You passed the test. What happens next?

First: keep your test certificate

After the test you get a certificate (prøvebevis) showing that you passed. Keep it safe. You send a copy with your application yourself. Nobody sends it on for you.

Citizenship: the other conditions

Passing the citizenship test (Indfødsretsprøven) is one of several conditions. As a rule, you must also:

• have lived in Denmark lawfully and without a break for 9 years, and have had permanent residence for 2 years
• have passed Prøve i Dansk 3. In some cases Prøve i Dansk 2 is enough
• support yourself: no help under the Active Social Policy Act or the Integration Act (for example kontanthjælp) in the last 2 years, and no more than 4 months in total in the last 5 years
• have worked full-time, or run your own business, for at least 3 years and 6 months within the last 4 years, and still be in work when the bill is put forward
• have no overdue debt to the public sector of certain kinds
• not have certain criminal convictions

Applying for citizenship

1. Apply to the Ministry of Immigration and Integration (Udlændinge- og Integrationsministeriet). Most people apply online with MitID. There is a paper form for people who can't apply online.
2. Pay the fee: 6,270 kr. the first time, or 4,180 kr. if you are under 25 and were born in Denmark or came here before you turned 8. A second application is free. A third or later one costs 3,135 kr.
3. Attach the documents, including a copy of your passport, your permanent residence permit and your test certificates.
4. The ministry checks that you meet every condition. This can take a long time, so apply as soon as you meet them.

Citizenship is given by law

In Denmark, citizenship is not granted by an office but by the Folketing (the Danish parliament). Applicants who meet the conditions are added to a bill that lists their names (lovforslag om indfødsrets meddelelse). When the Folketing passes the bill, you are almost there. There are usually one or two such bills a year.

The last step: the ceremony

After the law is passed, your municipality invites you to a constitution ceremony (grundlovsceremoni). There you sign a declaration that you will comply with the Danish Constitution and respect basic Danish values and legal principles, and you shake hands with a representative of the authorities. You only become a Danish citizen once you have taken part. You must attend within 2 years of the law being passed. Municipalities hold ceremonies twice a year.

Can I keep my current citizenship?

Denmark has allowed dual citizenship since 1 September 2015. Whether you can keep your current citizenship depends on the law in your other country, so check with its authorities.

Permanent residence: what the test counts for

Passing the permanent residence test (Medborgerskabsprøven) is one of 4 extra conditions. You must meet at least 2 of them, on top of the basic conditions. The basic conditions include, as a rule, 8 years of lawful residence, Prøve i Dansk 2, 3 years and 6 months of full-time work in the last 4 years, no public assistance in the last 4 years and no overdue public debt.

The 4 extra conditions are:

• Passed Prøve i Dansk 3
• 4 years of full-time work within the last 4 years and 6 months
• Passed the permanent residence test, or at least 1 year of active citizenship, for example on a board or in an association
• An average taxable income of at least 346,155 kr. a year over the last 2 years (2026 level)

Good to know

• If you meet all 4 extra conditions, 4 years of residence can be enough instead of 8.
• A passed citizenship test does not count instead of the permanent residence test. Only the permanent residence test from 2016 or later counts.

Applying for permanent residence

1. Create a case order ID (sagsbestillings-id) and pay the fee: 7,570 kr. if your permit is based on work or study, or 4,970 kr. if it is based on family reunification or asylum.
2. Apply online at nyidanmark.dk with MitID, and attach your documents, including your test certificate.
3. Have your biometrics (fingerprints and a photo) taken within 6 weeks of applying.
4. The Danish Immigration Service (Udlændingestyrelsen) expects to decide within 12 months.

Where to check the rules

Citizenship: uim.dk, the Ministry of Immigration and Integration. Permanent residence: nyidanmark.dk, the Danish Immigration Service. Amounts and conditions change, often every year, so check before you apply. This guide is general information, not legal advice.