EU is an abbreviation of European Union. An EU citizen is a citizen of a European Union member state. For a list of the EU member countries, visit the website EUROPA.

EEA stands for European Economic Area. Read more EEA at the European Commission’s website. Please note that if you are a citizen of a Nordic country which is also an EU or an EEA country, the rules for Nordic citizens normally apply.

As regards work and residence permits, Swiss citizens are covered by the same rules as EU and EEA citizens. Accordingly, the rules mentioned in relation to EU/EEA citizens below also apply to Swiss citizens.

Citizens from EU/EEA countries can reside and work in Denmark in accordance with the EU rules of free movement of services and people. You can read more about free movement within the EU ate the European Commission’s website.

EU/EEA citizens are exempt from the regulations concerning residence and work permits, but must instead apply for a Certificate of Registration, also referred to as a Registration Certificate. Read more about Certificate of Registration at the Danish State Administration’s website.

A Certificate of Registration is a document which affirms that you have been registered as an EU citizen in Denmark and that you are permitted to reside and work here. Application for a Certificate of Registration is made using a form called “Application for EU residence document”. Read more about Certificate of Registration at the Danish State Administration’s website: www.statsforvaltning.dk.

Everyone intending to reside in Denmark for longer than three months is required to register with the Danish National Register. To register with the National Register, you need to prove that you are eligible to reside and work in Denmark. Your Certificate of Registration is this proof. You can read more about how to register with the national register under CPR number.

Note: If you are seeking employment during your stay, you may reside in Denmark without a Certificate of Registration for up to six months.

Citizens from EU and EEA countries can be issued with a Certificate of Registration if they:

• Are in a paid employment.
• Are self-employed.
• Provide services in Denmark.
• Are retired, self-employed or is a service provider.
• Have been seconded.
• Are studying at an educational institution accredited or financed by public authorities and is able to support themselves during their period of residence in Denmark.   
• Have sufficient disposable funds not to be a burden on the Danish public authorities.

If you have a job when you move to Denmark you should apply for a Certificate of Registration no later than three months after arriving in Denmark. If you are applying for jobs in Denmark you can stay here for up to six months before you obtain a Certificate of Registration.

If you expect to stay in Denmark for more than three months (or six months for job-seekers), you should apply for a Certificate of Registration immediately upon arrival. This is recommended because you can neither obtain a CPR number nor a tax card without a Certificate of Registration. Read more about the CPR number under CPR number.

Certificates of registration are issued by the regional state administrations (de regionale statsforvaltninger). To apply for a certificate of registration, you must contact your regional state administration. Read more about the regional state administrations at the State Administration’s website, www.statsforvaltning.dk.  

If you live in the Aarhus area or the Central Denmark Region, you must contact the State Administration for Central Jutland (Statsforvaltningen Midtjylland).

To obtain a Certificate of Registration, you must submit an “Application for EU residence document” to the Regional State Administration. You can obtain the application form from the Regional State Administration’s office, or download it here.

You submit your application in person at the Regional State Administration. When you go, remember to take with you:  your passport, a passport photo/photos, and documentation for the reason for your stay – you can find examples of which documentation this may be at the State Administration’s website.

Furthermore,

• If your child/children is/are moving with you to Denmark, the child/children must also appear in person when you submit your application. And you must present your child’s/children’s birth certificate(s) (The original or a certified copy) and a passport photo of each child.
• If you are bringing child/children from a previous relationship with you to Denmark, you must present to the Regional State Administration a document which verifies that you are entitled to relocate them to Denmark.

The Regional State Administrations is responsible for handling EU/EEA citizens’ applications for an EU residence document. For more about the Regional State Administration and their work, visit the website: www.statsforvaltning.dk.

For questions regarding Certificate of Registration, call the Regional State Administrations’ EU residence office on +45 72 56 84 56.
The Central Jutland State Administration EU-residence office handles applications for Certificate of Registration for people resident in the Aarhus area and Central Jutland. The office is located at Lyseng Alle 1, 8270 Højbjerg.

You can also obtain assistance with, and submit your Application for EU Residence Document, at International Citizen Service Aarhus. Read more about International Citizen Service here.