Adopted children, foster children etc.

Please note that the information on this page is a simplified and edited version of the rules. If you are in doubt about the rules, or you want further information about the rules, please contact the Danish Immigration Service.

It is possible for a child under the age of 18 to be granted a residence permit in Denmark for the purpose of staying with a person residing in Denmark, who does not hold custody of the child, if the residence permit is granted for the purpose of:

Adoption
Residence as part of a foster family relationship
Residence with the child's close family, if special reasons apply

The parent in Denmark must either:

be a Danish or Nordic citizen
hold a recidence permit in Denmark as a refugee or with protected status
hold a permanent residence in Denmark, or
hold a temporary residence permit in Denmark which can be made permanent

Residence permit for the purpose of adoption

A residence permit for the purpose of adoption can be granted to a child under 18, if the person applying to adopt the child has been approved as an adopter by a Danish joint council or the Danish National Board of Adoption, and if he/she has not been granted an approval by a foreign authority, or if an approval by a foreign authority is not recognised in Denmark.

A residence permit for the purpose of adoption can also be granted to a child under 18, if the person applying to adopt the child has been approved as an adopter by a Danish joint council or the Danish National Board of Adoption, and if an approval by a foreign authority is recognised in Denmark, if the child will not become a Danish citizen after being adopted.

These cases are processed by the Regional State Administration (Statsforvaltning). Read more about adoption on the website of the Regional State Administration.

Residence as part of a foster family relationship

A residence permit for the purpose of residence as part of a foster family relationship can only be granted under exceptional circumstances, and only if the foster family relationship has been approved by the local authority of the municipality where the foster parents live.

In these cases, the following will be taken into consideration:

Whether there are persons in the child's country of origin who can care for the child
The attachment of the person(s) in Denmark to the child, including the duration and nature of this attachment
Whether the person(s) in Denmark has/have supported the child in his/her country of origin

The person in Denmark must be over 18. He/she must support the child and may not receive public assistance under the terms of the Active Social Policy Act or the Integration Act until the child is granted a permanent residence permit. Read more about the support requirement.

It is also a condition that the person in Denmark has accommodation of adequate size at his/her disposal. Read more about the housing requirement.

Residence with the child's close family

A residence permit for the purpose of residence with the child's close family in Denmark can only be granted under exceptional circumstances.

In these cases, the following will be taken into consideration:

Whether the child has other close family members in his/her country of origin
The attachment of the person(s) in Denmark to the child, including the duration and nature of this attachment
Whether the person(s) in Denmark has/have supported the child in his/her country of origin

'Close family in Denmark' can be the child's biological parent (is he/she does not hold custody of the child), siblings, grandparents and parents' siblings.

The person in Denmark must be over 18. He/she must support the child and may not receive public assistance under the terms of the Active Social Policy Act or the Integration Act until the child is granted a permanent residence permit. Read more about the support requirement.

It is also a condition that the person in Denmark has accommodation of adequate size at his/her disposal. Read more about the housing requirement.

Application

Read more about how to apply for family reunification.