Starting the right way with administation
The first thing to do when you arrive in Denmark is to set up your administrative matters to ensure a smooth stay.
Denmark prioritizes digital services, having made significant efforts to transition to online administration. Most important tasks can be completed online, with only occasional in-person meetings required.
The following information is particularly relevant if you plan to stay long-term and work in Denmark.
If you are staying occasionally as a tourist, none of this will be necessary.
Also, this guide assumes you are an EU citizen like myself. If you are coming from outside the EU, you will need VISA approval, which requires much more effort.
Accommodation / Danish Contract
The first thing you need before starting the processes is to have both an address where you’ll stay and a Danish professional contract.
Without this information, you won’t be able to proceed as the administration needs an address to send you important documents by mail, and your Danish professional contract proves that you’re here to work, which is necessary for obtaining a tax number and health security number.
Note: If you have this information before moving, you can start the process 1 month before your work contract begins, saving you time in getting everything settled.
In Denmark, addresses follow a specific format, typically like this:
Vester Voldgade 104, 5. tv 1552 København K.
If we break it into small part here is the explanation:
- Street name: Vester Voldgade
- House number: 104
- Floor/Apartment designation: 5. tv (This means 5th floor, left side/left apartment)
- Postcode: 1552
- Town: København K (Copenhagen K, where ‘K’ indicates the specific district in Copenhagen)
The Danish contract you’ll receive when you find employment is crucial for obtaining all necessary papers, especially because it contains the CVR number (the company’s identification number). The administration will request this number.
Apply for a tax card
The tax card is the way to get registered into the Danish taxation system (SKAT). It’s important because it determines your income tax rate.
Prerequisites
- Employment contract in digital version, signed by you and your employer.
- Your employer’s CVR number (this is the publicly available business registration number in Denmark. You can find it on your employment contract)
- A clear copy of your passport in digital version.
How to apply for a Danish tax card? Simply click here to log in to SKAT’s system and fill out the form.
What happens next? Once you’ve applied for your tax card, SKAT will automatically generate three items. You don’t need to take any action - you’ll receive some items by post and others will go directly to your employer:
- Your tax card: Shows how much income tax you will pay
- Preliminary income assessment: Your tax projection for the upcoming year
- Your tax ID number: Your unique identifier in the Danish tax system
We can also note that for Approved researcher or Highly paid employees, you can get a taxes reduction if you fill the expected criteria , by submitting this form instead of the one above: Submit form for tax deduction
SIRI
Once you have an address and a Danish contract, you can begin the process.
The first step is to schedule an appointment with SIRI administration, where they will provide you with an EU document that is mandatory for the next steps.
Here is the link to book an appointment:
You will need to bring a passport to identify you and the danish contract.
If everything is fine they will hand you a paper that you need to keep for the second appointment.
In my case, I had to return for another SIRI appointment because my Danish contract wasn’t digitally signed, which was unacceptable for them.
When I booked my appointment, many slots were available within a day or two.
CPR number
The CPR number is crucial if you plan to stay long-term and work in Denmark.
This is essentially your universal ID number that serves multiple purposes: tax number, health insurance number, etc.
Booking a CPR appointment is slightly more complex, as you must first submit a form. Once the administration validates it, they will provide you with a link to book the actual appointment.
To submit the form that will give you access to the booking appointment link, visit:
I recommend booking your CPR appointment 2-3 days after your SIRI appointment. This way, if there are any issues with SIRI, you’ll have time to resolve them without needing to reschedule your CPR appointment.
For the CPR appointment, you will need your passport and the document provided at your SIRI appointment.
If everything goes well, they will give you a paper with your CPR number on it.
Congratulations! You now have the most important documentation needed in Denmark :)
Later, you’ll receive a yellow card, which is your actual CPR card. You’ll receive a new one whenever you change address.
MitID
After obtaining your CPR, you can get your MitID, which is essential for authenticating yourself on many Danish websites, including banking and tax services.
Since a Danish bank account with a DK IBAN is required to receive your salary, setting up MitID is important.
The good news is that they’ve developed an app to set it up yourself. In my case, it was different because the chip in my passport was broken, so I had to book a separate appointment 2 days later to set up MitID.
You can get there to set everything up:
And download the following app:
The process is quick - they’ll ask for your phone number and preferred username, and you’ll complete the remaining steps in the MitID App.
Once completed, you’ll have access to many Danish services, including the ability to open a bank account and access the tax website.
In Danish culture, the workday starts and ends early. Contacting offices around 4 PM might already be too late, so make sure to call in the morning for the best chance of reaching someone.