For Canadians Travelling to Denmark
Entry Requirements
Canadian Citizens
Canadian citizens are visa exempt for Denmark and as such, only require a valid Canadian passport to enter Denmark. Your passport should be valid for at least three months after your departure date from Denmark. If you are transiting through other European airports on your way to Denmark, please reach out to the respective embassies to verify validity requirements, as you go through immigration at your first port of arrival.
Please note that the European is introducing an electronic pre-approval system, similar to the Canadian eTA. The expected launch date of this system is mid-2025. For more information, please visit the official website for ETIAS.
When in effect, the requirement for pre-approval will extend to Canadian citizens.
Bilateral Visa Agreement for Canadian Citizens
Denmark still has old bilateral visa agreements with Canada that precede the Schengen agreement. These bilateral visa agreements may be enforced under certain conditions.
The bilateral visa agreements can be used if the visitor plans to spend more than 90 days in the Schengen region.
The bilateral agreement allows Canadian citizens to travel to Denmark and the other Nordic countries visa exempt for up to 90 days per every period of 180 days on the condition that the 90 days visa exempt period according to the Schengen rules has been spent outside of Denmark and the other Nordic countries prior to the visit to Denmark.
The bilateral visa agreements are valid for visits to Denmark and the Nordic countries only.
Canadian citizens who plan to take advantage of the bilateral agreement should note that they should not enter the Schengen region through Denmark or any of the Nordic countries. If they spend any amount of time in Denmark and/or the other Nordic countries in the first 90 days of their visa exempt period according to the Schengen agreement, they cannot claim the following 90 days visa exempt period for Denmark and the Nordic countries.
As passports will not be stamped when travelling between the Schengen countries, we highly recommend that documentation such as bus/train/flight tickets to Denmark as well as hotel receipts and anything else that can document the stay in Denmark and the Nordic countries, is kept handy in case the border police at the Schengen border will ask about the stay.
If you have any questions to the above, please contact the Royal Danish Embassy in Canada before finalizing your travel plans.
For more information, please read the section "How long can you stay in the Schengen region?" on the website of the Danish Immigration Service.
Non-Canadian Citizens
Depending on your country of citizenship, you may require a visa to visit Denmark. An overview of countries with a visa requirement and visa-free countries can be found here.
If you are in need of a visa, please find more information about this process here.
Moving to Denmark
If you wish to live and/or work in Denmark, a residence permit is required. For a full overview of residence permits available, including requirements and application procedures, please visit the website of the Danish Immigration Service and the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration.
Travelling to Denmark with a Criminal Record
If you have been convicted of a crime but all of your dues to society have been paid (fines, incarceration, etc.), you are generally able to travel to Denmark without any further documentation requirements. Denmark does not have a pardon system, as seen in Canada. The Danish Embassy can never guarantee your right to enter Denmark, as the final decision is always made by the Danish police upon arrival in Denmark.
Travelling to Denmark with Medicine
Please visit the website of the Danish Medicines Agency for guidance regarding the rules for bringing medicine to Denmark. For further guidance, please reach out directly to the agency, Contact information is on the website.
Travelling to Denmark with Pets
Please visit the website of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration for guidance regarding travelling to Denmark with pets.
Getting Married in Denmark
Please visit the website of the Agency of Family Law for guidance regarding getting married in Denmark.
One required piece of documentation is proof that your status in Canada allows for entering into marriage. For more information on how to obtain a Statement in lieu of certificate of non-impediment to marriage abroad, please visit the website of Global Affairs Canada.
Driving in Denmark
You must have a valid Canadian driver's licence in order to rent a car in Denmark.
If you relocate to Denmark, your Canadian license must be replaced by a Danish license. Please reach out to your local Borgerservice office in Denmark for assistance.
VAT Refunds in Denmark
As of 1 January 2019, Danish Missions may no longer issue VAT statements to tourists for exported goods bought in Denmark to a country outside the EU. Such statements are no longer accepted by the Danish Tax Agency as a means to obtaining a VAT refund.
For assistance, please review this guide from the Danish tax authorities.
You can also contact your own embassy in Denmark for assistance.