EU or non-EU? The fork that shapes your move

The one distinction that shapes your whole move

Almost every question about moving to Denmark comes back to a single split: are you an EU/EEA/Nordic citizen, or not? The paperwork after arrival is broadly the same for everyone - CPR, MitID, tax, bank. What differs is what you must do before you can start.

If you're an EU / EEA or Nordic citizen

You have freedom of movement. You don't need permission to live or work here - you register your presence.

• Nordic citizens (Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden) - no residence document at all. Just register your address if staying over six months.
• Other EU/EEA citizens - apply for an EU residence document (registration certificate) from SIRI, which you then use to get your CPR number.

The whole thing is registration, not application. There's no salary test, no permit fee, no waiting on a decision before you can work.

If you're a non-EU citizen

You need a residence and work permit before you arrive to live - for stays over 90 days. Nothing else happens until that's granted: no CPR, no legal work, no bank account. The main routes are:

• Pay Limit & Fast Track schemes - salary-based work permits.
• The Positive List - for shortage occupations.
• Student, family reunification, or Start-up Denmark routes.

What's the same for everyone

Once you're legally here with the right document, the settling-in path converges: register your address, get your CPR, set up MitID, sort your tax card and bank account. Our first two weeks checklist walks through it in order.

Common questions

Verified July 2026 against official sources: nyidanmark.dk (SIRI), lifeindenmark.borger.dk, cpr.dk and International House Copenhagen. General information, not legal advice - see our editorial policy.