Hindrances to deportation
When an asylum seeker receives a final rejection of asylum, he/she must leave Denmark immediately.
When leaving is not possible
If the asylum seeker does not leave voluntarily, he/she can be forcibly deported by the police. In some cases, however, it is not possible to expel an applicant, e.g. if a passport cannot be readily issued. However, any rejected asylum seeker required to leave the country is obliged to cooperate with authorities in securing his/her exit. This includes cooperating to obtain passports and travel documents, and in any other way required by the police.
If the police have attempted without success to deport a rejected asylum seeker for at least 18 months; if the asylum seeker has cooperated fully, and if deportation continues to remain improbable, the Immigration Service can issue a temporary residence permit.
All three conditions must be met in order to get a temporary residence permit. If the asylum seeker does not cooperate with the police, he/she cannot be granted a permit, even if the police are unable to deport him/her.
A residence permit issued because deportation has not been possible is valid for an initial period of 12 months. After this, the applicant can apply for an extension of the permit, provided that it remains impossible for the applicant to leave Denmark by his(her own free will, and that the police are still unable to enforce deportation.