EU residence as a person with sufficient funds (self-supporting)

You are an EU/EAA or Swiss citizen and have enough money (funds) to support yourself during your stay in Denmark

Normal processing time
0-30 days

Processing fee
No fee

Who can get an EU residence document as a person with sufficient funds?

You can get an EU residence document if

  • You are an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen
  • You have money enough (sufficient funds) to support yourself or
  • Another person, e.g. a family member, has enough money to support you.

What are the conditions?

When we process your application, we assess specifically and individually whether you have sufficient funds to be self-supporting according to EU law. This means among other things that:

  • You must have sufficient funds to support yourself and family members, if relevant, during your entire stay in Denmark.

With your personal situation as a starting point, SIRI will do a specific assessment of whether you have sufficient funds.

You funds will always be sufficient, if you have funds equal to the relevant rate for self-sufficiency and return benefit (selvforsørgelses- og hjemrejseydelse).

Non-provider

DKK 6,789 (2025 level) per month before taxes.

Single provider

DKK 13,577 (2025 level) per month before taxes.

Provider, but not single provider

DKK 9,500 (2025 level) per month before taxes.

Person below the age of 30 living at home

DKK 2,925 (2025 level) per month before taxes.

You must submit documentation that you can support yourself and any family members for at least the first 12 months of your stay in Denmark.

However, you must continue to be self-supporting during your entire stay.

SIRI may, at a later date, ask you to submit documentation that you still have sufficient funds.

If you are being financially supported by another person, e.g. a family member, your partner or similar, you must have access to your supporter’s funds, i.e. you must be able to use these funds.

Your supporter must submit documentation that they have sufficient funds to support themselves, you and any children or others the supporter has the duty to support financially.

If you are related to or is the partner of your supporter and your supporter is residing in Denmark

If you are related to your supporter, you do not need to document that you are able to use your supporter’s funds.

The financial supporter can, for example, be your spouse, your adult child, your siblings or similar. You must document that you are related to your supporter using for example a marriage certificate or a birth certificate.

If your supporter is your partner and you will be living at the same address in Denmark, you likewise do not need to document that you are able to use your supporter’s funds.

If you will not be living at the same address in Denmark or if your supporter is not residing in Denmark, you must document that you are able to use your supporter’s funds. See below.

If you are not related to your supporter or if your supporter is not residing in Denmark

If

  • you are not related to your supporter or if you are not able to document so
  • you will not be living at the same address as your partner, who is supporting you
  • your supporter is residing outside of Denmark

you must document that you have access to your supporter’s funds. 

This can be done by documenting ongoing transfers of money from the supporter to you. It can also be done by documenting that you have access to the supporter’s bank account or that you have your own debit or credit card linked to the supporter’s account.

Since it is a condition for having residence as a person with sufficient funds that you are self-supporting and thus do not become a public burden, you cannot normally obtain or retain a residence document on these grounds if you receive public benefits such as cash assistance, self-sufficiency and return benefit as well as transition benefit or the like. If, on the other hand, you receive unemployment benefits from your unemployment-insurance fund (A-kasse), this will not prevent you from being considered as self-supporting.

What are my rights as an EU citizen?

As an EU citizen you have the right to reside and work in Denmark with or without an EU residence document.

You may freely enter Denmark and you may begin to work in Denmark upon arrival. You do not need a permit to work in Denmark.

In Denmark a Civil Registration System (CPR) number is necessary in many situations, e.g. in relation to getting a health card and choosing a doctor, tax and Danish lessons.

To get a CPR number you must show an EU residence document to the municipality in which you reside.

On the website lifeindenmark.dk you can read more about how to get a CPR number and other important matters such as

  • MitID
  • Tax matters
  • Holiday entitlements
  • School and daycare
  • Housing
  • Danish lessons
  • Car registration and driver’s license

Read more on lifeindenmark.dk (links opens in a new window)

As an EU citizen, you may freely enter Denmark and you may begin to work upon arrival. You do not need a permit to work in Denmark.

There is no limit on the number of hours you may work while living in Denmark. This also applies if you are studying in Denmark.

You do not need an EU residence document in order to begin work. This is the case even if you have – or have applied for – a residence document as a worker, as a self-supporting individual or for some other reason.

As a person with sufficient funds, it follows from your grounds for residence that you must be self-supporting and not a burden to the welfare system.

If you apply for or receive public benefits, such as cash benefits or education benefits, as a rule you cannot get a residence document nor keep your grounds for residence as a self-supporting.

Benefit payments paid to a foreign national by the municipality or another public authority are reported to SIRI. SIRI will then assess whether this affects your grounds for residence.

If you, for example, receive support such as unemployment benefits (arbejdsløshedsdagpenge), you can still be considered to be self-supporting.

If you have been working in Denmark

If you

  • meet the conditions for being a worker according to EU regulations
  • have kept your status as a worker after stopping working
  • is a family member to an EU worker

you have the same rights to public benefits as a Danish citizen. Therefore, receiving public benefits regulated by the Active Social Policy Act, e.g. cash benefits, will normally not lead to termination of your right to reside in Denmark.

Read more about which public benefits you are allowed to receive and which you are not when you have an EU residence document from SIRI

If you plan to live and work in Denmark, there are several things you need to consider. Depending on your situation, there may be more important information you need to be aware of.

The website lifeindenmark.dk contains information about:

  • MitID
  • The CPR register
  • Health card
  • Tax matters
  • Holiday entitlements
  • School and daycare
  • Housing
  • Danish lessons
  • Car registration and driver’s license

How long can I stay in Denmark?

If you plan on remaining in Denmark for less than 3 months, you do not need to apply for an EU residence document. If you are seeking employment, you may remain in Denmark for up to 6 months before obtaining a residence document.

If you plan on being in Denmark for longer than 3 months or 6 months, you need to apply for an EU residence document. Then you may remain in Denmark as long as you meet the conditions for grounds for residence according to EU regulations. There is no date of expiry of your residence document.

If you have had grounds for residence according to EU regulations in Denmark for five years, you have the right to permanent residence according to EU regulations.

Read about how to apply for permanent residence according to EU regulations

What should I do, if I no longer can support myself?

Read more about what to do, if you no longer can support yourself

Can my family qualify for an EU residence document?

Yes, your closest family can apply for residence in Denmark according to EU regulations.

Read more about EU residence as a family member to an EU citizen

What more do I need to know before I apply?

The ‘How to Apply’ tab on the right provides more information about the application process. Here your also find the application form, you must complete.

SIRI makes its decision based on the information and documents you submit with the application form. SIRI will contact you if we need more information when we process your application.

If you wish for SIRI to be able to give information regarding your case to others than yourself while we process your application, you must grant power of attorney to the person you wish to be able to access the information. The power of attorney must be submitted to SIRI preferably as part of your application.

If you state in your application that you are being represented by a solicitor, you do not need to submit a power of attorney. Solicitors, due to their profession, are automatically granted power of attorney. If you are being represented by a solicitor, SIRI will send all correspondence about your application to your solicitor.

Your application will be submitted to the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI).

Make sure you have all documents ready in a digital format so you can attach them to the online application.

You must attach:

If you support yourself you must submit:

If you are supported financially by someone else, you can, for example, submit:

Download the declaration, if necessary:

Declaration of financial support

Declaration from the employer

The contract or declaration must be dated and signed by hand or digitally using e.g. MitID or Penneo by your employer less than 60 days before being received by SIRI. SIRI does not recognize signatures inserted as an image file.

Expect to use

15 minutes

to complete the application form

1 person

You complete the application form yourself

In this step you have access to the relevant application form OD1A.

The form contain instructions on how to complete the form and what kind of documents you must submit along with the form.

You can book an appointment at SIRI using the link in the receipt, you receive once you have completed and submitted the form.

 

Use the online form OD1A (opens in a new window)

If you have started an application before 15 May 2025 that you want to complete, use the previous form OD1. The previous OD1 form will not be available after 1 June 2025. Link to previous OD1 form

You can read more about how we process your personal data here

We recommend that you apply online, since digital applications often can be processed faster.

You can also choose to send a physical application – find a printable form and read more about the process

You can find your ongoing and completed applications for 30 days from your last login.

Log in to see your applications (opens in a new window)

You must appear in person in one of SIRI’s branch offices within 30 days.

You must bring:

  • The receipt for the online application
  • Your passport or national ID card

Only when you have identified yourself this way and been linked to your application, will we consider your application to be fully submitted. 

If you do not appear no later than 30 days after submitting your online application, SIRI will consider your application as withdrawn and close the case.

Addresses and opening hours of SIRI's branch offices

If you attach all necessary documents to the application, and if you meet the conditions for your grounds for residence, SIRI can issue a residence document for you immediately when you appear.

If any documentation is missing the case will take longer to process. Whwn you appear at SIRI, you will normally be informed if any further documentation is needed.

You have the right to reside and work in Denmark while you wait for an answer.

Help us improve

Responsible agency

Contact SIRI
Send link

Last updated 19-05-2025 - Published by: SIRI