Extension of a residence permit

You may be granted a residence and work permit for up to 18 months, but no longer than the duration of your internship contract. Normally, your permit cannot be extended beyond this period. However, it can be extended up to 24 months in total if the internship contract includes a full-time study programme comprising a minimum of six months and a maximum of eight months. 

If you apply for an extension, you may continue to work as an intern while the Immigration Service is processing your application, provided that you are at the same place of internship and that the conditions for your stay remain unchanged.

If you wish to begin at a new place of internship, you may not do so before you have been granted a new residence and work permit.  

You can submit your application for an extension no sooner than 2 months before your residence permit expires. It is crucial that you submit your application for an extension before your current residence permit expires.

If you submit your application after the date your residence permit expires, you should expect your application to be rejected because you are residing illegally in Denmark. If your application is rejected, the Immigration Service will not process your application, and you will have to leave Denmark and apply for a new residence permit in your country of origin. Such an application will be regarded and processed as an entirely new application for a residence permit, i.e. it will be processed in accordance with the rules that apply to first-time applicants. In other words, you will lose the right to an extension of your previous residence permit.

If you are residing illegally in Denmark you risk being expelled and given an entry ban, i.e. you will be banned from entering Denmark for a certain period of time. You also risk being reported to the police for illegal residence.

Application forms

When applying for an extension of your temporary residence permit, you need to use the correct application form, depending on what type of intern you are.

Extension of a temporary residence permit as an intern in the agricultural, veterinary, forestry or horticultural fields
> Application form PR2 (Danish/English version)

Extension of a temporary residence permit as an intern in the healthcare sector, natural sciences, technical fields, the pharmaceutical sector, architecture etc.
> Application form B (Danish/English version)

You can obtain a printed version of the application forms at the Service Centre of the Immigration Service, where you can also submit your application. If you live outside the Greater Copenhagen area, you can also obtain the forms and submit your application at your local police station.

Fee for submitting an application

From 1 January 2011 onwards, a fee will normally have to be paid in order for your application to be processed by the Immigration Service. The fee can either be paid by you (the applicant) or by another person, such as a person in Denmark. Read more about fees.

Re-entry permit

You are allowed to remain in Denmark while your application for an extension is being processed. If you wish to leave Denmark while awaiting the ruling, you can apply for a re-entry permit valid for the entire Schengen region. A re-entry permit allows you to re-enter Denmark even if your residence permit is not valid.

Re-entry permit
> Application form (Danish/English version)

Important information about your passport

When you apply for an extension of your residence permit, make sure that your passport is valid. The Immigration Service can revoke or refuse to extend your temporary residence permit if you do not hold a valid passport or other travel documents.

Please note that your residence permit can only be extended up to three months before your passport expires. In other words, if your passport expires in 12 months, your residence permit can only be extended by nine months. The Immigration Service will not extend a temporary residence permit for less than six months.

If you hold a national passport (i.e. a passport from your country of origin), the diplomatic mission (embassy or consulate general) of your country of origin will renew it.

The Immigration Service is responsible for renewing Alien's passports and Convention passports.

Case processing times

The Immigration Service has defined service goals for maximum case processing times for most case types.

See service goals for maximum case processing times.

Appeal

The Immigration Service rules in cases concerning applications for a residence permit under the Danish Aliens Act. If the Immigration Service rejects your application, you can appeal to the Ministry of Integration.

The appeal process will be explained in detail when you receive the Immigration Service's ruling. Furthermore, the Ministry of Integration has published appeal guidelines.

Read the Ministry of Integration’s appeal guidelines.