Visa & Arrival in Denmark - Study in Denmark

Visa & Arrival in Denmark

The Danish system is efficient once you understand it, but it has its own vocabulary — SIRI, CPR, the yellow card, MitID. This guide walks you through the residence permit, what to do the moment you land, and the handful of registrations that make daily life in Denmark actually work. Get the order right and your first month is smooth; get it wrong and you spend weeks unable to open a bank account.

Do You Even Need a Permit?

It depends on your passport.

Important wording: Denmark issues a residence permit for studies, not a "student visa." If you see "student visa Denmark" online, it means this permit.

The Residence Permit (Non-EU/EEA)

Where and when

You apply through SIRI (the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration) on the nyidanmark.dk portal, after you receive your university admission. Because September offers arrive in summer, apply the day you accept — processing takes up to two months.

What you need

• Official admission letter from your Danish university
• Proof of funds — about DKK 6,694 per month (roughly DKK 80,328 for a year)
• Application fee (paid online)
• Biometrics — fingerprints and a photo, given at a SIRI office, a Danish mission, or an authorised visa centre in your country

The steps

1. Accept your university offer
2. Start the ST1 application on nyidanmark.dk (this is the study permit form)
3. Pay the fee and submit the online form
4. Give biometrics within 14 days at the designated location
5. Wait for the decision (up to ~2 months)
6. Travel to Denmark once approved — do not leave for your home country mid-process

Proof of Funds

You must show you can support yourself for the permit:

• About DKK 6,694 per month
• Roughly DKK 80,328 for a one-year permit

Accepted proof typically includes a bank statement in your name, an official scholarship letter, or a prepaid amount deposited as SIRI instructs. This is separate from tuition. Confirm the exact current amount on nyidanmark.dk — it is updated annually. The funding side is detailed in our costs and funding guide.

The CPR Number — Your Master Key

Once you arrive and have an address, your first mission is the CPR number (Det Centrale Personregister), your Danish personal registration number. Almost nothing works without it:

• Public healthcare and the yellow health card
• A Danish bank account
• A mobile phone contract
• MitID — the national digital ID used for banking, government, and university services

How to get it:

1. Secure your accommodation and a registered address
2. Book an appointment at Borgerservice (citizen service) or, in the big cities, the International Citizen Service (ICS)
3. Bring your passport, residence permit (non-EU) or EU registration, admission letter, and address documentation
4. Register — your CPR number is issued, and your yellow health card arrives by post a week or two later

The Yellow Health Card and Free Healthcare

The yellow health card (sundhedskort) proves your access to Denmark's public healthcare. Once registered, you are assigned a general practitioner (GP), and:

• Doctor visits are free
• Hospital treatment is free
• You show the card at the GP, hospital, and pharmacy

There is no monthly health-insurance premium once you have the card — a genuine financial advantage of studying in Denmark.

Setting Up Daily Life

Banking and MitID

Open a Danish bank account (Danske Bank, Nordea, Nykredit, and others) once you have your CPR number. You will set up MitID, the digital ID that logs you into banking, public services, and your university portal. Without MitID, online life in Denmark is painful.

Phone and internet

Buy a Danish SIM (3, Telenor, Telia, or budget brands like Lebara). Pay-as-you-go works at first; switch to a contract once you have your CPR number.

A bike

Get a second-hand bike in your first week (DKK 500-1,500). In Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Odense, cycling is the default and beats public transport for everyday trips.

EU/EEA Students — The Short Version

You skip the SIRI permit, but you still:

1. Register for an EU residence document (through SIRI/Statsforvaltningen) if staying beyond three months
2. Get your CPR number at Borgerservice
3. Receive your yellow health card and GP
4. Set up MitID and a bank account

First-Month Arrival Checklist

• Move into accommodation and confirm a registered address
• Apply for your CPR number (Borgerservice / International Citizen Service)
• Receive your yellow health card and note your assigned GP
• Set up MitID and open a Danish bank account
• Buy a local SIM and a second-hand bike
• Enrol at your university and collect your student card
• Attend orientation week and join a student association or sports club early — it is the fastest way to make friends in a reserved culture

Next Steps

1. Living in Denmark — housing, transport, and settling in
2. Costs and funding — line up your proof of funds
3. Work and career — work rights and the post-study establishment card
4. The 10-step guide — the full journey in order