Visa applications can be made at any Danish embassy or consulate. Some countries do not have a Danish embassy available to deal with visa applications. In this case, Denmark normally has a representation agreement in place with other Schengen countries who will handle all visa applications on Denmark’s behalf.
With your application you will need to provide the following documents:
- Valid national passport or other valid travel identification
- Two passport photos
- If possible, an invitation from your contact in Denmark, as well as your contact’s details such as their name and address, a description of your relationship and the purpose of your visit
- Information about CPR number (Danish personal identification number) and Alien Identification number (if applicable) of your contact in Denmark.
In some cases you may be asked for more documents to support your visa application. It is not unusual for the Danish embassy to require evidence for any information you provide. For example, if you state that you are married, they may ask you to provide your marriage certificate.
It is advisable to avoid buying a closed airline ticket or travel insurance before you have had your visa application approved. If you present a ticket that does not match the period of time covered by the visa, you will have to change your ticket unless you agree to have the visa period shortened.
You must legally live in the country where you submit your application for a visa. Your application must provide all the information required and any supporting documents must be authentic. Failure to meet any of these requirements may lead to your visa application being refused – a decision you cannot appeal against.
Multiple stays
If you plan to travel between various Schengen countries you will need to submit your visa application at the embassy of the country in which you will be spending the most time in. However if you plan to spend an equal amount of time in different Schengen countries, you should submit your visa application to the embassy of the country that you are going to first. Regardless of how many Schengen countries you plan to visit, a visa will only be valid for a maximum of 90 days per 6 months, starting from the first day of entry.
Processing time
The time it takes to process your Danish visa application varies according to your purpose of visit. Applications to visit family and friends take roughly 12 weeks to process, whereas other types of visas (business visas and visas for cultural visits) take four to six weeks.
For business visa applications, the Immigration Service often sends a questionnaire to your contact in Denmark. If there is enough information in the questionnaire to make a decision, the processing time should take no longer than a month.
Please note that these processing times are rough estimates. Some applications may be processed faster, but unfortunately there is also the possibility that some applications may take longer to complete.
Misuse of a visa
If you use your Danish visa for any purpose other than the one you stated in your application, you risk being barred from obtaining a visa to visit Denmark or any other Schengen country.
The period of time for which your visa is valid appears on the visa sticker inside your passport. You are not permitted to stay within the Schengen region for longer than the given period of validity, and all travelling between Schengen countries must also be completed within this time. If you go over your visa allowance by up to 30 days, you can be banned from obtaining a visa to enter Denmark and other Schengen countries for three years. If you exceed your stay by more than 30 days your ban will be increased to five years.
Extension of a visa
Some Danish visas are issued for less than three months. In some circumstances these visas can be extended to a maximum of three months. In order to obtain an extension to your visa, the original purpose of your visit must remain the same and you must be able to prove that an extension is necessary. Moreover, you need to be able to provide evidence that your travel insurance policy will still be valid for the period of time for which your visa is to be extended.
There are some cases in which your stay in Denmark can be extended by up to an additional three months. This extension comes in the form of a visitation permit, though this restricts you to staying in Denmark, rather than having the freedom to move between Schengen countries. A visitation permit will normally be granted under the following circumstances:
- You are visiting your spouse, registered partner or cohabiting partner who entered Denmark when you were both at least 23 years and 6 months old. This is for family reunification purposes.
- You are a family member of an EU/EEA citizen, and you are visiting your spouse, registered partner, cohabiting partner, boyfriend, girlfriend, fiancé(e), parents, children or siblings living in Denmark.
If you do not fall into any of these categories, the only way an extension would be granted would be through extraordinary circumstances, for example either yourself or the person living in Denmark falling seriously ill.
You must apply to extend your visa in person, before your original visa expires. You can submit your application at the Service Centre of the Immigration Service or at your local police station if you live outside of Copenhagen. The person you are visiting in Denmark is usually required to accompany you in submitting your application.
Of course, in order to obtain an extension to your visa your passport must be valid. Even still, your visa can only be extended up to three months before your passport expires. If you hold a passport from your country of origin, the embassy of that country can renew it for you.
For extension applications, you can expect the processing to take one or two weeks.