Relocating to Denmark as a student, skilled worker with a work permit or an accompanying spouse can sometimes prove to be troublesome. There are a lot of eligibility criteria and documentation requirements that go with moving to Denmark.
These requirements fall into three main categories;
- Pre-travel requirements and procedures.
- Travel requirements.
- Post travel (arrival and stay).
Having clear information about the three phases helps to reduce unnecessary challenges which are always common with international travel and residence.
Moving as a student
International students can apply to study in Denmark as undergraduate or postgraduate courses of their choice. However, it is important to note the timelines for sending supporting documentation which vary across the Danish universities.
Typically, an international student who does not have a Danish entrance examination are eligible for admission provided that an assessment of the qualifications show that they are comparable the Danish entrance qualifications.
The guidelines and requirements to apply vary depending on the nationalities of applicants. Students from European Union (EU) and European Economic Area(EEA) have need to meet their eligibility criterion just like other international students do. However, the criteria in the two cases vary.
An applicant to a Danish University needs to build a profile and attach all the documents to be assessed by the university to which the application is made on the optagelse.dk.
A notification on the decision on an applicant’s decision is sent on the account they created and an alert on the email.
Are you from EU/EEA or other parts of the world?
A positive decision on study application which simply means an admission implies that the admitted student embarks on a phase of making arrangements to pay tuition fees, travelling and residence. Students from outside the EU and EEA are required to pay tuition fees which vary depending on the course to which one is admitted as well as the university itself.
To finance study, a student can apply for the Danish Government Scholarships or any scholarships from other entities available at the time. It is important to note that the university only starts sends their part of travel processing to the embassy once the student meets the tuition fees requirements, otherwise the admission is voided after the allowed period elapses.
Various residency permits
As an skilled expatriate who wants to work in Denmark, the preliminary steps include making a relevant application for a work permit which requires a detailed information about the nature of job one intends to take, the expected income and the demonstrated skills horned.
New to Denmark is an important website for information regarding how to process a work permit. There are various categories of available work permits in Denmark and an individual is at liberty to apply for the one which favors his or her status and has a high chance of getting.
An individual moving to Denmark as a sojourner or for a short stay does not need a lot of paperwork but still some details are necessary to be granted a visa. In 2017, Denmark issued a record high number of short term and tourist visa which indicates the country’s acceptance of the interlinked global community.
Short term visa requirements
The requirements for a short term visa in Denmark varies based on the nature of visit but typically, the period of such stay does not exceed 12 months.
Apart from identification documentation and other forms of requirements, an individual on a short term visa must prove financial capability. This financial proof is often in terms of the latest bank statement which clearly shows the account balance.
In essence, to move to Denmark on a limited stay, an individual must document ability to meet the costs that come with it.
Moving to Denmark with a spouse
Coming to Denmark as an accompanying spouse is one of the most common application to the Danish Immigration Services also known as Styrelsen for International Rekruttering og Integration (SIRI).
As an Accompanying family member, there are various things that must be accomplished including the person being accompanied proving financial ability and their relationship with the person accompanying. There must be a proven kinship between the person who has the primary residence permit and the accompanying family member.
The closer the familial ties, the higher the chances of being granted the status of an accompanying family member. Those who accompany must in writing demonstrate their willingness to voluntarily return after the end of the allowed period.
Family reunion
After a period of legal stay in Denmark, an individual can apply for family reunification. This is both legal and procedural process which must be consistent with the information which someone gave during the initial issuance of residence permit.
For instance, someone who indicated that they were unmarried and had no family cannot purport to apply for a reunification.
Unfounded application for family reunification is likely to be dismissed as well as raise questions about the reliability of information given to the immigration services when applying for the residence.
Husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, refugees and other categories of people already having valid residence permit in Denmark can apply for family reunification.
Public Transport
Once at the port of entry in Denmark, you can be sure to catch the most immediate means of public transport to any destination within Denmark. The train and bus systems are digitized and well scheduled to attain efficiency.
One can use either a prepaid card or pay as they use the chosen means of transport. The bus, railway stations and any other physical location are marked with explicit names which make it easy to know when at the destination. Upon arrival, one can contact the housing company to get the vacant housing and pay required tenancy dues.
Getting a personal identification number (CPR)
Based on the location of the house, one needs to go to the preferred Kommune (municipality) offices and register to get the CPR number. The CPR number is given immediately upon registration but it takes up to 4 days to get the residence permit card posted to thee expatriate’s address.
Before getting civil registration number, one must have already made arrangements on the address where the residence card and health insurance card also known as yellow card will be sent.
The address where one gives for the documents to be sent can be that of a friend, pre-arranged housing, already rented house, relatives residence or any other which is secure and convent for them. The CPR comes with a Nem ID which is akin to password required to use a service. Whenever one has to use the CPR, he or she must also have the Nem ID.
The Nem ID given by the Kommune in collaboration with SIRI is a document with codes. However, one can also download the Nem ID App from google play store. However, it is always important to properly keep the hard copy Nem ID even if using the downloaded version.
Accommodation options
With the residence permit, one can contact the housing companies, apply for tenancy and wait for a response. This means one may need a temporary accommodation from a friend, relative or guest houses awaiting processing of housing application.
The alternative short term accommodation may be a hotel which is putting up in hotel rooms which may be very expensive. It is important that one acquaints himself with the typical tenancy terms and conditions to make informed choices on how to proceed with the residence.
Some existing tenants may decide to sub-let their apartments if they are spacious enough. Such houses often tend to be cheaper but the facilities such as kitchen, laundry and toilet are shared.
The cost of residential housing varies from city to city and type of apartment that one decides to rent. Some houses are always fully furnished while others one needs to buy all the household items.
How to find work in Denmark
If the expat does not have a pre-arranged employment, the job center can help in getting some work to do. However, it is critical that people with limited residence permit work only the hours that the permit allows them to work per week.
Going against the terms and conditions of the permit may result in its cancellation which may necessitate that the person is asked to leave. Any person earning from any kind of work must document it with the Danish Tax Authority.
Furthermore, there are various institutions within Denmark that provide expatriates with seamless relocation services, information relevant to their stay and even employment search.
Despite the fact that Denmark is a multi-ethnic society with many languages spoken there, an expatriate requires to register in a language school.
Learning Danish at a language school
Having a level of proficiency in Danish makes it easy for an expatriate to get better employment opportunities, easily make friends and even take other courses taught in Denmark. Having the ability to speak Danish makes life very comfortable because it the primary language of communication in virtually every public space.
Learning Danish as an expert may be free or paid depending on the prevailing government policy.
Expatriates with children
For an expatriate with children, another important thing is getting them into the Danish Education System which is so robust and aimed at ensuring that the children attain holistic development.
In fact, the rights of children are highly regarded in Denmark and various state agencies therein have the window to take away a child from a parent if it is realized that the parent does not give the required care.
Conceivably, children who study in the Danish education institutions get the correct knowledge that they can apply in different parts of the world and they can rise through various ranks in the work environment.
