NATIONALS BORN ABROAD (THE 22 YEAR RULE)

As a general rule, Danish nationals born abroad lose Danish nationality on attaining the age of 22.

However, retention of Danish nationality may be granted:

1. If, before the age of 22 the child has been resident in Denmark (generally, the Danish authorities consider a continuous stay of minimum one year sufficient to meet this requirement).
   
   
2. If, before the age of 22 the child has been staying in Denmark under circumstances indicating association with the country.
   Residence in Finland, Iceland, Norway, or Sweden for an aggregate period of not less than 7 years is equated with residence in Denmark.
   
   
3. If loss of Danish nationality will make the child stateless.

If you have any questions to the above-mentioned conditions you are welcome to contact the Embassy.

An application for the retention of Danish nationality should not be submitted until the applicant has attained the age of 21. However, it must be received by the Embassy not later than the day before his/her 22nd birthday.

• Download here the application form for retention of Danish nationality [PDF].

The application should be addressed to the Minister for Refugee, Immigration and Integration and should cover the following particulars:

1. Date and place of birth of the applicant.
   
2. Whether the applicant is married. If so, please enclose both the Certificate of Marriage and the spouse's Certificate of Birth or Baptism.
   
3. Whether the applicant has any children. If so, please enclose the original Certificate of Birth or Baptism.
   
4. The residences of the applicant and his/her parents from the applicant's birth until the date of his/her application. In particular, indicate if, when and for how long he/she has stayed in Denmark, and indicate the place and nature of stays,e.g. holiday, attendance at a folk high school, etc.
   
5. Whether the applicant and his/her parents master the Danish language.
   
6. Whether the applicant and his/her parents have maintained any particular relations with Denmark. If so, give names and addresses of at least two persons in Denmark, who can confirm the information given.
   
7. Whether the applicant and his/her parents have ever acquired a foreign nationality by application, or submitted such an application.
   The applicant and his/her Danish father and/or mother must separately sign a declaration concerning foreign nationality. The declaration could read as follows: "I, the undersigned, solemnly declare that I have never applied for nor acquired a foreign nationality".
    
8. Finally, the application should include the following declaration: "I solemnly declare that the information given above is correct".

Please enclose the following documentation (photocopies accepted):

1. The applicant's Certificate of Birth or Baptism from which the names of both parents appear.
   
   
2. The applicant's parents' (in case of children born out of wedlock, the mother's)  Certificates of Birth or Baptism.
   
   
3. The parents' Marriage Certificate.
   
   
4. The above mentioned declarations from the applicant and his/her Danish father and/or mother confirming that they have never acquired a foreign nationality by application.

Please forward the application to:

Embassy of Denmark
SES - Avenida das Nações qd. 807 lote 26
70200-900 - Brasília - DF

The regulations governing nationality are somewhat complicated. Therefore, if you are in doubt, whether you are a Danish national you are advised to contact the

Danish Ministry of Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs
Indfødsretskontoret
Holbergsgade 6
DK-1057 Copenhagen K
Denmark
Tel: 00 45 33 95 42 70

(For applications in PDF format, it is necessary to have Acrobat Reader® installed on your computer)