Denmark resumes permanent residence and some family cases after register error
The Immigration Service has resumed suspended cases and requires relevant applicants to return a sworn declaration on criminal conduct.
In a notice published on 9 October 2026, the Danish Immigration Service confirmed that it was resuming permanent residence and certain family reunification cases suspended since 8 September because of a Criminal Register error. Following investigation and corrections, the National Police assessed the impact as very limited. The page was updated on 28 October without identifying the changes.[1]
Permanent residence forms gained a sworn declaration on criminal conduct on 18 September. A corresponding declaration was added to family reunification forms on 1 October for cases conditional on meeting the transferred permanent-residence requirements. It is made by the spouse or cohabiting partner living in Denmark.[1]
For earlier applications, the Immigration Service will send the relevant declaration, which must be signed and returned before processing can be completed. Resumption does not promise a shorter wait: the notice still gives expected processing times of 12 months for permanent residence and 10 months for family reunification.[1]
In a separate notice dated 9 October 2026, the Ministry of Immigration and Integration decided to resume nationality cases suspended because of the same Criminal Register error, and asked the immigration authorities to resume other affected cases. The ministry had announced the suspension of certain cases on 7 September. It said the Ministry of Justice had relayed the National Police’s assessment that the impact on the register was very limited, while possible effects on other authorities’ case handling would be examined further. This ministry notice sets no new sworn-declaration requirement or processing estimate for nationality cases. The declarations and 12- and 10-month estimates above concern only the residence and family cases covered by the Immigration Service notice.[2]
Official sources
This article provides general information. Individual applications are subject to the applicable rules and the competent authority’s assessment.