A ceiling on a maximum number of family reunifications can be activated if the number of asylum applications in Denmark is increasing considerably over a short period of time, and if the number of applications for family reunification is expected to increase due to this.

The purpose with the ceiling is to strengthen the capacity in e.g. the municipalities in order to make them more capable of handling the receiving and integration of refugees and their family members.

The ceiling will only concern permits to family reunification with refugees in Denmark, and applies to family reunifications to refugees with a residence permit under the Aliens Act section 7 (refugees with convention status, protected status or temporary protected status) or section 8 (quota refugees).

If the Ministry of Immigration and Integration establish a ceiling, each month the Immigration Service must decide which applicants are granted a residence permit in the specific month on the ground of family reunification with a refugee residing in Denmark.

If the ceiling is established the refugees’ right to family reunification can be temporary postponed for a maximum of 3-4 months.

Regardless of a maximum number of family reunification, residence permits must be granted without a postponement in all cases a where it follows from Denmark’s international obligations. 

If the Ministry of Immigration and Integration set a ceiling on the number of family reunifications, there will be further information about how the ceiling is administrated here at newtodenmark.dk.