It is advisable to make an appointment with the bank of your choice when you want to open a bank account. This will allow the bank to ensure that your advisor speaks English and conversant with international banking legislation. At the meeting you can discuss with your advisor your needs, wishes and expectations. Remember to take with you your CPR number, passport and employment contract or documentation for educational programme if you are a student.

You can designate your basic bank account as your Easy Account for the receipt of public-sector payments such as child benefits.

When opening a bank account tell the bank advisor that you would like to receive information in English, otherwise you will automatically receive information in Danish.

If you want to deposit cash exceeding €1,000 you must be able to prove where the money came from. International anti-laundering regulations require banks to ensure that cash deposited is legitimate. We advise that in order to avoid complications to take a statement along with you from your home bank.

When opening an account you will usually get a Danish debit card. Depending on the bank’s evaluation of your individual credit worthiness, you will be issued with either a VisaDankort or a Visa Electron card. The main difference between these two cards is that Visa Electron is limited to the amount available in your account. Visa Electron, in contrast to VisaDankort offers no overdraft facility. Some banks issue a MasterCard instead of a VisaDankort.

Remember that your bank is likely to charge a fee for withdrawing money from other banks’ ATMs. Please check with your bank advisor.

You can use your debit card to withdraw cash in supermarkets and shops. Typically when you pay, the cashier will ask you whether you want to pay the exact amount - “på beløbet”. You can ask for a higher amount, thereby using your debit card to withdraw money.

There are many banks in Denmark, large as well as small. Not all banks offer online banking in English, so we would advise you to enquire whether the bank of your choice offers such  service, as it will make daily life much easier.

Remember to ask your advisor about the various fees for the services offered by the bank.

To find the bank with the lowest fees, you can use www.pengepriser.dk. The site is in Danish only. On the front page you can click on the family situation applicable to you - single, have a family or are a senior citizen (single or couple). Based upon your family situation and whether you rent (lejer) or own (ejer) your home, and your annual income before tax, the website will compare banks and suggest the cheapest bank that matches your selection.

Banks are open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10.00 to 16.00 and on Thursdays 10.00 to 17.30 or 18.00. Many public sector offices also stay open longer on Thursdays. Weekends: closed.

Online banking is generally available between 06.00 and 02.00.

Credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted in Denmark. American Express and Diners Club are also accepted, but not as often. Make sure to check whether an extra fee will be charged, Supermarkets in particular charge a fee when you pay with a credit card issued by a foreign bank.

You will find cash machines inside or outside most banks, which allow you to withdraw cash on Visa and MasterCard credit cards. You will get a good rate when withdrawing money directly from a Danish ATM, but bear in mind that your home bank may charge you a fee for international transactions or for using another bank’s ATM – check before you leave as this will help you avoid unpleasant surprises.

Most Danish bills have pre-printed payment slips attached. You can pay your bill at your bank, with online banking or at a post office. Note that post offices and the banks charge a service fee of no less than DKK 20 per over-the-counter payment.

A two-digit code on a payment slip indicates the type of payment involved. The two digits are followed by a two groups of numbers separated by a ‘+’ sign. These are the giro account number or payment ID and/or a supplier code.

If you will be paying more bills from the same supplier in future, you may want to opt for direct debit via Nets (a Nordic provider of payments, card and information services). Bills will be paid automatically once they have been registered by the system. You will have to make manual payments until registration has fallen into place. Read more about Nets under the heading Betalingsservice from Nets.