Permanent residence – Waived requirements due to disabilities

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities defines a person with a disability as someone who has “long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others”.

That you have a disability does not necessarily mean that you are exempt from meeting all the requirements for a permanent residence permit. The Immigration will decide whether the disability can result in an exemption from one or more requirements, which the disability prevents you from meeting. 

If you want to apply for exemption from meeting one or more of the requirements to be granted permanent residence due to a disability, you must inform is about the disability that is the reason for exemption. In connection to this, you must state which requirements you wish to be exempt from meeting. 

Guidance on the requirements for a medical certificate - documentation for your disability

You must attach documentation (a medical certificate) of your disability.

The medical certificate must be prepared and signed by a person with a medical background who has professional knowledge of your disability. This may be your general practitioner (GP), a specialist in private practice or a doctor at the hospital where you are receiving treatment.

If your disability is due to a mental health condition, the medical certificate must be prepared by a specialist in psychiatry. You do not need a referral from your GP to obtain a medical certificate from a specialist.

You must find and make an appointment with the doctor yourself, and you must pay the cost of the medical certificate yourself.

If you cannot get an appointment with the specialist who is familiar with your disability, you must find another specialist who prepares specialist medical certificates.

The specialist’s website will typically state whether the doctor prepares specialist medical certificates. Alternatively, you must contact the specialist and ask. The doctor does not need to know you beforehand but can prepare the certificate based on your medical records, an interview and an examination.

As a general rule, the medical certificate should not be more than 6 months old at the time you submit your application.

When you ask the doctor to prepare a medical certificate, please give the doctor this guidance. The guidance explains what information the medical certificate must contain.

Guidance for the doctor on the requirements for the medical certificate - in Danish only (PDF)

You can print the guidance and take it with you to your doctor.

Exemption from the basic requirements

If you have a disability that prevents you from meeting one or more of the basic requirements for a permanent residence permit, you will be exempt from meeting these requirements, if the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities dictates it. You can only be granted an exemption from requirements your disability prevents you from meeting.

Regardless of the nature of your disability, you cannot be granted an exemption from the following requirements:

• You need to have a valid residence permit
• You need to be over 18
• You need to have been a legal resident of Denmark for eight years or more uninterrupted (in certain cases four)
• You may not have been convicted of certain types of crimes.

Exemption from the supplementary requirements

If you do not meet one or more of the supplementary requirements due to a disability, as defined by the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, you will be credited with meeting the requirement (or requirements) in question.

This means that if you cannot meet one of the four supplementary requirements due to your disability, you only need to meet one of the other supplementary requirements.

If you cannot meet two of the supplementary requirements due to your disability, the two requirements will be considered met, and you will not have to meet any of the other supplementary requirements.