Invitations for a visa stay
There are three different types of invitations you as a host can use when inviting a foreign national who must hold a visa to visit you in Denmark.
Which invitation to use depends on whether you, the host, are:
- a company with an advance approval which invites a business connection
- a company with no advance approval which invites a business connection, including cultural, scientific, and sports related visits
- a private individual who invites a friend or family member
Below you can read more about how to apply in each case.
Please note that you can only use online invitation forms if the applicant submits his/her application at a Danish diplomatic mission (embassy or consulate general). If the applicant submits his/her application at another country's diplomatic mission, such as a Swedish or Norwegian embassy, the online invitation forms can only be used to a limited extent. Read more below under each type.
If you have used an online invitation form, you can follow the visa case online on My Page. You can log on with the digital signature or NemID you used when filling in the online invitation form. You will be able to see whether the applicant has gone to the diplomatic mission to submit his/her application, whether the application has been forwarded to the Immigration Service in Denmark for further processing, and whether a decision has been made in the case.
Companies with an advance approval
If you are a company with an advance approval to receive business visits from foreign nationals who must hold a visa to enter Denmark, you must use an online invitation form to issue an invitation.
> Start online invitation of a business connection of a company with an advance approval (available in Danish only)
Please note: The advance approval arrangement can only be used if the applicant submits his/her application at a Danish diplomatic mission.
Note also that you can only use the online form if your company already has an advance approval. Read more about advance approval of a company.
How to send the invitation
- Log on to the online information form using your digital employee signature
- State the full name, date of birth, nationality, passport number and email address (if applicable) of the visa applicant (your business connection)
- State information about where the applicant will be staying during his/her stay in Denmark, and who will cover the expenses in connection with the stay
- State the name and address of the company which the visa applicant represents
- State information about the nature of the commercial relationship
- Submit the online invitation
When you have submitted the invitation
When you have submitted the invitation, you will automatically receive an email receipt containing an invitation ID.
Please forward the invition ID to the visa applicant (your business connection). He/she must then bring the invitation ID when going to the Danish diplomatic mission (embassy or consulate general) to submit the visa application. By means of the invitation ID the diplomatic mission can match the visa application with your invitation.
Processing the application
The diplomatic mission will normally be able to process the visa application within a few days without consulting the Immigration Service. However, if the diplomatic mission assesses that the visa applicant does not meet the basic requirements, the application will be forwarded to the Immigration Service. In this case, it will be processed according the the normal procedure for business visitors. Read more about the rules for business visits.
Companies with no advance approval
If your company does not have an advance approval, you can either use an online invitation form or a printed invitation form to invite a foreign national who must hold a visa to visit you in Denmark.
See invitation forms.
If you use the printed invitation form, you can fill it in by hand (using capital letters), or you can fill it in on a computer, print it and send it to the person you wish to invite. Remember to complete an invitation form for each person you wish to invite. The applicant must then bring the invitation form when going to the Danish diplomatic mission (embassy or consulate general) to submit the visa application.
If you use the online invitation form, you can include several persons in the same form. Below is a description of how to use the online form.
The online form requires a digital signature or NemID
You need a digital employee signature or NemID in order to log on to the online invitation and to sign it. On virk.dk you can read about how to order, install and use a digital employee signature. Read more about digital signature (available in Danish only).
On nemid.nu you can read more about how to order, activate and use a NemID. Read more about NemID.
How to send the invitation
- Log on to the online information form using your digital employee signature or NewID
- Start the invitation
- State information about the host company
- State information about the contact person of the host company - you who are submitting the invitation
- State information about the stay
- State and attach further information about the stay (if applicable)
- State information about the visa applicant - the person applying for a visa
- Sign the invitation using a digital employee signature or NemID
- Forward the invitation ID to the visa applicant
How to use the invitation ID
Once you have 'signed' the invitation and if you have used a digital employee signature, you will automatically be given an invitation ID. You will also receive an email containing your invitation ID. Make sure to forward the invitation ID to the applicant if he/she is to submit the visa application at a Danish diplomatic mission. The applicant must state the invitation ID at the diplomatic mission, and the visa application will then be matched with your invitation before the diplomatic mission begins processing the case.
If the applicant submits the application at a diplomatic mission which is not Danish, but represents Denmark in the applicant's country of residence, the diplomatic mission cannot use the invitation ID as it cannot access the online invitation. Instead, you should send a copy of the completed invitation to the applicant. The Immigration Service recommends that you sign the invitation by hand before sending it to the applicant. The applicant should then bring the invitation to the diplomatic mission. You can open a copy of the invitation via My Page once you have filled in the invitation and submitted it.
Please note the the online invitation is only valid for six months from the time you submitted the invitation.
Private visits
If you wish to invite a friend or family member, you can either use an online invitation form or a printed invitation form.
See invitation forms.
If you use the printed invitation form, you can fill it in by hand (using capital letters), or you can fill it in on a computer, print it and send it to the person you wish to invite. Remember to complete an invitation form for each person you wish to invite. The applicant must then bring the invitation form when going to the Danish diplomatic mission (embassy or consulate general) to submit the visa application.
If you use the online invitation form, you can include several persons in the same form. Below is a description of how to use the online form.
The online form requires NemID
You need a NemID in order to log on to the online invitation and to sign it. On nemid.nu you can read more about how to order, activate and use a NemID. Read more about NemID.
How to send the invitation
- Log on to the online information form using your NewID
- Start the invitation
- State information about the host - you who are submitting the invitation
- State information about the visa applicant - the person applying for a visa
- State information about the stay
- State and attach further information about the stay (if applicable)
- Sign the invitation using a digital signature (NemID)
- Forward the invitation ID to the visa applicant
How to use the invitation ID
Once you have 'signed' the invitation, you will automatically be given an invitation ID. Make sure to forward the invitation ID to the applicant if he/she is to submit the visa application at a Danish diplomatic mission. The applicant must state the invitation ID at the diplomatic mission, and the visa application will then be matched with your invitation before the diplomatic mission begins processing the case.
If the applicant submits the application at a diplomatic mission which is not Danish, but represents Denmark in the applicant's country of residence, the diplomatic mission cannot use the invitation ID as it cannot access the online invitation. Instead, you should send a copy of the completed invitation to the applicant. The Immigration Service recommends that you sign the invitation by hand before sending it to the applicant. The applicant should then bring the invitation to the diplomatic mission. You can open a copy of the invitation via My Page once you have filled in the invitation and submitted it.
Please note the the online invitation is only valid for six months from the time you submitted the invitation.