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DenmarkPhoto: Moahim / CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗
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Visa field guide · DK

Plan your Denmark application

ApplyVisa, then a VFS visa centre in your country of legal residenceSee the common routes, understand the hand-offs, then confirm every requirement on the official website.

01 / ROUTES

Choose the route that matches your trip

These are starting points—not an eligibility decision. Open the official route before you apply.
  • ↗
    Short-stay Schengen visa

    Tourism, business or family visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period when Denmark is the main destination.

  • ↗
    Residence and work permit (SIRI)

    Study, work, family reunification or stays over 90 days, handled by the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration, not the visa system.

02 / JOURNEY

What the application journey usually looks like

The exact order can vary by visa, nationality and application location. “If asked” steps are conditional.
  1. 01
    Confirm the Danish route

    Check whether a short Schengen visit or a longer SIRI residence and work permit fits the trip before starting either system.

  2. 02
    Register and complete ApplyVisa

    Create an ApplyVisa account, complete the online form and pay the fee; the system builds the application over roughly twenty steps.

    GUIDELENS HELPS HERE
  3. 03
    Print and sign the cover letter

    ApplyVisa generates a signed, barcoded cover letter that must be printed before the appointment.

  4. 04
    Book the matching VFS visa centre

    Only the Visa Application Centre or Danish mission in your country of legal residence can accept the file.

    IF ASKED
  5. 05
    Attend and give biometrics

    Bring the cover letter, passport and supporting documents; fingerprints and a photo are captured at the centre.

  6. 06
    Track the decision online

    ApplyVisa shows the case status; longer residence and work permits are tracked through New to Denmark/SIRI instead.

03 / BEFORE YOU START

Four things to know before you start

Legal residence rule
Only applicants staying legally in the country where the Visa Application Centre or Danish mission is located may apply there.
Online-first process
ApplyVisa collects the form, fee and cover letter before any in-person appointment is booked.
Separate long-stay authority
Study, work and family permits over 90 days go through SIRI on New to Denmark, a different system from the visa route.
Biometric capture
Fingerprints and a photo are taken in person when the application is submitted.

04 / PRACTICAL GUIDE

Denmark visa details that differ from the regional guide

Denmark separates a fully online short-stay visa system from its residence and work permit authority, and only accepts applications where you legally reside.
  1. 01

    ApplyVisa comes before any appointment

    Register, complete the form, pay the fee and print the signed cover letter through ApplyVisa; the visa centre only receives the finished paperwork afterwards.

    Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark · How to apply for a visa ↗
  2. 02

    Applications follow legal residence, not nationality

    Only people staying legally in the country where the Visa Application Centre or Danish mission sits may submit there, with a few named exceptions.

    ApplyVisa · Online visa application ↗
  3. 03

    Study, work and family permits use SIRI, not ApplyVisa

    Stays over 90 days for study, work or family reunification are processed by the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration through New to Denmark, a separate system from the Schengen visa route.

    New to Denmark · SIRI ↗
  4. 04

    Keep the Schengen rule in view

    For a multi-country trip, apply to the country that is the main purpose or longest stay. Use the first country only when stays are equal. The 90 days in any 180-day period are counted across the whole Schengen area.

    European Commission · Applying for a Schengen visa ↗

05 / PREPARE

Information worth gathering before you open the form

Not every item applies to every route. Use the official checklist generated for your application.

  • Passport and previous travel-document details

  • Travel dates, itinerary and accommodation

  • Travel medical insurance for the Schengen stay

  • Evidence of funds and the purpose of the trip

  • Employment, study or sponsor information where relevant

  • Translations and route-specific documents requested locally

06 / OFFICIAL

Continue with the official authority

View current requirementsMinistry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark · How to apply for a visa

You remain responsible for reviewing and submitting your application.