Moving to Denmark from the UK
Your route in
Freedom of movement ended for UK citizens on 1 January 2021. Today Denmark treats you the same as any non-EU national: you can enter and stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any rolling 180 for tourism, family visits or business meetings, but you cannot work on that basis. To live here you need a residence and work permit with a specific legal basis.
The common routes are the Pay Limit Scheme (a job paying above a set salary threshold), the Positive List (a job in a shortage occupation), study, family reunification, or the start-up route. Most working Brits arrive via a Danish employer who supports a Pay Limit or Positive List application. The Pay Limit application fee is around DKK 3,215.
Travel, EES and ETIAS
The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) is now live at Schengen borders, logging every entry and exit biometrically against your passport, so the 90/180 limit is enforced in real time rather than by stamps. ETIAS, a pre-travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, is expected later in 2026. Neither replaces a residence permit: once you hold a Danish permit, time in Denmark does not count against your 90 days, but carry your residence document alongside your passport when crossing borders.
Tax and the UK
Once resident you pay Danish tax on your worldwide income, and you register with SKAT for a tax card like everyone else. The UK and Denmark have a double-taxation agreement, so income is not taxed twice, but you need to tell HMRC you have left the UK and understand where each type of income (salary, rent, pensions) is taxed. High earners recruited from abroad may qualify for the researcher tax scheme. This is an area where a short consultation with a cross-border tax adviser pays for itself.
Your driving licence
As a third-country national you may use your UK licence only briefly after settling. You then need to exchange it for a Danish licence through your municipality, and – depending on the category and the rules in force – you may have to sit a Danish test rather than a straight swap. Start this early with your kommune, because the grace period is short and driving on an invalid licence affects your insurance.
Recognition, roots and citizenship
If your job needs a regulated qualification (medicine, teaching, law), have it assessed – see recognition of qualifications. For the long term, permanent residence generally needs eight years of lawful residence (four in some cases) plus language and self-support conditions. Danish citizenship follows the standard route – no Brexit fast-track – but Denmark recognises dual citizenship, so you need not give up your British passport.