Moving

Your first two weeks, in the right order

Updated July 2026Reviewed July 2026
The one-line versionDo these in sequence, not in parallel - each step unlocks the next. Rushing ahead is the single most common reason people get stuck.

The sequence that works

Denmark's setup is a chain: each link depends on the one before. Follow the order and the fortnight is smooth. Jump around and you'll hit walls.

1. Confirm a registrable address

Before anything official, you need somewhere you can legally register - a signed lease or a sublet contract that permits registration. Non-EU citizens: your permit must already be granted.

2. Register your address and get your CPR

Book an ICS or Borgerservice appointment (one per person) and register your address. You'll walk out with your CPR number at most locations.

3. Set up MitID

Do this at the same appointment if you can. MitID is your login for everything digital - bank, tax, health, Digital Post.

4. Get your tax card

Request a tax card from Skattestyrelsen so your employer withholds the right amount from your first pay. Without it you're taxed at the punishing default rate.

5. Open a bank account and register NemKonto

With your CPR and MitID you can open a Danish account, then register it as your NemKonto - the official account for salary and any public payments.

6. Sort family, health and post

Register any accompanying family (their own CPR each), check your assigned doctor when the yellow health card arrives, and start reading Digital Post - deadlines run from delivery.

Don't skip the orderThe classic mistake is trying to open a bank account before the CPR, or booking flights as a non-EU citizen before the permit is granted. Each step genuinely needs the previous one. Patience here saves weeks later.
Budget for the gapYour first salary may not land until you're fully set up, and Copenhagen deposits are often three months' rent. Have a cushion for the first month or two before the system catches up with you.

Common questions

How long does the whole thing take?
With paperwork ready and appointments booked, the core setup can be done inside two weeks. The health card and some post arrive a little later.
What's the one thing to arrange before arriving?
Somewhere you can legally register your address. Everything else waits on it, and it's the hardest to fix from inside the country.
Can my partner do their steps at the same time?
Yes, but each person needs their own appointment and their own CPR registration.

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

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