Denmark Plans to Tighten Citizenship Requirements Once Again

Denmark’s authorities have announced new plans to tighten citizenship rules, making it more difficult for foreigners to gain citizenship. This move comes despite Denmark already having some of the strictest naturalisation requirements in the world.

New Denmark Citizenship Requirements

The new changes require applicants to reside in Denmark until an official ceremony is held to confirm their citizenship.

“Not everyone can or should have Danish citizenship. It’s a big deal to get one, and when it happens, it means that you want to live in Denmark. Until you shake hands at the ceremony, you must live in Denmark. This is common sense,” said Minister for Immigration and Integration Kaare Dybvad Bek.

In addition to living in Denmark, applicants must also pass a language test as well as a citizenship test. In addition, the government has imposed a fee of €530 or 4,000 Danish Krone on all applicants, which was previously free.

Other Requirements

Foreigners seeking citizenship in Denmark must also be able to support themselves financially and have been residents in the country for at least nine years (for refugees or stateless people, the requirement is eight years).

Must Read: Denmark Relaxes Visa Rules to Attract More Foreign Workers, Students

Population Growth

Denmark has seen a significant increase in its population over the past 23 years, with a total of 620,000 foreign citizens residing in the country this year alone, twice as many as in 2000. At the beginning of this year, there were a total of 5.31 million people holding Danish citizenship living in the country.

Low Citizenship Approval Rates

In 2021, Danish authorities tightened rules for citizenship following a report by the Danish Institute for Human Rights that revealed that only 65% of young people born and raised in Denmark acquired citizenship. The number of people being granted citizenship was also found to be the lowest in 40 years.

Application Statistics

The Danish Ministry of Immigration and Integration revealed that in 2021, about 5,814 applications for citizenship were submitted. Of these, 4,039 were approved, while 1,315 were declined.