Who qualifies for Danish citizenship by descent
Danish citizenship passes at birth from a Danish mother or father. For children born on or after 1 July 2014, the parents' marital status doesn't matter. Children born before 1 July 2014 abroad to a Danish father who wasn't married to the mother didn't automatically become Danish. Denmark has allowed dual citizenship since 1 September 2015. A Danish grandparent gives no claim unless your parent was Danish when you were born.
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Denmark's 22-year rule, and the 20-to-22 window
If you were born outside Denmark to a Danish parent, you're Danish — but under Section 8 of the Nationality Act you lose it automatically at 22 if you have never lived in Denmark and haven't stayed there in circumstances that show a real connection. Unlike Sweden or Norway, the Danish test is about ties, not about whether you hold another citizenship.
You can apply to keep it, but only in a narrow window. Since October 2024 the application can be filed from your 20th birthday, and it must reach the Danish embassy or the Ministry of Immigration and Integration no later than the day before you turn 22. The processing fee is DKK 1,200, paid to the Danish state with your CPR number or full name as the reference.
The application form sets out what counts as ties — typically time spent in Denmark and Danish language skills. Collect evidence before you apply: school records, travel dates, course certificates.
Sources: Embassy of Denmark (South Africa) — the 22-year rule, retention before 22 · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark — Danish nationals born abroad
Fathers, mothers and 1 July 2014
For children born on or after 1 July 2014, a Danish mother or a Danish father passes on citizenship at birth regardless of marriage. Before that date, a child born abroad to an unmarried Danish father did not automatically become Danish. If that describes you, ask the embassy what route applies — it is usually a naturalisation or declaration route rather than automatic citizenship.
Dual citizenship since 2015 — but no grandparent route
Denmark allowed dual citizenship from 1 September 2015, so Danes who naturalise elsewhere now keep Danish citizenship. Before that, Danes who took another nationality lost Danish citizenship, and their children born afterwards were not Danish. A transitional declaration window for former Danes followed the 2015 reform; it has closed, so former Danes now have to use the ordinary routes back.
As with all the Nordic countries, there is no path through a grandparent. If your parent wasn't Danish at your birth, the only route is naturalisation, which normally requires nine years' residence in Denmark plus Danish language and citizenship tests — among the strictest requirements in Europe.
Practical steps
1. If you're a child of a Danish parent and under 20, get a Danish passport at the embassy and note your 20th and 22nd birthdays. 2. Between 20 and 22, if you haven't lived in Denmark, file the retention application with the DKK 1,200 fee and your evidence of ties. 3. Keep the decision with your passport. For family history, Rigsarkivet holds Danish church books, censuses and emigration records.
Danish requirements at a glance
- A parent who was Danish at your birth — grandparents don't count
- Born before 1 July 2014 to an unmarried Danish father abroad: not automatically Danish
- Born abroad and never lived in Denmark: apply to retain citizenship between ages 20 and 22, or lose it at 22
- The retention application must reach the embassy or Ministry no later than the day before you turn 22
- Retention requires showing ties to Denmark, as set out on the Ministry's application form
Documents for a Danish claim
- 1Your birth certificate naming your Danish parent
- 2Your Danish parent's passport or proof of Danish citizenship at your birth
- 3For retention: the Ministry of Immigration and Integration's application form, proof of payment of the DKK 1,200 fee, and evidence of your ties to Denmark (stays in Denmark, Danish language skills and other documents the form lists)
- 4Copies of your passports
Danish processing times
A passport for a Danish citizen is an embassy appointment. Retention applications are decided by the Ministry of Immigration and Integration; what matters most is that the application arrives before your 22nd birthday, so file early in the 20–22 window.
Where Danish claims go wrong
- Applying too early or too late: the retention application can be filed only from age 20 (since October 2024) and must arrive before your 22nd birthday
- Assuming a passport protects you — the 22-year rule depends on ties, not on holding a passport
- Assuming a Danish grandparent is enough — it isn't
- Forgetting the fee: DKK 1,200, paid to the Danish state with your CPR number or full name
- Expecting easy naturalisation as a fallback — it normally requires 9 years' residence plus language and citizenship tests
Official Danish government sources
Danish citizenship FAQ
Q1My Danish father wasn't married to my mother. Am I Danish?
If you were born on or after 1 July 2014, yes. If you were born abroad before that date, you didn't automatically become Danish; ask the Danish embassy which route applies to you.
Q2When can I apply to keep my Danish citizenship?
From your 20th birthday, and the application must reach the embassy or the Ministry no later than the day before you turn 22. The fee is DKK 1,200.
Q3What happens if I miss the deadline?
If you were born abroad, never lived in Denmark and have no qualifying ties, your Danish citizenship ends automatically on your 22nd birthday. Getting it back normally means naturalisation, which requires years of residence in Denmark.
Q4Can my children inherit Danish citizenship from my grandfather?
No. Danish citizenship passes only from a parent who is Danish at the child's birth.
Q5Can I keep my US or Canadian citizenship as a Dane?
Yes. Denmark has allowed dual citizenship since 1 September 2015.
Danish nationality law
Danish Nationality Act (Lov om dansk indfødsret). The 1 July 2014 amendment made fathers pass on citizenship regardless of marriage; the amendment in force 1 September 2015 allowed dual citizenship. Section 8 contains the age-22 rule; since October 2024 retention can be applied for from age 20.
Dual citizenship in Denmark
Denmark has allowed dual citizenship since 1 September 2015. Danes who take another nationality keep Danish citizenship, and children born with two nationalities keep both, subject to the age-22 rule.
Danish application costs
Retention application: DKK 1,200. Passport: the standard Danish passport fee plus any consular charge. Translations of foreign documents, if requested, are extra.