Consular-Matters

Consular Matters

As a general rule, the Danish Foreign Service, which includes Danish representations abroad, will assist all Danish nationals and – as much as possible – foreigners with a permanent address in Denmark.

Persons not holding Danish nationality, or persons holding dual nationality, cannot however be certain that the authorities of the country in question will accept that Denmark offers assistance if the case in question is in conflict with the authorities of that country – e.g. cases of imprisonment.

Consular services include issuing Danish passports, Danish driver's licences, visas for Denmark, and assistance in connection with illness and death, money transfers, imprisonment, child abduction cases etc.

As a general rule a fee is applicable to most services, with the exceptions of child abduction cases, cases of imprisonment and in the instance of a serious crime committed against a Danish national.

The Danish Foreign Service will not grant funds in cases where Danish nationals and foreign nationals with a permanent address in Denmark are in need of funds while travelling abroad. This applies to requests to borrow money for a return ticket to Denmark, payment of hospital bills, medical evacuation to Denmark, legal costs etc.

For advice to Danish nationals on travelling abroad, please visit the consular home page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Rejse til udlandet and Rejsevejledninger, in Danish only).

Please note, that advice and recommendations on this homepage are given with the usual proviso for errors and omissions and that the Embassy is not responsible for any damages or loss as a result of the information given on this home page.

Documents & Services

Birth Certificates

To obtain a copy of your Danish birth certificate please contact the church where your birth was registered. If you do not have that information, please contact the Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs in Denmark. Make sure to include all the information you have about your birth.

By-, Land- og Kirkeministeriet
Frederikholms Kanal 21
Postboks 2123
1015 Copenhagen
Denmark

Tel: +45 33 92 33 90
Email: [email protected]

Criminal Record Check

To obtain a criminal record check from Denmark, please visit the official website of the Danish Police.

MitID (formerly NemID)

Since June 2022, it's been possible to create MitID directly through the MitID app, as long as you had a valid Danish, Greenlandic or Faroese passport. An update has made it possible to use foreign passports or ID cards with chip to create MitID directly through the app. This update will make it easier to create MitID if you're residing outside of Denmark and need MitID but do not have a valid Danish passport.

All you need is a valid passport or ID card equipped with a chip and access to a phone that can scan the chip. This means from iPhone 7 and up or a newer Android phone.

Danish Pension

Denmark has signed a bilateral pension agreement with Canada. You can apply for a Danish pension and early retirement from within Canada, if you meet one of the following conditions:

You are a Danish citizen and have lived at least three years in Denmark after the age of 15
You are a Canadian citizen and have lived at least three years in Denmark. During those three years you must have worked a minimum of 12 months

You must also meet the general requirements for receiving a pension, whether living abroad or in Denmark. For example, you must fulfil the minimum age for state pension, your ability to work must be reduced in order to get early retirement, etc.

If you receive a pension abroad, you will normally be entitled to receive the entire amount, i.e. the basic amount and any supplements if applicable. If you have lived many years abroad before retirement age, you will get a smaller share of a full Danish pension, called a fraction pension.

Please note that your pension will be fully taxed according to current rules unless you have requested a tax card (frikort). Fore more information, please visit the website of the Danish tax authorities, Skat. More information about taxation is available here (in Danish only).

Applying for Danish Pension when Living Abroad
You must apply for a Danish pension from Canada if you are entitled to receive a pension from Canada.

The application form can be found here: Canada/Denmark Agreement
A guide to filling out the form can be located here.
More information is available here.

The completed application form should be mailed to:

International Operations
Service Canada
P.O. Box 250
Fredericton NB,
E3B 4Z6
Canada

Phone: 1-800-454-8731
Website: International Benefits
Phone hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm (North American Eastern Standard Time).

If you are only eligible for a Danish pension, you can apply directly to the Pension Board in Denmark:

Udbetaling Danmark, International Pension
Kongens Vænge 8
DK-3400 Hillerød
Denmark

Phone number: +45 7012 8055
Phone hours: Monday-Friday 10-14 (DK time).
E-mail: [email protected]

What Happens after I Apply?
The Danish Pension Board will send a confirmation that they have received your application for pension or early retirement. The Board will then ask you to fill out various statements in order to process your case.
When applying, it is important that you write your social security number and indicate your previous addresses in Denmark.
You will be notified in writing when the Pension Board has reached a decision in your case.

For current processing times and additional information please visit the Borger.dk (In Danish only).

Driver's Licence

Danish Driver's Licence

Danish driving licences may only be issued to citizens who are considered to have habitual residence in Denmark. Habitual residence is defined as residence for a minimum of 185 days in a calendar year.

If you have lost your Danish driving licence while on holiday abroad, you must contact the Danish Road Safety and Transport Agency (Færdselsstyrelsen) who can issue a declaration to confirm that you hold a valid Danish driving licence (“erklæring om førerret”). If you have Nem-ID you may report your driving licence lost on the website: https://www.borger.dk/transport-trafik-rejser/Biler-og-koerekort/Koerekort/Mistet-koerekort

If you wish to renew your Danish driving licence and have habitual residence in Denmark, you must apply in person at any Citizen Service Centre in Denmark.

If you do not have habitual residence in Denmark, you cannot renew your Danish driving licence. You should instead apply for a driving licence with the transport authorities in your country of residence in order to convert your Danish driving licence to a local one. The Danish Road Safety and Transport Agency (Færdselsstyrelsen) can issue a declaration to confirm that you previously held a valid Danish driving licence (“erklæring om førerret”). The declaration can be obtained by sending a request in writing to Færdselsstyrelsen with your name and contact details.

Færdselsstyrelsen
Sorsigvej 35
6760 Ribe
Denmark

Tel. +45 72 21 88 99
Email: [email protected]

The Mission can assist you with contacting the Danish Road Safety and Transport Agency (Færdselsstyrelsen) in order to request a declaration of your driving rights. A handling fee is to be paid to the Mission cf. the Executive Order on Payment for Services Provided by the Danish Foreign Service.

Please be aware that the Danish Road Safety and Transport Agency will forward the declaration to you directly.

It is recommended that you download the driving licence app (kørekort app) from App Store or Google Play. However, you still need your physical driving licence when driving outside Denmark.

Danish International Driver's Licence

A Danish driving licence is valid in all EU countries, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. If you are a holder of a Danish driving licence and wish to drive outside the above-mentioned countries, you may require an International Driving Licence.

An international driving licence is valid for one year and is only valid together with a Danish driving licence. International driving licences are issued centrally in Denmark and the processing time is 3-4 weeks.

Here you can read about applying for an international driving licence from Denmark: Ansøg om internationalt kørekort (borger.dk)

If you wish to apply for an international driving licence through a Danish Mission, you have to submit the following:

A valid Danish Driving Licence
Your passport (or other valid ID)
One passport photo (35 x 45mm) – requirements can be found here
Application form P22 duly completed and signed

All applications must be submitted in person at the Embassy, the Consulate General or one of the Honorary Consulates. Information about these can be found here.

Further information about International driving licence can be found on borger.dk.

Declaration of Driving Rights

The Canadian provinces allow you to avoid the graduated learning system and take a theory and driving test upon arrival in Canada. In these cases, the local authorities must see a statement about your Danish driving rights.

If you need a statement about your driving rights for use outside Denmark, you must contact the Danish Road Safety and Transport Agency via digital mail and request a statement in English. The subject of the e-mail must be "Confirmation of driver's license".

If you are exempt from digital mail and thus cannot send via e-Boks or borger.dk, the request must be sent to [email protected]. The request must contain your name and contact details, including your current postal address.

The Danish Road Safety and Transport Agency sends the declaration directly to you.

Bilateral Agreements

If you relocate to Denmark, you must obtain a Danish driver's licence.

Since 2016, Canadians moving to Denmark have been able to exchange their Canadian driver's licence for a Danish licence without having to take an additional written test or driving test. Please reach out to your local Borgerservice office in Denmark for assistance.

You must have a valid Canadian driver's licence in order to rent a car in Denmark.

Canada does not allow for a nationwide federal reciprocal arrangement with Denmark, as driver's licences are under provincial/territorial jurisdiction. It is, however, possible to exchange a Danish driver's licence in the following provinces.

New Brunswick
Ontario (starting July 22nd, 2024)
Prince Edward Island

Efforts are being made to establish similar arrangements with the other provinces and territories in Canada.

In Case of Emergency

24/7 Emergency Centre

In case of emergency, Danish citizens and permanent residents can always contact the 24/7 Emergency Centre in the Danish Foreign Ministry via (+45) 33 92 11 12 or [email protected]. The phone is answered day and night, all days of the week.

Please read the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' information regarding travelling abroad.

Travel Advisory for Canada

You can find the Danish travel advisory for Canada here.

The advisory contains links to relevant Canadian authorities in case of emergency.

Danish Honorary Consulates in Canada

In addition to the Embassy in Ottawa and the Consulate General in Toronto, our honorary consulates also provide assistance in local communities.

You can find an overview of our honorary consulates here.

Victim of Criminal Offences

If you are the victim of a crime in Canada, such as robbery, assault og rape, the nearest Danish embassy or consulate in Canada can assist. You can also reach out to the 24/7 Emergency Centre.

Read more about best practices in these situations and what the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs can assist with.

Travel Insurance

It is always recommend that you purchase travel insurance when visiting Canada. The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs cannot assist you with paying expenses for medical attention, hospital costs or return transportation. More information is available here.

Imprisonment

If you are imprisoned outside of Denmark, the conditions can be very different than Denmark and the sentencing harsher.

Read more on the website of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs here.

Your rights are also described in the Vienna Convention (available in Danish and English).

If Someone Abroad is Missing

Unexpectedly losing contact with a family member or a friend who is travelling abroad can be very distressing. If you are seriously concerned about the well-being of a family member or friend you should report the person missing at your local police station in Denmark.

Child Abduction

Has your child been abducted abroad or do you suspect that there is a risk of this happening? Find more information about where and how you can get help here.

Involuntary Stays Abroad (Honour Related Cases)

You can contact the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs if you are detained in another country as a result of forced marriage, re-education visit or as an abandoned spouse.

More information is available here.

Repatriation of a Deceased Person to Denmark

The Embassy can provide assistance when a Danish citizen or citizen with permanent residence in Denmark dies during temporary stays abroad.

Returning the deceased to Denmark

If the deceased person had a travel insurance, the insurance company arranges for the deceased to be returned to Denmark and covers the costs.
If the deceased was not insured, the relatives have to cover the costs themselves. The relatives decide whether the deceased should be buried or cremated in the country where the death occurred or whether the deceased should be returned to Denmark (repatriation).
Repatriation can be expensive, so make sure you discuss the costs before confirming your arrangements.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy can guide and help you with the practicalities. A fee is required for the Embassy’s assistance, which is calculated on an hourly basis.

The Embassy cannot assist you with:

Paying costs in connection with issuing certificates and returning the body to Denmark
Guarantee payment of the costs
Provide a loan or prepayment

The EHIC card (blue card) does not cover expenses related to repatriation.

In some cases, you can seek financial assistance in connection with the funeral from Udbetaling Danmark.

Administration of the deceased’s estate

If the deceased resided in Denmark, the estate of the deceased’s person is administered in Denmark.

If the deceased resided abroad, the estate of the deceased is administered in the country in which the deceased was resident at time of death.

Handling of Stowaways on Danish Ships

Freight companies can request assistance in relation to blind passengers on Danish ships.

For further information on this subject, please contact the Danish Maritime Authority.