Re-entry permits

If you do not hold a residence card, and you will be leaving Denmark and returning again, you will need a re-entry permit. Your permit letter cannot be used as proof of your legal residence when leaving and re-entering Denmark.

Processing fee
No fee

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Who can apply for a re-entry permit?

You have submitted an application to SIRI, and you stay here legally while you wait for your reply.

Or

You already hold a residence permit, but you do not hold a residence card as proof of your permit.

 

If you, in these cases, need to leave and re-enter Denmark, you can apply for a re-entry permit.

The proof of your re-entry permit is a visa sticker put in your passport.  

If your trip takes place when you still hold a valid entry visa in your passport, you do not need a re-entry permit. Neither do you need a re-entry permit if you are exempt from the visa requirement and wait for a reply on your application for an extension of a residence permit. 

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What are the conditions?

It is a condition that you stay in Denmark legally.

You can be in the following situations:

  • You have submitted an application for a residence permit while you have been staying in Denmark on a visa or a visa-free stay.
  • You have been granted a residence permit, but you have not been granted a residence card yet.
  • You have submitted an application for an extension of your permit before your current permit expired.
  • You have submitted an application for a replacement of your residence card.

If you want a re-entry permit after having submitted an application for an extension of your residence permit, you can generally only be granted one if you are registered in the Central Person Register (CPR). 

In general, you can only be granted a re-entry permit for a specific trip.

SIRI will usually request documentation of your specific journey, e.g. flight tickets.

You can only apply for a re-entry permit if you hold a valid passport. This also applies if you are a child.

A re-entry permit can only be valid until 3 months before your passport expires.

If you do not have a passport but another kind of travel documentation, the travel documentation must also be valid at least 3 months beyond the period that you apply for a re-entry permit for. 

A re-entry permit is valid for the specific trip and for a maximum duration of 90 days.

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What are my rights if I am granted a re-entry permit?

A re-entry permit allows you to enter the Schengen area, e.g. if you have a stopover on the way to your home country. And it allows you to return to Denmark within the validity period.

If you have submitted an application in Denmark, a re-entry permit allows you to return to Denmark and keep your right to procedural stay. This means that you can continue to stay legally in Denmark until you have received an answer on your application. 

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If you have been given a deadline to leave Denmark 

If you have received a refusal on your application, or your permit has been revoked, you will typically be given a deadline for when you must leave Denmark at the latest.

In this case, you can apply for a transit visa if you are compelled to stay briefly in another Schengen country, e.g. if you have a stopover in another Schengen country on the way to your home country.

In such cases, you must go through the same steps and use the same application form as when applying for a re-entry permit. 

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Where can I apply for a re-entry permit?

You can submit your application for a re-entry permit to the Police or in SIRI’s Citizen Centre.

You must book an appointment in our Citizen Centre and in certain police stations before showing up and submitting your application.

If you have submitted your application to the Danish Immigration Service, or if the Danish Immigration Service has granted you a residence permit, you must submit your application for a re-entry permit to them.


In general, you must hold a re-entry permit before leaving Denmark.

In certain cases, you can apply for a re-entry permit at a Danish diplomatic mission abroad, e.g. if you have lost your residence card during your stay outside Denmark. 

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 What more do I need to know before I apply?

If you have applied or is applying for a residence permit in order to work, study, do an internship, be an au pair, or as an accompanying family member to a person holding a residence permit (where possible), an application for a re-entry permit is processed by the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI). If you are in Denmark when submitting you application, you must be here legally.

If you are an asylum seeker or you apply for a family reunification, an application for a re-entry permit is processed by the Danish Immigration Service.

You can find the relevant application form, TBT/SIRI, on the “How to apply” tab to the right.

SIRI will contact you if we need further information to process your case.

No fee is charged when applying for a re-entry permit.

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If you appear in SIRI's Citizen Centre in Copenhagen, you can normally be granted a re-entry permit right away, provided that you meet the conditions and bring the required documentation.

If you want to apply for a re-entry permit in SIRI's Citizen Centre, you must book an appointment here.

If you live outside the Greater Copenhagen area, you can also submit your application to your local police station. In this case, you will not be granted a re-entry permit right away as the application will be forwarded to SIRI for processing.

See a list of local police stations, where you can submit your application.

If you are outside Denmark, you must submit your application to the nearest Danish diplomatic mission.

See the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ list of diplomatic missions or application centres where you can hand in your application.

It is a good idea to fill in an application form prior to your appointment with SIRI or the Police.

You must use the application form, TBT/SIRI, which exists in a word and a pdf version.

The printable application form in Word format can be completed on screen before you print. The application form in pdf format must be printed first and then completed by hand.

Download the printable form TBT/SIRI (Word format)

Download the printable form TBT/SIRI (pdf format)

When appearing in SIRI's Citizen Centre or in your local police station, you must bring the required documentation. You can use this check list.

Remember that you must book an appointment if you want to submit your application in SIRI's Citizen Centre

You must bring:

If you appear in SIRI's Citizen Centre, you will normally receive an answer immediately.

If you appear in your local police station, the application will have to be processed by SIRI before you receive an answer. You will be informed when the answer is ready.

If you apply from abroad, the application will have to be processed by SIRI before you receive an answer. You will be informed when the answer is ready.

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Last updated 08-03-2019 - Published by: SIRI