Apply for a work and residence permit

Has your business plan been approved by the Startup Denmark expert panel? Then you are only one step from launching your business in Denmark.

Good to know before you apply

  • Applying for a residence and work permit has a processing fee of DKK 1,900.
  • You must provide documentary evidence that you have sufficient funds to cover your first year in Denmark.
  • The normal processing time is one month.

How does it work?

If your business plan is approved by the Startup Denmark expert panel, you can apply for a residence and work permit at the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI). There is a processing fee of DKK 1,900, and the agency usually considers applications within one month of submission.

Read more about how to apply for a residence and work permit

What are the conditions?

You must meet certain conditions to be granted a work and residence permit.

Active ownership

You must play an active part in running the business before you can obtain a residence permit. Your presence must be necessary for the establishment of the business. If you have only economic or financial interests in the business – for example, if you are a shareholder – you cannot be granted a permit based on the Startup Denmark scheme.   

The self-support requirement

You must be able to support yourself. This means you must provide documentary evidence that you have sufficient funds to cover your first year in Denmark. If your family is accompanying you to Denmark, you must also provide documentation of your ability to support them.

You must provide documentation that you have (2023 level): 

  • 143,328 DKK if you are in Denmark without any family, 
  • 286,656 DKK if your spouse is accompanying you to Denmark, 
  • 333,816 DKK if your spouse and one or more children are accompanying you to Denmark, 
  • 190,488 DKK if one or more children, but not your spouse, are accompanying you to Denmark.

Read more about the self-support requirement