15/07/2026
How long does it take to become a Danish Citizen through the Naturalisation process?
- is one of the most frequently asked questions I encounter.
Here's a partial answer with links to sources:
1) Let's first be clear that we are talking about *citizenship* and not just the passport. Many say they want to apply for Danish passport when they mean citizenship.
A passport is only a travel document which one can first order through local community authorities AFTER having completed the process of obtaining citizenship.
The passport itself can be obtained in as little as 4 days (Expedited processing/hastebehandling) after the entire citizenship process has been completed and one's citizenship status (Statsborgerret) has been changed in the central register (CPR).
2) How long does it take to meet the requirements in order to apply for citizenship?
First the requirements (Danish)
https://uim.dk/statsborgerskab/udenlandske-statsborgere/betingelser/
3) How long does it generally take to fulfill these requirements?
"According to the institute's calculations based on Statistics Denmark's registers, the average estimated length of residence before adult immigrants obtained Danish citizenship was around 17 years in 2024." - Institut for Menneskerettigheder
https://menneskeret.dk/status/statsborgerskab-statsloeshed-0
4) *Case Processing*
Prior to case processing being placed on hold on March 6, 2026, the average caseprocessing time was reportedly around 2 years - from application to time of decision and selection for a lawproposal. This average includes cases processed after the FastTrack program, where uncomplicated first-time applications have seen processing times as little as a few months.
(OBS: Fulfilling the requirements for FastTrack in no way guarantees that your case will be selected for faster processing. And yes, FastTrack processing can lead to rejections for having applied too early with respect to the next coming lawproposal at the time of decision.)
https://uim.dk/statsborgerskab/sagsbehandlingstider-mv/
5) Additionally there is the time from decision (placement on a lawproposal) to when that lawproposal is put forward in Folketinget and ultimately ratified.
See here more about how a lawproposal for citizenship is processed in Folketinget:
https://www.ft.dk/da/aktuelt/tema/indf%C3%B8dsret
6) Once the relevant lawproposal with your name on it has been ratified, there is for the majority one more step to the process, namely a constitutional ceremony (Grundlovsceremoni) which normally is held from 1 to 4 months after the Lawproposal with your name on it has gone into effect.
https://uim.dk/statsborgerskab/udenlandske-statsborgere/deltagelse-i-en-kommunal-grundlovsceremoni/
All in all, and under 'normal' conditions the process tales easily 3 years or more from date of Application to official recognition as a Danish Citizen.
This is often why children aged 15 or over often reach the age of 18 before their parent can complete the process.
Bottom line - if you are Lucky enough to fulfill the requirements within the shortest time, but are not selected for FastTrack processing, it can still take take from 2 to 3 years or more before you have your new Danish Passport in hand.
(Edit: Since caseprocessing has been put on hold, a backlog of cases is building up and projected to exceed 20.000 before the end of 2026. Many from 2023. Meaning that once case processing resumes, the average caseprocessing time will be closer to 36+ months rather than the previous 24.)
* The above does NOT include special categories, exemptions or groups that are not held to the full weight of the requirements, such as Nordic citizens, who can apply via a declaration after 7 years residence in Denmark.
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