgade 10
DK-1216 Copenhagen K
Denmark
Tel: 0045 70 80 24 50 (8-10 UK time)
email: [email protected].
Please check UIM's website for the current processing time as it can vary depending on demand.
Applications for retention of Danish nationality should be submitted between the age of 20 and 22.
Your application should be sent directly to the Ministry for Aliens and Integration at the above address, alternatively you can e-mail the application to UIM: [email protected], but please note that unless you have a MitID, you will not be able to mail it securely via an encrypted line.
The application fee is payable to the UIM. Further information on how to pay can be found on the website of the Danish Ministry for Integration (Danish only).
You can, however, also submit the application through the Embassy/Danish speaking, but the following fees would apply (in addition to the application charge paid direct to the Ministry):
The application form can be downloaded here:
Application form
Please note that if you did not apply to retain your Danish nationality before age 22, but would have fulfilled the conditions (any periods of stay in Denmark after 22 will not count), had you done so, it is still possible to apply.
If you have lost your Danish nationality, because you did not fulfil the conditions of the 22-year rule, it will not be possible to regain it by Declaration, but can only be done by Naturalisation.
Copy of your Certificate of Danish Nationality (Bevisbekræftelse)
If you have obtained Danish nationality by naturalisation/declaration or applied to retain your Danish nationality after age 22 and have lost your Certificate of Danish Nationality (Indfødsretsbevis) you cannot obtain a copy of the original certificate, but you can ask the Nationality Office to provide confirmation that a Certificate of Danish Nationality was issued to you (Bevisbekræftelse).
However, a new Danish law about dual/multiple nationality has come into force on 1st September 2015. This means that Danish nationals will now be able to apply for another nationality/further nationalities without losing their Danish citizenship. Those persons who have already lost their Danish nationality will be able to apply to regain it during a 5-year period from 1st September 2015 to 31st August 2020.
Please see the information about dual/multiple nationality.
Your child may also have acquired British nationality at birth British nationality
As a general rule, Danish nationals born abroad will have to apply for retention of Danish nationality before the age of 22 (Danish National Born Abroad) .
Children born to a Danish mother and a foreign father in wedlock between 1st January 1961 and 1st January 1979 may apply for naturalisation according to the “Princess Rule".
If you have acquired Danish nationality by birth, by the time of your parents' marriage or by adoption, you can apply for a confirmation (certificate) of your Danish nationality. Please follow the link to UIM's website, where you can find the application form and payment details: Bevis for erhvervelse af dansk statsborgerskab
The law means that Danish nationals who wish to acquire a foreign nationality may do so without losing their Danish citizenship. In this regard you do not need to take any action in relation to the Danish authorities.
Once you have Lebanese nationality in addition to your Danish nationality you have dual nationality. It may also be possible for you to apply for further nationalities. You will then have multiple nationality.
Please see the information on the website of the Danish Ministry of Immigration and Integration (Danish only).
Please note that if you have lost your Danish nationality because you did not fulfil the conditions of the 22-year rule, it is not possible to apply to regain it by declaration.
For further information on how to proceed with your application read more here (Danish only).
You can, however, also submit the application through the Danish Embassy, but the following fees would apply (in addition to the application charge paid direct to the Danish State Administration). List of Fees.
As an alternative, between 1979 and 1981 Danish mothers were able to register their children under 18 as Danish nationals, cf. s. 2(2) of Act No. 117 of 19th March 1978.
Children born between 1961 and 1978, whose mothers did not register their children, can apply for Danish nationality by naturalisation according to the “Princess Rule”.
It is a condition that the general requirements for obtaining Danish nationality by naturalisation are fulfilled. This means that an applicant, who has been convicted of an offence, cannot be naturalised until after a certain period of time, and that the applicant must not owe money to the Danish authorities.
In addition, applicants must be able to take part in an ordinary conversation in Danish. It is not a condition, that applicants can read or write Danish, and they do not have to pass a Danish or nationality test.
It is furthermore a condition, that the applicant has been staying in Denmark (not necessarily residing (= registered in the CPR Register), but visiting) under circumstances indicating some association with the country. In general, one year's stay in total before the age of 22 is required. It is not a requirement that applicants have a CPR. number in order to apply.
Applications should be sent direct to the Danish Nationality Office in Copenhagen:
Udlændinge- og Integrationsministeriet
Indfødsretskontoret
Slotsholmsgade 10
DK-1216 Copenhagen K
Denmark
Email: [email protected]
Please contact Indfødsretskontoret for further advice (it is advisable to ring rather than write, as the response time is very long for emails and letters):
Tel. +45 7226 8700
Where and how to apply
The declaration (in Danish only) may be sent directly to the Ministry of Immigration and Integration or be lodged through a Danish diplomatic or consular mission abroad. The fee must be paid directly to the Ministry of Immigration and Integration following the guidelines on their website (via web-application or bank transfer). The declaration form with its supporting documents and copy of the payment transfer should be sent to the Ministry of Immigration and Integration at the following address: Slotsholmsgade 10, DK-1216 Copenhagen K, DENMARK.
You can, however, also submit the application through the Danish Embassy, but the following fees would apply (in addition to the application charge paid direct to the Ministry):Fees of charge
Guidance
If the requirements for reacquisition by declaration are fulfilled, the Ministry of Immigration and Integration will issue a Certificate of Nationality for the citizen. Thereafter the citizen may apply for a Danish passport. Please check the requirements under How to apply for a Danish Passport on our website.
Information about the possibility to reacquire Danish nationality as well as the declaration form is available in Danish only on the website of the Ministry of Immigration and Integration. Applicants can also contact the Ministry of Immigration and Integration directly on tel. +45 6198 6400. An English version is not expected to be made available.