Passports for foreign nationals
Foreign nationals residing in Denmark will normally hold a national passport. When the time comes to renew it, this will normally be done by the diplomatic mission (embassy or consulate general) of the country of which they are a citizen. The embassy may be situated either in or outside Denmark.
Some foreign nationals cannot obtain a passport from the authorities in the country of which they are a citizen. Foreign nationals who hold a Danish residence permit as a
refugee cannot be required to apply for a passport from the authorities in the country of which they are a citizen. Consequently, they are entitled to a passport issued by the Danish authorities.
Foreign nationals who hold a Danish residence permit, and who have been recognised as
stateless in accordance with the United Nations Convention of 28 September 1954 about the legal rights of stateless individuals, are entitled to a Danish alien's passport which states that the holder has been recognised as stateless in accordance with the convention.
The Immigration Service can also issue a Danish alien's passport to other foreign nationals who hold a Danish residence permit, for example, as a family reunified person, if the authorities in the country of which they are a national will not issue a national passport.
There are two types of passports issued to foreign nationals:
Danish travel documents
Danish travel documents can only be issued to a person who holds a Danish residence permit as a refugee, that is, a person who is recognised as a refugee as defined in the United Nations Refugee Convention. This means that persons who have been granted a Danish residence permit under the Danish Aliens Act, section 7(1) or section 8(1) are entitled to Danish travel documents.
In some cases, Danish travel documents can also be issued to a person who has initially been granted a residence permit on the grounds of asylum in another country, but who has later been granted a Danish residence permit on the grounds of, for example, family reunification.
Alien's passport
Alien's passports can be issued to foreign nationals who hold refugee status (protected status) under the Danish Aliens Act, section 7(2) or section 8(2), or who have been granted a Danish residence permit under the Danish Aliens Act, section 8(3).
Foreign nationals who hold a Danish residence permit, and who have been recognized as stateless in accordance with the United Nations Convention of 28 September 1954 about the legal rights of stateless individuals, are entitled to a Danish alien's passport which states that the holder has been recognised as stateless in accordance with the convention. This also applies to stateless children.
An alien's passport can also be issued to a child under the age of 18 whose parents hold refugee status in Denmark. However, when the child turns 18 he/she is normally required to hold a national passport issued by the authorities of the country of which the child is a citizen. This does not apply to stateless children as they can be issued a Danish alien's passport because they have been recognised as stateless.
Children who hold a residence permit as an unaccompanied minor asylum seeker are also entitled to a Danish alien's passport.
The Immigration Service can also issue a Danish alien's passport to other foreign nationals who hold a Danish residence permit as, for example, a family reunified person, and who can prove that the authorities of the country of which they are a citizen will not issue a national passport.
The Immigration Service will take into consideration all material which can verify that the applicant's country will not issue a national passport. If the applicant can produce this documentation, the Immigration Service will issue an alien's passport. All applications are processed individually.
An example of such documentation could be a declaration from the embassy of the applicant's country that the applicant has identified him/herself to the embassy, and that the embassy acknowledges that the applicant is a citizen of the country in question, but that the embassy will still not issue a national passport to him/her.
It will normally be a condition that the applicant has presented the documentation required by the embassy of his/her country.
How to apply for a passport
The application form contains a detailed description of how you should complete the form, and which documents you must attach.
Application for passport for foreign nationals in Denmark
> Application form PA1
Please note that you must pay a fee to apply for a passport. If your application is rejected, the fee will be returned to you. Also make sure to include an approved passport photo. See overview of requirements for passport photos (available in Danish only).
Changing personal data
If you believe that your personal data (such as your date of birth or nationality) in the Immigration Service's registers are incorrect, you can apply to have your data modified.
Application for modification of personal data
> Application form PE1
Foreign children on school trips
Children who are non-EU citizens who wish to go on a school trip to another EU country will normally be able to travel without a passport, provided that they are registered on the school’s school travel list. Read more about school travel lists.
Travel restrictions for refugees
When a refugee receives a passport, the passport will state that it is invalid for travel to the country or countries where the refugee risks persecution. You can apply to the Immigration Service to have this travel restriction revoked.
If you have a permanent residence permit as a refugee and you go on vacation or another short stay in your country of origin (or the country in which the asylum authorities have found that you risk persecution), the Immigration Service can revoke your residence permit. This can happen until ten years after the point where you were granted your original residence permit. In other words, ten years must pass between the date on which your first residence permit as a refugee was granted, and the date on which you enter your country of origin (or the country in which the asylum authorities found that you risk persecution).
If you have a temporary residence permit as a refugee and you go on vacation or another short stay in your country of origin (or the country in which the asylum authorities have found that you risk persecution), the Immigration Service can revoke your residence permit no matter how long you have held a residence permit.
When you have been granted a permanent residence permit and have held a residence permit as a refugee for over ten years, your can apply to have the travel restriction in your passport or travel document revoked. At this point, the travel restriction will automatically be revoked if your passport is extended, or you are issued a new passport.
Application for revokation of travel restriction
> Application form G (available in Danish only)
Passport extension
A passport is valid for a limited period of time. The validity can be extended on certain conditions.
Application for an extension of passport for foreign nationals in Denmark
> Application form PA2
There is no fee when applying for an extension.
If your passport is damaged
If your Danish travel documents or alien's passport is damaged, you can apply for a new one. Make sure to enclose the damaged passport with the application.
If you lose your passport
If you lose your Danish travel documents or alien's passport, you must report it to the police. If you live in the Greater Copenhagen area, make sure you get a police report stating that you have lost your passport. You must bring this report when you submit your application for a new passport to the Service Centre of the Immigration Centre. If you live outside the Greater Copenhagen area, you must apply for a new passport at your local police station.