Passport requirements for travel to Denmark

Nordic citizens who travel to Denmark from another Nordic country do not need a passport, but may be asked to identify themselves and document their citizenship. Citizens of the EU and Schengen countries must present a passport or national ID card when travelling to Denmark. Citizens of other countries must present a passport, and in some cases also a visa or residence permit, when travelling to Denmark.

Do you need a passport when you travel to Denmark?

Below you can read what ID you will need to bring in different situations. You can read more on the website of the Danish National Police and in the Nordic Passport Control Agreement. At New to Denmark you will find an overview of valid travel documents, visa conditions and border crossings.

The Nordic Passport Union means that if you are a citizen of a Nordic country, you do not need to show a passport when travelling between the Nordic countries.

However, temporary border controls have been introduced when entering several of the Nordic countries, including Denmark. This means that at the border you may be asked to prove that you are a Nordic citizen. Only passports and national ID cards contain information about citizenship.

Even if you travel in Denmark without a passport, you must also be able to identify yourself if necessary. The police therefore recommend that Nordic citizens carry one of the following documents:

• Passport
• Driving licence
• National identity card with photo (Finnish, Norwegian or Swedish national identity card approved as travel document for entry into Denmark)

If you and your child live abroad and you are considering travelling to Denmark with your child, you must ensure it can be done legally. It is the rules of the country where the child is resident, and not the Danish rules, that determine whether it is legal to travel with the child to Denmark. This applies even if it is just a holiday. You can read more on the website boernebortfoerelse.dk.

• Children travelling with a parent or guardian: Nordic citizens under the age of 18 are exempt from the requirement of independent identification if they travel with a parent or guardian who is also a Nordic citizen and who can identify themselves (see “Nordic citizens over 18 travelling to Denmark from another Nordic country”, above).
• Children travelling without a parent or guardian: Nordic citizens under the age of 18 who travel without a parent or guardian must, like adults, be able to prove their citizenship. The police therefore recommend that the child brings a passport.
• School trips, etc.: Special rules apply to schoolchildren under the age of 18 who travel in connection with a school excursion within the general school system, or with an after-school club. For school trips, the group must be accompanied by a teacher or other person over the age of 18 who is in possession of a list of all school pupils/accompanying teachers on the trip, as well as documentation of the purpose and circumstances of the trip. School travel lists may be obtained by contacting the Immigration Service or a Danish police district. It is a condition of entry that the accompanying teachers meet the entry conditions.

If you are a citizen of a Nordic country and enter Denmark from a country outside the Nordic region, you must bring a passport or national identity card with photo (Finnish, Norwegian or Swedish national identity card approved as travel document for entry into Denmark). Children must also have their own passport or ID card.

If you are a citizen of an EU, EEA or Schengen country outside the Nordic region, you must bring a valid passport or national ID card when travelling to Denmark. Children must also have their own passport or ID card.

When crossing the internal borders of the Schengen area, you are not usually required to present travel documents. However, these countries may impose temporary border controls at any time, in which case you will need to provide proof of identity when crossing a border.

You must bring a valid passport if you are travelling from a non-Schengen country to an EU or Schengen country.

If you are not a citizen of a Nordic, EU, EEA or Schengen country, you must bring a valid passport when travelling to Denmark.

• If you are a citizen of a visa-free country, you do not need a visa to travel to Denmark. You can stay in Denmark for 90 days without a visa or residence permit.
• If you are not a citizen of a visa-free country, you will need a valid passport and a visa or residence permit. You can stay in Denmark for 90 days without a residence permit, but you will need a visa. Your passport must be valid for at least three months after the date of your intended departure, and your passport must have been issued within the last ten years.
• If you have a residence permit for Denmark, you can travel within the Schengen area without a visa for a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period. You must bring your passport and residence permit with you on the trip. If you have a residence permit for another Schengen country, you can travel to Denmark for 90 days for a period of 180 days without a visa. This time limit applies to the total stay in the Schengen area, and not just in one country.

You can read more at New to Denmark.