Family
The after-school centres are often open in the afternoon when the regular school day has ended, and on some days when there is no school. The youth clubs are open in the evenings.
The centres and clubs do not actually perform childcare, but offer a wide range of after-school activities.
They are typically split according to age:
- 'After-school' for 10 to 11-year-olds
- 'Junior' for 12 to 14-year-olds
- 'Youth' for 14 to 18-year-olds.
If you do not agree with the municipality’s decision, you must make a complaint to the municipality within 4 weeks. The decision must be re-assessed within 4 weeks of the complaint being received.
If the municipality upholds its decision, it will forward your complaint to the Board of Appeal (Ankestyrelsen) which will rule on the decision.
After-school schemes are for children from approximately 6 to 10 years old (children from kindergarten to year 4 (class 3)).
You register your child for an after-school scheme at the same time as you register the child to start school. When possible, pupils from the same class will go to the same after-school scheme.
You apply digitally. If you do not have the possibility to use the internet, you can get help from the municipality.
If your child is to change school, or only needs an after-school place later, you need to contact the municipality.
You deregister your child digitally.
Who can register and deregister?
Only a parent who has parental authority for a child can decide on registering or deregistering the child. However, persons who are official carers for a child can also register and deregister the child.
Sole parental authority
If one parent has sole parental authority, then only this parent can register and deregister the child.
You need to pay to have your child in an after-school scheme. The municipality determines the fees each year.
The municipality can make a free place available if you and the family need it for financial or social reasons. This means that you or the family can either have the entire fee for the place at the institution paid, or part of the fee. You can apply to the municipality for a full or partial free place if your household jointly earns less than DKK 646,500 per year (2025). If you are a single parent or if there are additional children under 18 living at home, the maximum income is increased.
You should apply digitally. If you are not able to make the application yourself online, you can book an appointment and get help at your local Citizen Service centre.
Free place for therapy reasons
If you have a child with substantial and lasting reduced physical or mental ability to function for reasons of therapy in one of the municipal day-care centres, the municipality will give you an additional subsidy. This is called a free place subsidy for therapy reasons.
Socio-educational free place
The municipality will also offer a financial subsidy if it is important for the child to take part in an after-school scheme for social and educational reasons, but you or your family cannot afford to pay yourselves. This is called a free place subsidy for socio-educational reasons.
In an after-school scheme:
- the children are looked after
- care is taken that the children are present
- staff ensure that children who come to childcare centres before going to school are taken to school on time, and care is taken that the children come back from the school
- in most cases, a snack, fruit or the like is offered in the afternoon.
In addition, there will both be joint activities for all children and activities that are optional, with several choices. There may be, for example, creative activities such as music, theatre, painting, sewing and drawing, but also sporting activities such as swimming, football and skating.
The teaching staff includes, to varying degrees, the wishes and opinions of the children in the planning and in the daily activities. In the childcare centres, the parents have influence through parent boards and at the schools through school boards.The municipality offers after-school schemes on days when the schools are closed and during holidays.
There are closing days in many places, for instance during the summer holidays.
Childcare centres offer care facilities as part of the day-care services of the municipality. Every childcare centre or a group of childcare centres has its own Head of education. The childcare centres have a parental board.
The after-school schemes are part of the primary school system and are attached to the individual primary schools. The school Head has overall educational and administrative responsibility. The school board supervises the after-school scheme, approves the budget of the institution, etc.If you have a complaint about an after-school scheme or a childcare centre, you have the following options:
After-school schemes
If you wish to complain about something connected with the child’s after-school scheme, you can talk to the staff and to the school Head, who has overall administrative and educational responsibility.
If you are dissatisfied with the decision of the school Head, you can make a complaint to the municipality within 4 weeks. If you wish to complain about something connected with the child’s placement, for instance a refusal to grant a free place, you can apply directly to the municipality within 4 weeks.
If you do not agree with the municipality's decision, you should make an appeal to the municipality within 4 weeks. The decision must be re-assessed within 4 weeks of the complaint being received. If the municipality upholds its decision, it will forward your complaint to the Board of Appeal, which will rule on the decision.
Childcare centres
If you are dissatisfied with the way your child is cared for in the childcare centre, you should talk to the teachers who are looking after the child on an daily basis. If the issue is more about general conditions, you should talk with the Head and possibly take it further to the board.
If you wish to complain about the institution, you should contact the municipality. If you do not agree with the municipality's decision, you should make an appeal to the municipality within 4 weeks. The decision must be re-assessed within 4 weeks of the complaint being received.
If the municipality upholds its decision, it will forward your complaint to the Board of Appeal, which will rule on the decision.
You can see the current acts and regulations on the after-school schemes in the Primary Schools Act, § 3, paragraph 7, and in the Order on after-school schemes.
Acts and regulations on childcare centres are found in section III of the Day Care Act.
You have the right to child and youth benefits if:
- your child is under 18
- your child lives in Denmark
- you live in Denmark
- the person who has custody of the child is fully liable for tax in Denmark
- your child has not been placed in a foster home or is otherwise a ward of the state
- you have lived or worked in Denmark, the Faroe Islands or Greenland for at least six of the last 10 years or earned the right to family benefits in other EU/EEA countries or Switzerland
- you are residing in Denmark under the Greencard scheme.
Read the rules for when you qualify for receiving child and youth benefits as a foreigner under 'What are the rules for foreigners for receiving child benefits?'.
Can I receive other benefits as a parent?
As a parent you may be entitled to other benefits. This depends on whether you belong to a particular group or you are in a particular situation. These benefits can be:
- Child allowance (børnetilskud)
- Child allowance for single parents
- Child allowance for single parents and have adopted a child
- Child allowance for pensioners
- Child allowance for parents in education
- Child allowance in the event of paternity cases or an unknown father
- Child allowance when one or both parents are deceased.
Read the rules for when you qualify for receiving these different allowance on the page about child allowance:
If you are a foreigner and work in Denmark, you may apply for child benefits if you:
- share custody of the child
- can document that you are related to the child
- are a citizen in an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, if your child does not live in Denmark.
In addition, you must have worked or lived in Denmark for a certain period within the past 10 years.
Below, you can see an overview of how much you are entitled to receive, depending on how long you have lived or worked in Denmark, in Greenland or on the Faroe Islands.
| Total period in which you have lived or worked in Denmark (within the past 10 years) | Percentage of the benefit which you are entitled to receive |
|---|---|
| 6 months | 8.3 pct. |
| 1 year | 16.7 pct. |
| 1.5 years | 25 pct. |
| 2 years | 33.3 pct. |
| 2.5 years | 41.7 pct. |
| 3 years | 50 pct. |
| 3.5 years | 58.3 pct. |
| 4 years | 66.7 pct. |
| 4.5 years | 75 pct. |
| 5 years | 83.3 pct. |
| 5.5 years | 91.7 pct. |
| 6 years | 100 pct. |
You can also include periods during which you have accrued family benefit rights by living in or working in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland. You can do so if you are a citizen of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland. However, Udbetaling Danmark first need to verify your information with the authorities in the country in which you have lived or worked before the periods can be included.
If you are a citizen in an EU/EEA country or Switzerland or Lichtenstein and want to know more about your rights when living or working in Denmark, you must contact the authorities in your home country.
Were you entitled to receive child benefits before 1 January 2018?
If you received child benefits before 1 January 2018 and if you are still entitled to receive child benefits, you are subject to a 2-year qualification requirement. This means that you must have lived or worked in Denmark for at least 2 years within the past 10 years.
Below, you can see the percentage you are entitled to receive, depending on how long you have lived or worked in Denmark, in Greenland or on the Faroe Islands within the past 10 years.
- 6 months in order to have earned 25 per cent of the total benefit
- 1 year in order to have earned 50 per cent of the total benefit
- 1.5 years in order to have earned 75 per cent of the total benefit
- 2 years in order to have earned the total benefit.
In some cases, you can be paid benefits from both countries if you are entitled to both family benefits from Denmark and another EU/EEA country or Switzerland. However, you can only receive the full family benefit from one country.
The following prioritisation rules apply if there is to be paid out family benefits pursuant to the legislation of one or more member states in the same period and for the same family members:
- paid work or self-employment
- pension
- place of residence
These prioritisation rules apply if the entitlement to family benefits from 2 or more member states are based on different conditions.
You can read mere about the prioritisation rules in Polish here:
Specjalne zasadydot. obywateli UE/EOG oraz Szwajcarii
Explanation of conditions
Your entitlement to family benefits from working thus take precedence over family benefits due to pensions and residency, and your entitlement to family benefits due to pension take precedence over family benefits due to residence.
When you are entitled to family benefits from 2 member states due to the same conditions, the family benefits from the children’s country of residence take precedence. When you are entitled to family benefits from 2 member countries due to the same conditions and the children are residents of a 3rd member state, the country with the highest family benefits takes precedence.
People without paid work or self-employment such as, for example, welfare claimants or students without a student job are covered by the legislation in their country of residence.
Supplement depending on differences in size of payment
You are entitled to a supplement depending on differences in the size of payment from Denmark in the periods where the family benefits from other country take precedence.
This means that the family benefits from the other country are deducted in the supplementary family benefit from Denmark even though you are not paid the amount of the family benefit. You can thus only be paid the difference between the family benefit from the other country and the supplementary family benefit from Denmark.
This is because pursuant to the other country’s legislation, you would be entitled to a family benefit if you applied for it.
When working in Denmark, families with children are eligible for receiving child benefits. If your child does not live in Denmark, you have to apply for the benefit yourself.
If you are a citizen in an EU/EEA country
When you apply for child benefits as an EU/EEA citizen, you must use various documentation. Below, you can see which documents you need in order to apply.
If you log in using MitID, you only have to attach the relevant documentation. You can save your application along the way, if you like.
If you do not have MitID
If you do not have MitID, you must use a form for declaration and consent. You can find the form you need to use here:
You must print the form, sign it and scan it to your computer. When you apply for child benefits as an EU/EEA citizen without MitID, you must attach:
- Form for declaration and consent
- Employment contract
- Birth certificate for children.
You can apply for child benefits as an EU/EEA citizen without MitID here:
If you need help or have questions you can contact Udbetaling Danmark by phone +45 70 12 80 62.
If you are not a citizen in an EU/EEA country
If you are not a citizen in an EU/EEA country, you can apply for the benefit by contacting Udbetaling Danmark by phone +45 70 12 80 62.
Please be aware not to send sensitive personal information such as your civil registration (CPR) number to Udbetaling Danmark via email because email is not a secure communication channel. If you need to send sensitive personal information, you must send a letter to Udbetaling Danmark, Kongens Vænge 8, DK-3400 Hillerød.
When am I a citizen in an EU/EEA country?
You are EU/EEA citizen if you are a citizen of one of the following countries:
- Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Croatia, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary and Austria.
When you have children in Denmark, you may qualify for various grants for your children. These grants are called family benefits. Family benefits are administered by Udbetaling Danmark – Public Benefits Administration.
Here you can read a brief description of the various types of family benefits.
Child and youth benefits
Child and youth benefits, also known as the ‘child cheque’ (or family allowance) is a tax-free payment that you receive for each of your children until they reach the age of 18. The amount you receive depends on the age of your child, how long you have been earning the right to Danish family benefits, your income and the income of any spouse.
Child benefits are paid quarterly in advance. When your child reaches the age of 15, you will receive a youth benefit instead of a child benefit. Youth benefits are paid every month in arrears.
If the parents have joint custody, the Child and youth benefits are generally paid to both parents NemKonto with one half each.
Child allowance
Child allowance is a payment paid in special circumstances if:
- you are single
- you have twins – or triples, quadruplets, etc.
- you are a pensioner
- you are taking an education
- the father of your child is unknown
- one or both parents are dead
- you have adopted a child.
The size of the child allowance depends on your situation.
You can watch a short video here about when you are seen as single or cohabiting in relation to child allowance for single parents.
Read more about child allowance:
Child support
Child support is an amount that you can receive if you live together with your child but not together with your child’s other parent. The other parent is the one who must pay that amount to you.
Read more about child support:
There are different rules for when you can receive family benefits.
Among other things, it depends on whether you are cohabiting with your child’s other parent, your income and how long you have lived or worked in Denmark.
| If you are living | Then you may qualify for receiving |
|---|---|
| together with your child’s other parents | child and youth benefits child allowance adoption grants |
| together with another partner/spouse | child and youth benefits child support children’s allowance adoption grants |
| only together with your child | child and youth benefits child support child allowance |
If you live in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland with your family and work in Denmark
If you live in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland and work exclusively in Denmark, you will in general be covered by the Danish social security system. This means that you will have the right to family benefits from Denmark if you meet the other conditions listed above.
If the child's other parent works in the country where you live, you should receive family benefits in that country. If Danish family benefits are higher than the benefits in the country where you live, Denmark will pay the difference. If the Danish benefit is lower than in the country where you are living, you will not receive family benefits from Denmark.
If you live in Denmark and work in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland
If you live in Denmark and work exclusively in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you will in general be covered by the social security system in the country where you work. As a rule, this means that you have the right to family benefits from the country where you work. You should contact the authorities in the country where you work to ask them to advise you about the rules.
If the child's other parent works in Denmark, you should receive Danish family benefits. If family benefits from the country where you work are higher than the benefits in Denmark, the other country will pay the difference. If the benefit from the other country is lower than in Denmark, you will not receive family benefits form the other country.
If you live in Denmark and receive a pension from another EU/EEA country or Switzerland
If you live in Denmark and receive a pension from another EU/EEA country or Switzerland, and the child's other parent is not working in Denmark, you may be entitled to family benefits from Denmark on the basis of your residence. You must contact the authorities in the country you receive your pension as you should receive family benefits in that country. If Danish family benefits are higher than the benefits in the country where you receive your pension, Denmark will pay the difference. If the Danish benefit is lower than the country where you are receiving pension, you will not receive family benefits from Denmark.
If you move abroad
If you move abroad, you will no longer have the right to Danish child and youth benefit.
Read more about family benefits in EU countries:
When you receive family benefits, you have a duty to let us know about any changes. This means that you must immediately notify Udbetaling Danmark - Family Benefits, if there are changes to the information you have submitted.
You must do this because it can have an impact on what you can receive in benefits. For example, you must notify us if:
- you or your child’s other parents are employees and not working/receiving work-related unemployment/sickness/maternity benefits to a sufficient extent each month in Denmark
- you or your child’s other parents are self-employed and not working/receiving work-related unemployment/sickness/maternity benefits to a sufficient extent each month in Denmark
- you or your child’s other parents are working on a ship and do not have enough days at sea each month
- you or your child’s other parents are no longer covered by Danish social security
- you or your child’s other parents stop working or become employed in another country than Denmark
- you or your child’s other parents are no longer entitled to a Danish social pension
- you or your child move to another country
- your child gets married
- you or your child’s other parent is no longer a citizen of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland
- your child is placed in foster care or is otherwise being maintained by means of public benefits
- your child will be staying in a country outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland for a period, e.g. because of his or her schooling
- you or your child’s other parents become entitled to receiving family benefits in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland
- in case of changes to custody arrangements for your child
- if the foreign benefit rate changes.
If you do not notify Udbetaling Danmark, you may have to pay back the benefits you have received. This also applies if you provide incorrect or incomplete information, or if you no longer meet the conditions for receiving the benefits.
Udbetaling Danmark sends its letters in Danish
When you receive family benefits, you will receive letters from Udbetaling Danmark, for example, about the amount you are being paid.
As a general rule, all letters from Udbetaling Danmark are sent in Danish. Therefore, it may be a good idea to have a friend or acquaintance translate the letters if you have trouble understanding Danish. You are also always welcome to call Udbetaling Danmark if you have any questions.
If you need someone else to assist you with your dealings with Udbetaling Danmark, you must first provide them with a power of attorney. On this page, you can easily give digital power of attorney to another person, allowing them to act on your behalf when contacting Udbetaling Danmark. Simply select the area the power of attorney should cover. If you wish to give power of attorney for multiple areas within Udbetaling Danmark, you must submit a separate power of attorney for each area.
If you are assisting someone else
If you are helping a relative, partner, or friend with their contact with Udbetaling Danmark, you must first ensure that you have received a power of attorney. If you already have a written power of attorney from the person you are assisting, you can digitally submit the signed power of attorney via this page using your personal MitID. Simply select the relevant area.
For those of you who receive family benefits
Here you can digitally provide another person with a power of attorney to act on your behalf when contacting Udbetaling Danmark. For example, this might be to discuss your case, receive information about your case or to assume full responsibility for the case. You can provide a power of attorney for family benefits or for several other areas that Udbetaling Danmark deals with. The power of attorney does not provide access to digital self-service functions.
For those of you who will be helping someone else
If the person who wants to provide you with a power of attorney does not have MitID, you can use a written power of attorney. The form can be filled out on the screen or by hand, and it needs to be signed by the person giving you the power of attorney.
If you have a written letter of authority from someone receiving family benefits, you can send the signed letter digitally. If you are using a cell phone, you can take a picture of the letter and attach it. The authority does not provide access to digital self-service functions.
You can also send the letter of authority by post to Udbetaling Danmark, Kongens Vænge 8, 3400 Hillerød. Please note that it may take up to a week before Udbetaling Danmark receives the letter.
If you have received more in family benefits than you are entitled to, for example because your situation has changed, you should first return this money to Udbetaling Danmark.
If you have to pay money back to Udbetaling Danmark, Family benefits, this may be for one of the following reasons:
- your and/or your spouse’s income has changed
- you have become single, got married or started cohabiting
- you are no longer entitled to receive family benefits from Denmark.
How to pay back money to Udbetaling Danmark
If you have received too much in family benefits, you will receive a letter from Udbetaling Danmark explaining what you have to pay back and why. If you have received this letter, you can pay the entire amount in one lump sum by transferring the money to Udbetaling Danmark’s bank account:
How to pay back child and youth benefits (child and youth benefits):
- Bank: Danske Bank
- SWIFT: DABADKKK
- IBAN no.: DK850216406171966
- Remember to state your civil registration number.
How to pay back your child allowance (child allowance):
- Bank: Danske Bank
- SWIFT: DABADKKK
- IBAN no.: DK2902164069171907
- Remember to state your civil registration number.
How to pay back child and youth benefits (child and youth benefits) if you are an EU/EEC citizen:
- Bank: Danske Bank
- SWIFT: DABADKKK
- IBAN no.: DK6502164069175236
- Remember to state your civil registration number.
Udbetaling Danmark will process your application as quickly as possible when you apply for child and youth benefits as an EU/EEA citizen.
It takes an average of 9 weeks to process an application for child and youth benefits. However, it can take longer in some cases as we need to obtain information from foreign authorities to process the application. The case processing time limit for child and youth benefits is 30 weeks.
You can help shorten the case processing time by
- attaching the required documentation in your application
- ensuring the information provided in your application and your information in the Civil Registration System (CPR) is correct.
If you are not satisfied with how Udbetaling Danmark has dealt with your case, you are welcome to contact Udbetaling Danmark, Family benefits. Sometimes misunderstandings can occur and can easily be resolved with a verbal explanation.
If you disagree with a decision
You may file a complaint about a decision from Udbetaling Danmark if you disagree with it. A decision can for example be classified as the amount you receive in Family benefits – or any other decision that Udbetaling Denmark makes in your case. You will always receive a letter from Udbetaling Denmark, in which the decision will be stated along with a complaint guide.
Udbetaling Danmark must receive your complaint no later than four weeks after your receipt of the decision. They will then assess the matter again.
If Udbetaling Danmark reject your complaint, they will forward it to the National Social Appeals Board. The National Social Appeals Board is an independent state institution and the highest complaint board for Udbetaling Danmark amongst others.
Complaints about other matters
Udbetaling Danmark will also consider complaints received about other matters in your case and investigate whether there is anything that should have been done differently. You will always receive an answer to your complaint.
How to file a complaint
You can file a complaint by calling Udbetaling Danmark or fill in the form below.
- Lov om en børne- og ungeydelse (in Danish – new window)
- Lov om børnetilskud og forskudsvis udbetaling af børnebidrag (in Danish – new window)
- Lov om opkrævning af underholdsbidrag (in Danish – new window)
- Databeskyttelsesforordningen (in Danish – new window)
- Databeskyttelsesloven (in Danish – new window)
If you wish to apply for child support, you must fill in and send an application form to the Agency of Family Law (Familieretshuset).
In some situations, the Agency of Family Law will forward your application to the family court, who will make the decision.
If the Agency of Family Law or the family court decide that you are entitled to support from the other parent, you will receive a support decision. The support decision is your proof that you are entitled to the support or that you must pay it.
You can receive child support if you live with your child, but not with the other parent. You can also receive support if you provide for the child in some other way. It is the other parent who must pay the support to you. The general rule is that, as parents, you enter into an agreement concerning the support.
Get a quick overview of child support in the following guidance:
- Essential information concerning child support (PDF – in Danish)
- Draw up your own agreement concerning the amount of child support – find the agreement form (in Danish)
- Calculate your child support (in Danish)
If you establish a private agreement
If you, as parents, establish your own child support agreement, you should draw up the agreement in writing. On the Agency of Family Law's website, you will find a form which you can use to prepare your own support agreement. Your written agreement will be just as binding as a support agreement from the Agency of Family Law.
If you agree that the support should be determined
If you agree on the date of determination of the child support and the amount of support payable, you can apply to the Agency of Family Law to have the support fixed in accordance with your agreement.
The Agency of Family Law will not consider the case. Instead, we recommend that you read about what information is decisive when the Agency of Family Law determines child support.
If you share expenses
Child support will not normally be determined if you have a sharing arrangement and also share expenses relating to provision for the child between the 2 of you.
If you are unable to agree on the support, you can ask the Agency of Family Law to reach a decision concerning the support.
Please note that child support is not the same as child benefit or family allowance, which are benefits distributed by the government.
If you draw up an agreement concerning child support, you must also reach an agreement on the amount of support that will be payable. You should always establish the agreement in writing.
When establishing the agreement, you should also decide the circumstances under which the support could be amended. See familieretshuset.dk for more information (please note that the website is in Danish).
On the Agency of Family Law’s website, you will find a form which you can use to prepare your own support agreement. You will also find a support wizard which will enable you to calculate how much child support you can expect to have to pay or receive.
Regardless of whether it is the Agency of Family Law or the family court who determines the support, the support will be based on the following rates: The support will always consist of a basic amount and a fixed supplement, which are collectively referred to as ‘normal support’.
Normal support amounts to DKK 1,603 per month (2025). Normal support is adjusted annually on 1 January.
If the parent who pays the support to the other parent has a high income, an additional supplement may be payable – known as a ‘percentage supplement’. The Agency of Family Law or family court will calculate the percentage supplement based on the gross income of the parent paying the support and the number of children that parent is required to support.
We will calculate the support from the date on which the event which triggers the support occurs. This could for example be:
- cessation of the parents’ cohabitation
- cessation of provision for the child
- cessation of an access arrangement where the child spends approximately the same amount of time with each parent
- the child moving from one parent to the other.
If the Agency of Family Law receives your application for the determination of child support within no more than 2 months after the event which triggered the support, the child support will be determined from that date.
If you apply more than 2 months after the support-triggering event, we will determine the support from the date on which the Agency of Family Law receives the application.
If you are unable to agree on the amount of child support that should be paid, you can ask the Agency of Family Law to reach a decision on the matter.
You apply for child support by completing and submitting the digital form.
If you have established a child support agreement yourself, you must also agree between you when and how the support will be paid. The normal situation is for the parent who pays the support to pay a fixed amount to the other on the first day of each month. It can be a good idea for the parent that pays the support to set up a fixed monthly bank transfer with a reference which indicates that the payment concerns child support for the child in question. The reference for the monthly transfer could for example be ‘Child support for Peter’. This will also provide documentation that the payment has actually been made.
If the Agency of Family Law or the family court has reached a decision concerning the support, the Agency of Family Law will set a date for payment of the support. The Agency of Family Law will always set the payment date to the first day of each month. If the parent paying the support fails to pay punctually, the recipient can apply for Udbetaling Danmark to collect the support.
If you receive a payment demand from Udbetaling Danmark, you can set up a Betalingsservice agreement so you are sure that the support will be paid on time.
If you do not pay the support on time, Udbetaling Danmark will refer the outstanding amount to the Danish Debt Collection Agency for collection.
You and the child’s other parent can amend a previous agreement or a decision concerning child support at any time. Agreements and decisions concerning support should always be amended in writing.
On the Agency of Family Law’s website, you will find a form which you can use to draw up your own support agreement. If you draw up a new agreement yourself, you do not need to notify or contact the Agency of Family Law.
If the parents are unable to agree on a change to the support, you can apply to the Agency of Family Law to resolve the situation.
Fixed support can be amended at any time upon application provided the relevant conditions are met. The same applies to agreed support where the agreement states that it can be amended in accordance with the general guidelines, that is pursuant to Section 16 of the Act on provision for children (lov om børns forsørgelse).
If you have established an agreement concerning the amount of support payable and it is not agreed that the support can be amended under Section 16 of the Act on provision for children, different rules will apply to amendments to the support. Such an agreement can only be amended if the agreement is unreasonable, if the circumstances have changed materially or if the agreement is contrary to the best interests of the child. However, if you have agreed a level of support which is lower than the rates, the Agency of Family Law will normally increase the support if it receives an application for such an increase.
If you apply to amend child support, you must pay a fee of DKK 3,100 (2025). This fee must be paid when you submit your application. However, in some cases, you will not need to pay the fee to amend child support.
These cases are:
- if you apply for the child support to lapse because the child is now living with you,
- or if you apply for a change to agreed child support, and the Agency of Family Law has not previously considered a case concerning this child support.
A fee must only be paid if you apply for a change to support for several children between the same parties. Only one fee must also be paid if you apply for a reduction in support for several children in cases between different parties.
Read more about the calculation, how you can draw up an agreement yourself and the determination of child support.
If support approved by the Agency of Family Law is not paid by the agreed date, you can apply to Udbetaling Danmark and ask them to pay an advance on the support. This arrangement is referred to as ‘advance child support’.
Advance child support means that Udbetaling Danmark will pay your child support to you in advance. Udbetaling Danmark will then collect the support from the other parent.
However, you must first attempt to collect the support from the child’s other parent.
The child support comprises normal support and, in some cases, a percentage supplement. Udbetaling Danmark will only pay the normal support in advance. The percentage supplement will not be paid by Udbetaling Danmark until it has been paid by the other parent.
If you have established an agreement concerning child support yourself, you will not be able to apply for advance child support. However, you can apply to Udbetaling Danmark and ask them to collect the support from the other parent.
You can only have your child support paid in advance if both you and your child live in Denmark.
If your support decision was not reached in Denmark or another Nordic country, you must contact the Danish Debt Collection Agency on +45 70 15 73 04. The Danish Debt Collection Agency will investigate whether you can receive support payments in advance.
If you are a foreign citizen, you must have lived in Denmark for at least 3 years in order to have the support paid in advance. If you have lived in Denmark for less than 3 years, but have a Danish support decision, you can apply to Udbetaling Danmark and ask them to collect the support. For refugees, the same rules apply as for Danish citizens.
You can deduct the child support that you pay from your tax bill if:
- You have drawn up a written agreement concerning the child support
- You have a decision concerning child support from the Agency of Family Law
The basic amount for normal support is DKK 1,419 (2025). This is equivalent to DKK 17,028 per year (2025). You cannot deduct the supplement, which amounts to DKK 184 per month (2025). If you pay a higher amount in support, the percentage supplement can normally also be deducted.
The Agency of Family Law determines and adjusts child support amounts, while Udbetaling Danmark collects child support and, where appropriate, pays advances.
When to contact The Agency of Family Law:
Contact the Agency of Family Law if you have any questions regarding a decision concerning support or the amount of support payable.
When to contact Udbetaling Danmark
If you have any questions regarding collection of the support, contact Udbetaling Danmark on phone +45 70 12 80 62 or via Digital Post to ‘Familieydelser’ (Family benefits).
If you disagree with the decision made by the Agency of Family Law concerning support, you can appeal against it.Enclosed with the decision, you will receive guidance on how to appeal.
The Agency of Family Law must receive your appeal no more than 4 weeks after you received the decision.
You can read more about the legislation concerning child support.
- Child Allowance Act (in Danish)
- The Executive Order on Allowances (in Danish)
- Income summary for the determination of child and spousal support in 2014 (in Danish)
- Income summary for the determination of child and spousal support in 2015 (in Danish)
- Income summary for the determination of child and spousal support in 2016 (in Danish)
- Income summary for the determination of child and spousal support in 2017 (in Danish)
- Income summary for the determination of child and spousal support in 2018 (in Danish)
- Income summary for the determination of child and spousal support in 2019 (in Danish)
- Income summary for the determination of child and spousal support in 2020 (in Danish)
Do you have concerns about a child or young person?
In general, your child shall start school during the year in which they turn 6.
Your municipality will notify you when it is time to enrol your child in school. This is done via either a letter through the post or announcements in the daily press, such as local newspapers.
If you are in doubt as to whether your child is mature enough and ready to start school, you can apply for a school postponement, after which the municipal council will make an assessment.
You can find more information about your options and the different municipal primary and lower secondary schools by contacting your municipality.
The schools in a municipality each belong to their own school district. Your residential address determines which school district you belong to, and thus the school at which your child will be offered a spot.
More information on the school applicable to your child is available on the website of your municipality.
However, you have a free choice of school, which means that if you do not want your child to go to the municipal primary and lower secondary school in your district, you are free to enrol your child in one outside your school district or in a completely different municipality, providing there is space.
There is transparency on a number of key figures about the schools. If you are interested in finding out about satisfaction, grade point averages, absence rates, etc. at your child’s school, go to uddannelsesstatistik.dk. Enter the school name in the search field.
You must digitally enrol your child as a student at a municipal primary and lower secondary school.
At private schools
If your child will attend a private school, you should contact the school. Each school has its own rules for registration and enrolment, but in most cases it is a good idea to enrol your child well in advance.
If your child is offered a place at a private school, you can choose to contact the municipal district school that the child would otherwise have attended and tell them that your child is not going to enrol there.
In some municipalities, you should notify the district school at which the child has been registered. By doing so, the municipality can keep track of whether it is meeting its responsibility to ensure that every child of a compulsory school age in the municipality is enrolled in a municipal primary and lower secondary school or otherwise receiving an education.
Early start
If the school, day-care and parents all agree that a child is mature enough and will be able to keep up with a school education, the Head of the school, in consultation with the child’s parents, may decide that the child can start school earlier than normal. The child can start school, at the earliest, in the calendar year in which they turn 5 before 1 October.
If parents desire an early start to school, they should contact the municipality’s school administration for information on how to proceed. They can also contact the local municipal primary and lower secondary school.
Late start
If you, as parents – in consultation with the school and, for example, the child’s day-care centre – agree that your child is not mature enough to start school at the age of 6, you can request a one-year schooling postponement. Approval for this must be given by the municipal council. The decision to postpone compulsory education must be made in the calendar year in which the child turns 6 and no later than the start of the school year on 1 August.
It is mandatory for all children to attend kindergarten class. Kindergarten classes are generally taught by kindergarten class leaders who have received teacher training, but teachers can also be responsible for some of the education. Some of the teaching in kindergarten classes can be done together with the 1st and 2nd grade classes, such that they have joint lessons. In smaller schools, all of the teaching for the 3 groups may be composite.
With the latest amendment to the Act on municipal primary and lower secondary schools, the total minimum teaching hours in kindergarten has been changed to 1,110 hours. It is now also possible for municipal councils to deviate from the rules on minimum teaching hours.
Educational content
Kindergarten is a transitional year in which children can get used to going to school and learn some basic things. For example, the children shall:
- get familiar with numbers and letters
- learn to listen to and retell a story
- begin to learn to write
In addition, the children work with creativity and music, movement and nature. Another one of the teaching goals is to teach the children some social skills, such as working in groups and becoming familiar with the rules of a class.
If you are the parents of a child with a disability or impairment, it would benefit you to start planning your school start well in advance, preferably 1 to 2 years ahead of time.
It is a good idea to get the name of and involve the person who is going to coordinate the transition between kindergarten and school. It is usually your case worker or a person from pedagogical-psychological counselling ('PPR') who handles the coordination.
If you wish to appeal something relating to your child’s school start, you can first contact the Head of the school, who has overall administrative and pedagogical responsibility for the school.
If you are not satisfied with the decision from the Head of the school, you can file an appeal with the municipality within 4 weeks. Appeals against decisions of the municipality cannot be filed with other authorities.
Early childhood education and care is in the following referred to as childcare. Childcare can be offered in the form of a daycare facility (public, private, independent), nursery, kindergarten or family daycare (public or private).
Parents who have legal residence in Denmark must have the possibility to receive childcare.
The municipality determines, among other things:
- what it costs to have your child in childcare
- when the child may enrol for the waiting list
- the extent to which waiting lists for children from other municipalities may be closed for a limited period.
You have the possibility to apply for a place in a daycare facility in another municipality unless the municipality in question has closed the waiting list for children from outside the municipality.
You can put your child on a waiting list for childcare such as family daycare (dagpleje), nurseries (vuggestuer) and kindergartens (børnehaver). You must indicate when you need the place.
Children of parents with legal residence in Denmark has guaranteed childcare. This means that the municipality must allocate a place in an age-appropriate daycare for all children over 26 weeks old until they start school. If you do not request a place until immediately before or after 26 weeks, the municipality has a deadline of another 4 weeks to offer you a place. To the extent possible, the municipality takes into account any wishes for a specific daycare. Check your municipality’s current rules on registration dates and seniority.
At family daycare, a childminder generally looks after a small group of children in the childminder's own home. This form of childcare is typically used for children under the age of 3.
According to the Daycare Act, a childminder at family daycare can look after up to 5 children. However, there may be up to 10 children if there are 2 or more childminders to look after the children.
The family daycare may be public or private.
Daycare facilities may be run and established by the municipality as public daycare facilities – or they can be run by private providers as independent or private daycare facilities.
Daycare facilities may be, for example:
- nurseries (vuggestue) for children aged 0-3 years old
- kindergartens (børnehave) for children aged 3-6 years old
- combined nursery and kindergartens (integreret institution) for children aged 0-6 years old.
You can read about the setting up of independent and private institutions under 'Rules for daycare facilities':
Opening hours
The opening hours of daycare facilities vary depending on local needs. You can contact the daycare facility or check the website of the daycare facility to see the specific opening hours.
Cost
Public childcare is financed partly by the parents (maximum 25 per cent of the operating costs), partly by the municipality. Prices can differ depending on the municipality and the type of childcare.
In some daycare facilities the spoken language is English. To register, please contact the respective municipality, and do it as soon as possible as a waiting list is not unusual.
Combination care is a possibility for parents with a documented work-related need for childcare outside the operating hours of the daycare facility. The offer of combination care consists of a part-time place in a daycare facility combined with a subsidy for ‘flexible childcare’.
The flexibility of combination care means that the child can be in a daycare facility while the parents are working during the operating hours of the daycare facility while via the flexible childcare the parents can also have a flexible childminder look after the child outside the operating hours of the daycare facility when the parents are at work.
Flexible childcare is subject to the following requirements
- The main language of the flexible childcare shall be Danish, though in exceptional cases the municipality may allow for a main language other than Danish, if it does not adversely impact integration.
- The flexible childminder must be able to substantiate that they are sufficiently proficient in Danish to develop the child’s Danish language skills.
- The flexible childcare must be organised such that children are ensured participation, shared responsibility, and understanding of democracy.
- The municipality must approve the childcare agreement entered into between you and the flexible childminder and perform oversight of the flexible childcare. The municipality must also approve the financial conditions in the childcare agreement.
Who can qualify for combination care?
Only those with a documented work-related need for childcare outside the normal daycare hours of operation are entitled to combination care in the form of a part-time place in a daycare together with a subsidy for flexible childcare:
- If you are a single parent, you are entitled to combination care if you can substantiate your needs.
- If you and your partner live together, you must both substantiate that you have a work-related need for childcare outside the normal daycare hours of operation.
Such substantiation may consist of, for example, an employer’s declaration, a shift schedule, or the like, which must be submitted together with your application. If you have children who are enrolled in language stimulation in the form of 30 hours at a daycare facility per week (see § 11, paragraph 8 of the Daycare Act) or are in the target group for compulsory learning offers under §§ 44a–44g of the Daycare Act, you are not entitled to combination care.
The ratio between the daycare facility and flexible childcare
The municipality determines the average number of hours for the part-time place in a daycare facility and for the flexible childcare by a childminder. The determination is made based of your application and substantiated needs.
- The flexible childcare shall average at least 10 hours per week. The time spent in the part-time daycare place and in the flexible childcare shall be calculated over a period of at least 4 weeks.
- In total, the combination care cannot exceed the corresponding amount of time for a full-time place in an age-appropriate municipal daycare.
When one or both parents take their rightful leave under the Act on parental leave, they can get a part-time place.
- 30 hours a week in a daycare facility for children in the household in the age group 26 weeks and until the start of school.
- Reduced out-of-pocket payment.
Parental leave for a single contiguous period
Parental leave under the Act on parental leave must be taken in one contiguous period per child.
- If parents take parental leave as a direct extension of one another, it is considered to be a single contiguous period.
- If your parental leave is interrupted for a period of more than 5 weeks or if it otherwise ceases, or if you want to change the part-time place to a full-time place, you must generally pay full price.
- Parents are obligated to inform their municipality of residence if their parental leave is interrupted for a period of more than 5 weeks or if it otherwise ceases.
Documentation
You must have documentation that you are or will be on parental leave under the Act on parental leave during the dates for which you want an offer for a part-time place.
The documentation may consist of, for example, a copy of your medical records showing the expected delivery date, an agreement with your employer on deferred parental leave, or the like.
If you want a place with a private family daycare or in a private daycare provision, you must contact them directly. The municipalities have no say in the allocation of such places.
Private daycare provision is an alternative offer to daycare facilities. They are therefore subject to other requirements.
The municipality must approve and perform regular supervision of private daycare provisions. At private daycare provision, a childminder can look after a maximum of 5 children, or up to 10 children if there are more people to look after them.
The parents may receive a financial subsidy from the municipality on the condition that the municipality has approved the private daycare provision that you wish to make use of.
What is the difference between a private family daycare and a private daycare provision?
A private family daycare is a childcare service for children based on an agreement between the municipality and the childminder. The private family daycare is thus part of the municipal provision.
A private daycare provision is based on an agreement between a private childminder and the parents. Private daycare provision is generally run without public funding and is fully or partially financed by the parents' payment. However, it is possible to apply for financial subsidy for private daycare provision.
More information on private daycare provision and subsidies is available on the website of the Ministry of Children and Education:
If you do not agree with the municipality’s decision in a given case, you may make a complaint to the municipality within 4 weeks of receiving the decision. The municipality must then re-assess its decision within 4 weeks of the complaint being received. If the municipality upholds its decision, it will forward your complaint to the Board of Appeal which will rule on the decision.
You may not file an appeal with another authority against a municipality’s decision on the following matters:
- admission to a daycare facility
- approval of private daycare provision or revocation of an approval
- approval of flexible childcare/combination care.
If you believe that the municipality is in non-compliance with applicable legislation, you can contact the municipal supervision department of the Board of Appeal.
The supervision by the Board of Appeal is a judicial review, meaning that it only assesses whether there is legislative compliance. It does not take a position on whether the municipality’s decisions are reasonable or appropriate, nor on whether the case processing is in accordance with good administrative practice.
Based on your information, it assesses, among other things, whether a supervision case shall be brought. If an appeals authority can take a position on the case in question, the supervision department will not intervene in the case.
The purpose of the primary school is – in cooperation with the parents – to give the pupils skills that:
- prepare them for further education and make them enthusiastic to learn more
- familiarise them with Danish culture and history
- give them an understanding of other countries and cultures
- contribute to their understanding of human interaction with nature and promote the overall development of the individual pupils.
The primary school is to develop working methods and create frameworks for experience, exploration and enterprise, so the pupils develop recognition and imagination and gain confidence in their possibilities and the basis to judge and to act.
The primary school is to prepare the pupils for participation, shared responsibility, rights and duties in a society with freedom and democratic government. The work of the school must therefore be characterised by freedom of thought, equal worth and democracy.
The mandatory subjects in the primary school are divided into 3 subject areas: The humanities, the practical/musical subjects and science. The subjects, divided by year stages, are:
Humanities
- Danish in all years
- English in years 2 to 10 (classes 1 to 9)
- 2nd foreign language from year 6 (class 5) and the possibility of a 3rd foreign language as an optional subject from year 8 (class 7)
- Christian studies at all years apart from the year when confirmation is prepared
- History in years 4 to 10 (classes 3 to 9)
- Social studies in years 9 and 10 (classes 8 and 9).
Practical/creative
- Physical education in all years
- Music in years 2 to 7 (classes 1 to 6)
- Visual arts in years 2 to 6 (classes 1 to 5)
- Design, wood and metalwork (previously sewing and handicrafts) and food science (previously domestic science) in one or more years within the range of years 6 to 7 (classes 5 to 6).
Science
- Mathematics in all years
- Natural sciences/technology (previously science/techniques) in years 2 to 7 (classes 1 to 6)
- Geography in years 8 to 10 (classes 7 to 9)
- Biology in years 8 to 10 (classes 7 to 9)
- Physics/chemistry in years 8 to 10 (classes 7 to 9).
The schools must offer either German or French as alternative subjects from years 8 to 10 (classes 7 to 9).
In addition, there are a number of optional subjects that the schools can offer the pupils from years 8 to 11 (classes 7 to 10). These are, for example, drama, music, film and media.
The pupils in years 8, 9 and 10 (classes 7, 8 and 9) must choose at least 1 optional or alternative subject.
Supportive education can be provided by both teachers and childcare workers. The idea is that the pupils get the opportunity to try out what they have learned in the subject lessons in practice. Supportive education is provided at the end of the school day.
See the planned teaching for your child’s school through the link 'planned educational material' (planlagt undervisningsmateriale). The report shows at the level of municipality and school to what extent the schools plan in accordance with the minimum number of hours.
The average length of a school week is:
- 27.8 hours for the youngest children from kindergarten to year 4 (class 3)
- 33 hours for the middle children in years 5 to 7 (classes 4 to 6)
- 35 hours for the oldest children in years 8 to 10 (classes 7 to 9).
Assistance in studies
The introduction of the mandatory study cafés entered into force on 1 August 2015.All children must exercise an average of 45 minutes a day as part of the school day. The exercise can be both part of sports lessons and as part of the supplementary education. Sport is also a test subject for year 9.
The number of pupils in each class at the start of the school year may normally not exceed 26 in kindergarten to year 3 (class 2) and 28 in year 4 to 10 (classes 3 to 9. In special cases, the municipality can allow a larger number of pupils, though not more than 28 in kindergarten to year 3 (class 2) and 30 in year 4 to 10 (classes 3 to 9).
Several pupils with special needs shall be included in the general primary school. The objective is that the share of pupils in general education is increased from 94.4 per cent to 96 per cent of the total number of pupils in primary school in 2015.
This means that pupils who need less than 9 hours of support each week must have the support within the framework of general education and thus not as special education.Support for included pupils
In the Act on inclusion of pupils with special needs, it is stated that support for pupils who need support without the need for special educational assistance can for example be given in the form of differential education and setting.
Children needing support who cannot be solely supported by differentiation and setting must be offered supplementary teaching or other educational assistance. 2-teacher arrangements and teaching assistants can also be used to support both the individual child and the class as a whole.
There are 202 school days in the school year and 163 vacation days and public holidays, and a school year lasts from summer holiday to summer holiday.
An example of vacations and public holidays in a primary school could therefore be:
- Summer vacation: 30 June – 14 August
- Autumn vacation: 13 October – 21 October
- Christmas vacation: 22 December – 1 January
- Winter vacation: 9 February – 17 February
- Easter vacation: 15 March – 24 March
- St. Bededag (Great Prayer Day): 18 April
- Ascension Day: 1 May
- Public holiday: May 2
- Whitsun vacation: 10 May – 12 May
- Constitution Day: 5 June
- Summer vacation: 28 June – Sunday 10 August.
If you wish to complain about conditions in the primary school, you should normally approach the school Head. They have the overall educational and administrative responsibility for the school. This includes, for example, teaching and grades.
Read more about complaint options in the primary school on the website of the Ministry of Children and Education under the heading 'Ansvarsforhold og klagemuligheder' (Responsibility and possibilities of complaint).You can also find information on the framework of primary schools by approaching your local school, or read more on the web page of the Danish Ministry of Children and Education.
Many tourists and visitors choose to get married here in the Municipality.
Here is information about Marriage how to arrange this, and the documents that you will need to bring with you.
Internationale Eheschließungen
International marriages
If your family’s total household income is below a certain threshold, you can apply to the municipality for an extra financial subsidy so that it will be cheaper or completely free to have your child in daycare. This is called an income-based subsidy.
When you apply for an income-based subsidy, the starting point is your monthly household income. Your monthly household income is used to calculate your annual income (multiplied by 12) to find your family’s income-based subsidy percentage on the scale.
The income thresholds for 2025 are as follows:
- up to DKK 208,101 – income-based subsidy corresponding to all out-of-pocket fees that are eligible for subsidy (2025)
- DKK 208,101 to 646,499 – partial income-based subsidy (2025)
- DKK 646,500 and over – no income-based subsidy (2025)
The income thresholds are increased by:
- DKK 7,000 for each resident child under the age of 18 in addition to the first resident child (2025)
- DKK 72,822 when the parent who is entitled to the place and the income-based subsidy is a single parent (2025).
Recalculation of the income-based subsidy
When the municipality is to calculate and later recalculate your income-based subsidy for a specific month, the municipality bases it on the household’s monthly income. When calculating the income-based subsidy for an individual month, the municipality uses the information that you provided when applying. For the purpose of recalculating your monthly income-based subsidy, the information on your monthly income is pulled from the Danish Tax Agency’s so-called income register. There are special rules for, among other things, income from self-employment and income that is not taxable in Denmark.
More information on the rules, and the current income thresholds, are available on the Ministry of Children and Education website:
You apply to your municipality for an income-based subsidy. You must apply digitally by using the self-service, 'Apply for an income-based daycare subsidy'.
The municipality recalculates your income-based subsidy if the income comparison shows a deviation of at least 5 steps on the scale of income thresholds. This is done using information from the Danish Tax Agency’s income register.
Too high or too low of an allocated income-based subsidy is generally deducted from or added to the subsequent collection of out-of-pocket fees for the place in a daycare facility. For parents with children in private institutions, too high or too low of an allocated income-based subsidy shall be paid back or paid out to them as an additional payment, respectively.
It is possible for parents to have their income-based subsidy recalculated when the conditions for doing so are met.
For use in the recalculation, the parents shall inform the municipality of all circumstances of significance to the amount of the income-based subsidy, including changes in the household composition. However, the parents are not obligated to provide information on changes in income, unless it concerns income from self-employment or income that is not taxable in Denmark.
In making the annual adjustments, a final statement is produced for household income in the individual months and on that basis a final calculation is made of the income-based subsidy for the individual months.
Parents have a duty to inform the municipality of changes in household composition, marital status, or other changes that may entail changes in the income-based subsidy.
You are entitled to a financial subsidy if your child has a significant and permanent impairment of physical or mental functioning and for therapeutic reasons has a place in a daycare facility. This is called a treatment subsidy and it reduces by half the out-of-pocket fees for the place in a daycare facility.
It is the municipality that assesses whether the child is entitled to a treatment subsidy and it is therefore the municipality that assesses whether you are entitled to a financial subsidy. A treatment subsidy can only ever be granted after a concrete and individual assessment of the child.
The municipality can also grant a socio-educational subsidy when:
- the municipal council assesses the child’s time in daycare to be particularly necessary for social or pedagogical reasons, and
- the issue of fees makes it difficult for the child to go to or remain enrolled in a daycare facility.
Both conditions must be met, and the allocation of a socio-educational subsidy always takes place after a concrete and individual situational assessment of the family and the child. It is up to the individual municipality to make the assessment, including a determination of which criteria to emphasize.
An income-based subsidy is calculated before any treatment, socio-educational, or sibling subsidy.
If you, as the parent(s), meet the conditions to receive sibling subsidy, then it amounts to half of the out-of-pocket fees for the cheapest place that you have. The cheapest place is determined by comparing the net operating costs of the place(s) for which the parents already pay.
Thus, parents pay full fees for the most expensive place that they have. The term 'sibling' includes biological siblings, adopted siblings, and step-siblings who live at the same address.
If you, as the parent(s), have a place at a daycare facility with a healthy lunch, and you as the parent(s) are entitled to sibling subsidy there, then you as the parent(s) are also entitled to a sibling subsidy for the lunch. This means that the municipality does not have to make a new assessment of whether sibling subsidy shall be provided for the lunch. The sibling subsidy is therefore calculated in relation to the child who receives the sibling subsidy there.
Sibling subsidy for private childcare according to § 80 of the Daycare Act are set at an amount that corresponds to at least 85 per cent of the sibling subsidy for the cheapest age-appropriate daycare facility in the municipality.
The sibling subsidy is independent from any other financial subsidy that the municipality has chosen to provide for private childcare. The basic subsidy for private childcare and the sibling subsidy shall be used for the parents’ payments for such.
You will automatically receive sibling subsidy, so you do not have to apply for it.
If you want a place in a private daycare facility according to § 19, paragraph 5 of the Daycare Act, you must contact the daycare facility directly. The municipality cannot assign children places in private daycare facilities, and private daycare facilities themselves determine the parental out-of-pocket fees.
Municipalities provide financial subsidies to approved private daycare facilities. However, you are not entitled to a financial subsidy there until the child is entitled to attend a daycare facility in your own municipality.
The subsidies from the municipality consist of an operating subsidy, a building subsidy, and an administration subsidy, which the municipality issues directly to the private daycare facility.
Parents with children from the age of 24 weeks until they start school shall be allowed by the municipality to choose a financial subsidy for private childcare instead of accepting a place in a daycare facility.
However, the municipality may decide that financial subsidy for private childcare is only provided to parents with children in a certain age group.
Outdoor life
There are plenty of opportunities for fresh air and nature experiences in Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality. On the two virtual maps below you can get an overview of outdoor facilities on land and by water.
Playground for the whole family
If you are looking for an adventure playground for the whole family, take a trip to the Momhøje Nature Centre.
Covering an area equivalent to 120 football pitches, there are footpaths, barbeque areas, adventure playgrounds, bridle paths, mountain bike routes, and overnight shelters.
A mix of woodland, heaths and bogs, part of the area was also once a lignite quarry, resulting in a varied and fascinating terrain.
Once you have taken a positive pregnancy test, you are offered to book an appointment for your first pregnancy consultation with your family doctor (also called a general practitioner, GP).
You are welcome to bring a partner along with you.
What happens at the first pregnancy consultation?
- You will be registered as pregnant in the doctor's system. This means that you will automatically be called in for midwife appointments.
- You might be offered to have blood tests taken.
- Your doctor will talk to you about the services that are available during your pregnancy, such as ultrasound scans.
- You will talk to the doctor about where the birth can take place, and you will be referred to the birthplace of your choice.
- You will be given a health booklet (called 'vandrejournal' in Danish) – this is a paper with information concerning your pregnancy and you need to bring it with you to all pregnancy-related appointments throughout your pregnancy. Currently, a digital version is under development.
Depending on your specific needs and your situation you might have other tests taken or talk about other topics as well.
The basic principle of the Danish welfare system is that all citizens have equal rights to social security. The majority of healthcare services are financed by general taxes and mainly provided free of charge.
If you have a Danish civil registration number (CPR number), you are covered by the national health insurance. Your visits with your family doctor (GP) are free of charge, and the same applies for the midwife consultations, 2 ultrasound scans at the hospital (around weeks 12 and 20) and your birth and potential stay at the hospital after the birth.
You are also entitled to visits from a health visitor (sundhedsplejerske) in your own home after the birth. A health visitor is a nurse with special training in child health and development. These visits are also free of charge.
Not covered by the national health insurance?
If you are not a resident in Denmark, or if you, for other reasons, are not covered by the Danish national health insurance, you may have to cover the costs yourself. Talk to your family doctor (GP) or the hospital to find out which rules apply to you.
Consultations with your family doctor (GP) and midwife
When you or your partner are pregnant, you will be offered a number of consultations to ensure that you and your baby have the best possible pregnancy. The consultations are free of charge and are offered to you by your own family doctor (GP) and a midwife in the local area or at the hospital. If you have an uncomplicated pregnancy and birth, your GP and a midwife will be your primary healthcare representatives – you will not see an obstetrician (a doctor who focuses on pregnancy and birth).
- Family doctor (GP): You have 3 consultations (weeks 6-10, week 25 and week 32 of the pregnancy), if you have an uncomplicated pregnancy.
- Midwife: You have around 4 to 7 consultations with a midwife, if you have an uncomplicated pregnancy. The number of visits depends on when you give birth (before or past your due date).
The consultations are designed to provide advice about the pregnancy and prepare you for the birth. The midwife will also listen to the baby's heartbeat and feel how the baby lies within the womb.
You book the consultations with your family doctor (GP) yourself. The midwife consultations are booked for you – you will receive information about time and date via Digital Post.
Offer of ultrasound scans
All pregnant women are offered 2 ultrasound scans during pregnancy to monitor whether the foetus is developing as it should. It is voluntary to participate. You often have to book an appointment for the first ultrasound scan yourself.
- The first ultrasound scan, called the 1st trimester ultrasound scan, takes place in weeks 11 to 13 of pregnancy. The purposes of the 1st trimester scan are 1) to confirm that the foetus is alive, 2) to determine the number of foetuses and 3) to set a more precise due date. You will be offered a risk assessment, which can tell you the likelihood of the baby having a chromosomal abnormality such as Down syndrome. If you want a risk assessment, you should have a blood sample (called the double test) taken too. Where you have the blood sample taken, might depend on the region you live in. Talk to your GP or midwife, if you are unsure of what to do.
- The second ultrasound scan, called the 2nd trimester ultrasound scan, takes place in weeks 18 to 21 of pregnancy. The purposes of the 2nd trimester scan are 1) to examine the growth of the foetus, 2) to determine the location of the placenta and 3) to scan the foetus for congenital malformations.
Free influenza and covid-19 vaccination during autumn and winter
The influenza and covid-19 vaccines are free for pregnant women in their 2nd or 3rd trimester during autumn and winter.
Pregnant women have an increased risk of complications if they get influenza and covid-19 and therefore the Danish Health Authority recommends that pregnant women get vaccinated.
Book an appointment at a vaccination clinic
The influenza and covid-19 vaccines are offered in a regional vaccination clinic from 1 October and until the end of December. You must book an appointment yourself at www.vacciner.dk.
Free vaccination against pertussis year-round
Vaccination against pertussis (whooping cough) is free for pregnant women and can be administered from the 2nd trimester and until 1 week before planned birth. The purpose is to protect the new-born child until it gets vaccinated itself.
The vaccination against pertussis is offered at the family doctor (GP), usually in connection with the regular pregnancy visits in week 25 or 32.
Regarding food
When you are pregnant, food can affect your baby while it is growing inside your belly. Follow the official dietary advice from the Danish Food Administration.
It is recommended to take supplements of folic acid, vitamin D and iron. Also, make sure to get calcium through diet or supplements.
Regarding exercise
Physical activity during pregnancy is beneficial for both you and your baby. The Danish Health Authority recommends physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day. There are a few important precautions regarding for instance hard exercise and contact sports.
Find the leaflet 'Healthy habits – before, during and after pregnancy' at the website of the Danish Health Authority. The leaflet is available in English and a number of other languages. You can also find other information regarding a healthy pregnancy:
Smoking and alcohol
Smoking, nicotine and alcohol are harmful to your baby and the baby's development throughout pregnancy.
Many municipalities have programmes that support your health. Talk to your doctor (GP) or midwife – or contact the municipality to find out more.
Family counselling and support
Pregnancy is a life-changing event and can be a life crisis, and some people may need counselling or help with finances, relationships or previous experiences during pregnancy or childbirth.
Talk to your family doctor (GP), midwife or health visitor (sundhedsplejerske) if you have any concerns about pregnancy or the first time as a parent. They can provide advice and possibly refer you to additional services.
Private organisations such as Mødrehjælpen can also support you.
Domestic violence
Domestic violence is a public health problem that has vast physical, psychological, social and economic consequenses for those exposed, as well as for children witnessing the violence.
All forms of violence are illegal in Denmark, including domestic violence and violence against children.
Violence can be both physical and psychological – but also stalking and sexual violence, economic, material and digital violence are examples of different types of violence.
If you are a victim of violence while you are pregnant or as a new parent, it is important that you seek help – for instance from your midwife, health visitor (sundhedsplejerske) or general practitioner (GP). You can also contact the hotline Lev Uden Vold (Live Without Violence):
How can pregnancy apps help you?
Pregnancy apps can support you during pregnancy and the early postpartum period by offering general guidance. They often include advice on health and well-being, and provide information about what to expect during pregnancy, birth, and life with a new-born baby.
Apps from the public Denmark
Min Graviditet: The Danish Health Service has created the app, Min Graviditet (My Pregnancy), which provides information about pregnancy, labour and the first 8 weeks after birth. The app is free of charge and in Danish.
Min Baby: When the baby is born, you can use the the Danish Committee for Health Education's app, Min Baby (My Baby). The app is created in cooperation with the Danish Health Authority, the Danish Association of Midwives and the trade union Danske Fysioterapeuter (Danish physiotherapists). The app guides you through your child's development and reminds you about vaccinations, doctor's appointments, vitamins and much more. The app costs a small amount to download and it is in Danish.
Both apps can be downloaded via App Store or Google Play.
Decide on the place of birth with your family doctor (GP)
You can choose to give birth:
- At the hospital
- At home
- Some regions in Denmark offer birth at a maternity clinic outside the hospital.
Your family doctor (GP) and midwife can tell you about options and offers in the region you live in.
Birth at home or at a maternity clinic is only recommended if you have had an uncomplicated pregnancy, and an uncomplicated birth is expected. Pregnant women who cannot be immediately referred for home birth are offered a consultation with a specialist in gynaecology and obstetrics. Regardless of the recommendation, you always have the right to midwifery care in your own home if that is what you want.
Free choice of hospital
In Denmark, there is free choice of hospital. This means that, in principle, you can give birth at the hospital of your choice. However, there must be room at your preferred hospital – both in the maternity ward and in the paediatric ward. You are guaranteed a place in the hospital to which you belong based on your home address.
There may be special conditions of the woman or foetus that mean that you are recommended to give birth at a different hospital than where you normally belong.
What kind of maternity care can you get?
If you have a civil registration number (CPR number), you are entitled to free midwifery and medical care during labour.
The pregnant woman can bring the child's other parent or another relative to the birth. In some cases, it is possible for a relative to stay overnight with mum and baby. Ask your midwife if you have any special requests or needs.
Vaginal birth or c-section?
A vaginal birth is generally planned if the pregnancy is uncomplicated. However, you might get a planned c-section if you have medical reasons to get it. This is something you talk about with your midwife during your consultations.
In Denmark, approximately 20 per cent of all births are c-sections. Half of these are planned c-sections and half emergency c-sections that are performed during labour due to complications.
Free birth preparation and parenting courses at the hospital
In the last months of pregnancy, you can attend birth preparation and parenting courses. These are free courses held at the hospital. The format of the courses varies from hospital to hospital. For example, it can be a large hall with joint classes or small groups. Or it can be online videos available at the hospital's website. Ask your midwife or health visitor (sundhedsplejerske) what local programmes are available.
What do you learn during the courses?
The content of the courses is designed to reflect pregnancy, labour, birth, maternity and parenthood. That entails for instance:
- What danger signs to look out for during pregnancy.
- When to call the hospital, the stages of labour, the partner's role during birth and pain relief.
- Skin-to-skin contact with both parents and establishment of breastfeeding.
- The baby's first days, nutrition and sleep habits.
- Relationships, the body after giving birth, sexuality and becoming a family.
- Postpartum reactions and the offer of visits from a health visitor (sundhedsplejerske).
- Birth preparation (in Danish)
- Sundhed.dk: About birth preparation (in Danish)
- Sundhed.dk: About birth complications (in Danish)
Find out if the municipality has special pregnancy programmes
The municipality may have targeted programmes for pregnant women and parents-to-be. Talk to your health visitor about what programmes are available in the municipality that may be relevant to you.
Birth preparation that you have to pay for yourself
There are private programmes outside the hospital that you can sign up for and have to pay for yourself. You can for instance attend birth preparation classes in water, yoga, gymnastics and much more. Find out for yourself which programmes are right for you.
Signs that labour is about to start can be:
- Mucus from the vagina – the mucus plug has broken
- Slightly slimy vaginal bleeding – 'sign bleeding'
- Contractions
- Amniotic fluid oozing or running
Call the midwife or hospital
Call your midwife or the hospital if you notice any signs that labour is about to start.
The midwife will ask you about your contractions and assess how far along in the process you are.
- Giving birth at home: If you plan to give birth at home, a midwife will come and assist the birth.
- Giving birth at the hospital: If you plan to give birth at the hospital, a midwife will advise you on when to come to the hospital. If you come too early, you might be sent home again to wait until you are further along in the labour process.
Please note that you need to transport yourself to the hospital, unless it is an emergency. When you arrive at the hospital, you will be assigned a midwife who is on duty.
In labour
The labour process varies from person to person. The labour typically lasts from a few hours to 24 hours. You are entitled to midwifery and medical care during labour. If the birth is uncomplicated, there will be one or more midwives present, no doctors (obstetricians/OB-GYNs).
It is a good idea to bring a companion to the birth, and it might also be possible for a companion to stay the night at the hospital with you and the baby.
Pain relief methods
There are different options concerning pain relief. Pain relief methods available may be massage, warm bath, oxygen, sterile water injections, acupuncture, laughing gas and local anaesthesia/epidural.
Please note that medical pain relief is only available when giving birth at the hospital, and the options available may vary from hospital to hospital, so ask your midwife during pregnancy about your options.
First moments after birth
- Skin-to-skin contact: Once the baby is born, they will immediately be placed on the chest of the mother with the umbilical cord attached. Skin to skin-contact (holding your baby naked against your skin) is encouraged as there are many benefits to this – for instance that your baby can hear the comforting sound of your heartbeat and voice, which helps them calm and relax. Skin-to-skin also helps boost your milk supply and stimulate your baby's feeding instincts.
- Cleaning of the baby: The baby may be wiped but they are not bathed/cleaned.
- Weighing, measuring and other routine procedures: Depending on the health of your baby, these can usually wait until approximately 1 hour after birth. Some of the procedures might be done while the mother holds the baby. Some procedures done in other countries will not be done in Denmark. Ask your midwife beforehand to avoid surprises.
- You are responsible for your baby: The baby stays with the mother/parents in the room. You care for the baby, but can of course ask the midwives for help.
- C-section: The moments after birth might be different after a planned or emergency c-section. If the c-section is planned, or you would like to know about (emergency) c-sections, talk to your midwife about what to expect.
More examinations of the baby
A few days after the baby is born, the hospital offers 2 examinations of the baby: a hearing test and a heel blood test (screening for congenital conditions).
Many children develop jaundice after being born. This is completely normal. It is only if your child has severe jaundice and becomes lethargic and won’t feed that they will receive light treatment in hospital. Breastfeed your child as often as possible – this helps clear the jaundice. If you have concerns, talk to a midwife, your GP or health visitor (sundhedsplejerske).
It differs how long first time and second time parents can stay at the hospital – from region to region and hospital to hospital. Talk to your midwife about your wishes and options.
First time parents
If there are no complications, and you wish to go home, you can leave the hospital approximately 4 to 6 hours after giving birth.
If you prefer to stay at the hospital, you often have the option to stay 1 to 2 nights in the family unit at the hospital. You take care of the baby yourself, but midwives and nurses are available to help – for instance regarding breastfeeding.
If you leave the hospital within the first 24 hours after birth, you have the right to a home visit from healthcare professionals.
Second (or more) time parents
If there are no complications, you can leave the hospital approximately 4 to 6 hours after giving birth. It is only possible to stay at the hospital in case of complications or other special circumstances.
In the course of 2025, second (or more) time parents who leave the hospital within the first 24 hours after birth will also have the right to a home visit from healthcare professionals. Talk to your midwife about the options at the hospital in which you are giving birth.
The Danish Health Authority recommends breastfeeding
The Danish Health Authority recommends full breastfeeding until your baby is around 6 months old, as breast milk is the healthiest nutrition for your baby. Partial breastfeeding is recommended until the child is 12 months or longer if both mother and child are comfortable with it.
It's normal for breastfeeding to cause problems
It's a good idea for both parents to spend some time learning about breastfeeding. For some, getting breastfeeding started is relatively easy, for others it can be challenging. It's something both mum and baby need to learn, and the other parent can provide support.
Breastfeeding can cause discomfort such as pain, sore nipples, insufficient milk or mastitis. You can get help and support with breastfeeding from your midwife, maternity nurse and health visitor (sundhedsplejerske).
Breastfeeding techniques: 4 things to help get breastfeeding started
- Skin-to-skin contact: Spend as much time as you can with your baby skin to skin.
- Frequent breastfeeding: Put your baby to the breast when they show signs of hunger – and at least 8 times every 24 hours.
- Good breastfeeding positions: Position yourself and your baby so you are both comfortable and it does not hurt when your baby sucks.
- A joint parenting task: Work together to make breastfeeding a success. Your partner's support is crucial – they can for instance help with finding the best positions and offer mental support.
If you cannot or do not wish to breastfeed
Talk to your midwife or health visitor (sundhedsplejerske) if you are thinking of opting out or stopping breastfeeding. The Danish Health Authority recommends breast milk over formula if possible. You may be able to milk out and bottle-feed if breastfeeding is not working for you and your baby.
There may be good reasons why you are unable or unwilling to breastfeed. A good mum is someone who makes the right decisions for herself and her family. If you don't enjoy breastfeeding, stopping may be the right decision for you and your family.
All parents are entitled to leave in connection with childbirth. The mother also has the right to leave in connection with pregnancy.
During leave, parents are entitled to benefits if they meet the employment requirement:
- All pregnant women have the right to 4 weeks leave with benefits before the birth.
- Mothers, fathers and co-mothers have the right to 2 weeks leave with benefits in connection with the birth.
- After the 2 weeks of leave each parent has 22 weeks with benefits, some of which can be transferred to the other parent.
Special rules apply for single parents, who have chosen to have children alone, or for parents who did not live together when the child was born. These parents receive a different number of the leave. Other rules also apply to adoptive parents and parents in LGBT+ families.
Your rights to receive salary, benefits and other financial support depend on your employment, among other things.
Leave with salary or benefits?
If you are a salaried employee, you may continue to be paid during all or part of your leave. If you are not a salaried employee, or you do not receive your salary during the entirety of your leave, you may be entitled to benefits.
If you are a salaried employee, talk to your workplace about your rights and options. If you are a member of a trade union, they may be able to inform and advice you regarding your rights and options concerning leave.
When planning your leave, there are several things to remember:
- Tell your employer, your place of study or similar that you are going to be a parent.
- Find out if you are entitled to pay you during your leave.
- Find out if you can get leave benefits, SU (student grant), student aid or cash benefits.
- Find out the rules for how you and a possible partner can divide the leave between you.
- Decide how you and any partner want to divide the leave.
- Find out if you are entitled to vacation during the leave.
- Think about how you want to save for a pension during the leave.
More information on leave and leave with benefits:
As a general rule, both parents are entitled to 24 weeks of leave with benefits after birth if they live together when the child is born. The parents therefore have a total of 48 weeks. In certain situations, some of the weeks can be transferred to the other parent, a social parent or a close family member.
As a rule, the leave must be taken within the child's first year, unless the parents have the right to postpone the leave. If the parent has the right to postpone the leave, it must be taken before the child turns 9.
You have the possibility of getting benefits as compensation for the income which you do not get when you are on leave. Your possibility of obtaining benefits depends on your affiliation with the labour market, meaning if you are:
- a salaried employee on leave
- an unemployed person on leave
- self-employed on leave or
- students and newly qualified on leave.
Maternity/paternity leave with benefits are administered by Udbetaling Danmark (Public Benefits Administration).
Read all about which rules apply to your specific situation:
Transition from hospital to home
The first time as a parent can be overwhelming. If you feel unsafe or have questions and have not yet been contacted by the health visitor (sundhedsplejerske), you can contact the hospital during the first 7 days. It can be about physical and psychological issues – for both mum and baby.If your baby is born at home
The day after the birth, you will usually get a call from a midwife asking how you are doing. Some hospitals offer home visits by a midwife the day after birth.
Between 48 and 72 hours after the birth, you will be offered a consultation with a midwife and examinations of the baby. The examinations of the baby include a hearing test and a heel blood test (screening for congenital diseases). They will also check if the baby is developing jaundice.
If you have any questions or problems after the birth, you can call the maternity ward where the birth took place or where the midwife came from within the first 7 days.
The health visitor (sundhedsplejersken) offers free home visits to all new families
A health visitor is a nurse with special training in child health and development. The health visitor will visit you on day 4 to 5 if you have been discharged within the first 72 hours after birth. If you have been hospitalised for longer than 72 hours, you will be offered a home visit no later than day 10.
The health visitor assesses your child's health, well-being and development and can provide advice on infant care, breastfeeding, sleep, crying and comfort etc. The health visitor is not there to find faults in the way you organise yourselves as a family. It is an offer of support where you as a family can ask about anything you are unsure about.
If you accept the offer, the health visitor will visit you at least 5 times during your baby's first year. Furthermore, you can contact the health visitor if you need to. This can be about breastfeeding or other nutrition, well-being and parenting. Each municipality has its own programme regarding these visits. Check it on the municipality's website.
Call 112
For emergency assistance in life-threatening situations or serious accidents, always call 112.
Contact your own family doctor (GP)
If you have questions about postpartum haemorrhage, medication, mastitis or cystitis, contact your GP.
Contact the out-of-hours medical helpline in your region
If your family doctor (GP) is closed – in the evening and at weekends, you can contact the out-of-hours medical helpline in your region if you have an acute illness that cannot wait until your family doctor opens.
North Denmark Region, call +45 70 15 03 00
Central Denmark Region, call +45 70 11 31 31
Region of Southern Denmark, call +45 70 11 07 07
Region Zealand, call +45 70 15 07 08
Capital Region of Denmark, call 1813
The question of who gets custody of the child depends on a number of matters.
Automatic joint custody, if you are married
- If you are the mother of the child and married to a man, he will automatically be registered as the father of the child, and you will have joint custody.
- If you are the mother of the child and married to a man who is not the child's father, he will still be registered as the father unless you both contact the parish or municipality where the birth is registered.
If you are separated, custody is not dealt with automatically
- If you are the mother of the child and you are separated or have been married to another man within the last 10 months, your current husband will not automatically be registered as the father. Furthermore, the Agency of Family Law will be informed.
If you are 2 women who are married
- If you are 2 women who are married and have a child together, the co-parent must consent to being a co-parent before the pregnancy treatment begins.
- You can be a co-parent with or without custody of the child.
Register paternity and custody
If you are not married and you want joint custody and responsibility for the child, you must both fill out a declaration of paternity and custody so that the child's father is registered.
If you do not want joint custody, you must fill out the form 'Mother's information in the case' from the Agency of Family Law (Familieretshuset). The form is in Danish. However, you will always get joint custody if you have had a joint address in the CPR register within the last 10 months before the child's birth.
Both parents must use the self-service
Use the self-service 'Declaration of care and responsibility for paternity'. Once the declaration has been approved, you will receive a confirmation in Digital Post. You can fill out the declaration of care and responsibility both before and after the birth. It's a good idea to do it before the birth in case something happens to the mother during the birth.
One parent starts by filling out the declaration of care and responsibility. Afterwards, the other parent must also sign the declaration in the self-service. It doesn't matter which parent starts.
If you fill in before the birth
If you complete the declaration of care and responsibility before the child is born, you will receive a reply in Digital Post. The response must be sent to the parish where the mother lives once the child has been assigned a CPR number. Send the reply to the parish right after the birth. If the mother lives in Southern Jutland, the reply must be sent to the municipality.
If you fill in after the birth
The deadline for completing the declaration of care and responsibility is 28 days after the birth. If you do not complete it by the deadline, the case will be sent to the Agency of Family Law, which will send a letter in Digital Post to the mother and start a paternity case.
Register co-motherhood before pregnancy and after birth
If you are 2 women who want to have a child together, the co-parent must remember to consent to being a co-parent before the pregnancy treatment begins. If you do not want joint custody, you must fill out the form 'Mother's information in the case' from the Agency of Family Law (Familieretshuset). However, you will always have joint custody if you have had a joint address in the Civil Registration System (CPR) within the last 10 months before the birth of the child.
Fill in the form and bring it with you to the fertility treatment centre
Fill in the form that fits your situation. Remember to print and bring the 'Consent to Co-Motherhood' form with you to the fertility treatment centre. They will sign the form and you must then send it to the Agency of Family Law by email to faderskab@familieretshuset.dk.
If you are not married, you must then use the self-service 'Declaration of care and responsibility for co-motherhood' to obtain joint custody.
It is also possible to complete the declaration of care and responsibility during pregnancy. You must register the co-motherhood immediately after the birth by contacting the parish where the child's mother lives. The declaration of care and responsibility must be approved by the Agency of Family Law beforehand.
If you and the child's other parent separate during pregnancy, you must fill out the 'Declaration of care and responsibility for paternity/co-motherhood' to obtain joint custody. This does not apply if you have lived together within the last 10 months before the birth of the child.
Get to know the rules before you make agreements about children. See the Danish guide 'Når I går fra hinanden' (When you split up):
If you have the child alone, for instance using a sperm donor, you automatically get custody of the child. You must fill in the form 'Mother's information in the case' from the Agency of Family Law (Familieretshuset). You must include documentation of treatment with assisted reproduction.
Once the baby is born, a number of registrations need to take place in order for the child to receive a civil registration number (CPR number), a name, a certificate of personal data/birth and baptism certificate, passport and residence permit or EU residence document.
The registrations need to happen in a specific order:
- Registration of the birth
- Registration of paternity, co-motherhood and parental custody
- Naming of the child
- Get your child a Certificate of Personal Data/Certificate of Birth and Baptism
- Get your child a passport
- Get your child a residence permit/EU residence document.
Please note that certain circumstances will influence the birth registration process, for instance if the mother does not have a CPR number or does not have an address in Denmark. You can find more information concerning the different scenarios on personregistrering.dk:
What happens automatically?
Registration process for a child born in a hospital in Denmark:
- The midwife fills out a review of the birth, and the child is given a civil registration number (CPR number).
- The review is sent to your parish, and your local registrar registers the birth in the Civil Registration System (the registrar is your local parish – or, if the mother lives in the Southern part of Jutland, the municipality).
- The mother will be registered as mother in the Civil Registration System. If the parents are married, they will both be registered as parents at the registration of the birth.
Please note that certain circumstances will influence the birth registration process. You can find more information concerning the different scenarios on personregistrering.dk:
When do you have to do something yourself?
If there is no midwife present at the birth, you must report the birth registration yourself by completing a birth notification (in Danish: fødselsanmeldelse) and deliver it to the registrar. The registrar is your local parish – or, if the mother lives in the Southern part of Jutland, the municipality.
Please find and complete the birth notification:
Depending on the marital status of the mother at the time of birth, the other parent can be registered in different ways. Please find more information in the section below ‘Who gets custody of the child?’ and on personregistrering.dk:
The parent(s) who has/have parental custody must apply for a name of their child using the digital self-service for naming on borger.dk (in Danish). If the parent(s) does/do not have MitID they can complete an application on paper.
How to use the digital self-service on borger.dk
The application for name must be signed by both parents who have shared custody within 14 days after initiation. If exceeded, you must complete a new application.
- How do you apply for a name of your child?
- Application for naming (in Danish – step-by-step guide in English)
- Find your registrar
Naming your child at baptism in the Danish National Church
Is it also possible to give your child a name at a baptism ceremony in the Danish National Church. You must arrange the baptism with the priest or church office in your parish of residence. Please note if your child was born in the Southern part of Jutland, your child must be named in the municipality where the birth was registered – before the baptism ceremony.
Name your child within 6 months
Your child must have a first name and surname by the age of 6 months at the latest. If you have joint custody, you must both sign the application. If your child is not named within 6 months, it will automatically be given the mother's surname and the Agency for Family Law will be informed.
What are you allowed to name your child?
When choosing a name for the child, it is important to make sure that the name is approved. The name must not be a disadvantage to the child.
Your child will automatically receive a health insurance card (the yellow card) in the mail once they have been named.
If you use the health insurance card app, you can automatically view your children's health insurance cards in the app until they turn 15.
The Certificate of Personal Data (in Danish: 'Personattest') confirms actual civil information on birth, name, marital status and death.
The certificate will include more information as additional data is registered on you. For example, a Certificate of Personal Data issued for a new-born child who has not yet been named will only include information on birth and parents, while a Certificate of Personal data issued for a deceased person will also include information on name, marital status and death/burial.
You can order your own Certificate of Personal Data and the same certificate for your child under 18 years. However, at least one of the following requirements must be fulfilled:
- you are birth registered in Denmark
- you are registered on the basis of international foreign adoption
- you had a name change in Denmark after 1 April, 2006
- in relation to death, you request a certificate as a related to a deceased who has died in Denmark.
In order to apply for a certificate digitally you must have a Danish CPR number and MitID.
You can apply for the certificate in Danish and Danish/English.
If your child is birth registered in Denmark (outside the Southern part of Jutland) and baptised in the Danish National church (in Danish 'Folkekirken'), you are entitled to obtain a Baptism and Birth Certificate (in Danish: 'Fødsels- og dåbsattest').
The Certificate of Baptism and Birth Certificate includes information on name, birth, parents and baptism.
If your child is not baptised, you need to order a Certificate of Personal Data instead.
Your child must have their own passport if they are travelling to a country that requires a passport. This also applies to very young children.
Getting a Danish passport
Your child can get a Danish passport, if they have a Danish citizenship. A child born on or after 1 July 2014 automatically acquires Danish citizenship at birth if the father, mother or co-parent is Danish. For children born before this date, it will depend on the law that was in force when the child was born.
To order a passport for your child, the person(s) with custody must give their consent. This is done by signing in the self-service. To order the passport, you must show up in person at a Citizen Service centre (borgerservice) with the child.
Read more about the rules for passports and apply for a Danish passport:
Getting a foreign passport
If you and your child are citizens of another country than Denmark and your child therefore needs a foreign passport, please contact the embassy or consulate of your home country. Here they can also inform you about requirements to apply for the passport.
When a baby is born in Denmark by parents who are foreign nationals, the parents need to apply for residence permit or an EU residence document for the child.
You can apply for different types of the residence permit and the EU residence document – the application depends of the parents' grounds for residence, for instance if the parents are in Denmark to work, study or have asylum in Denmark.
Before you can apply for residence permit/EU residence document, you need a number of documents for the child, for instance:
- Certificate of Personal Data/Birth and Baptism Certificate
- Passport.
In some instances, there is a processing fee.
You can read more about the different circumstances and apply at newtodenmark.dk:
All children (with civil registration numbers/CPR numbers) in Denmark are offered free health visits at the family doctor (GP). At the visits, the doctor examines the child regarding well-being and expected development according to age.
The Danish childhood vaccination programme offers free vaccinations against a number of serious diseases such as tetanus, whooping cough, measles and HPV-related cancers like anal cancer and cervical cancer. Children are vaccinated by their family doctor (GP).
Remember to book the appointments with your family doctor (GP):
- 5 weeks after birth: Baby health visit
- 8 weeks: Mum check-up
- 3 months: Vaccination of child
- 5 months: Health visit including examination and vaccination of child
- 1 year: Health visit including examination and vaccination of child
- 1 year and 3 months: Vaccination of child
- 2 years: Health visit including examination of child
- 3 years: Health visit including examination of child
- 4 years: Health visit including examination and vaccination of child
- 5 years: Health visit including examination and vaccination of child
- 12 years: Vaccination of child
About 48 to 72 hours after birth, you will be offered screening tests for your baby. The child will be screened for a number of congenital metabolic diseases and cystic fibrosis through a heel blood test. You will also be offered the opportunity to have your child tested for congenital hearing impairment as well as screening for congenital cataract.
The heel blood test is taken at the hospital 48 to 72 hours after birth. The hearing test is performed within the first 10 days after birth. The 2 tests are done at the same time.
If your child has a disability, you may be entitled to compensation and support. The goal is for both you as a family and your child to live as normally as possible despite and with your child's disability.
You can receive compensation according to several different rules in the municipality. It depends on whether your child needs special daycare, special education, special aids or support at home.
Right to help and guidance from the municipality
When you become a parent of a child with a disability, you can get help and guidance about your child's current situation or about the future. The municipality is responsible for helping you with your support options.
The postpartum period can be associated with various physical and psychological changes. Some may experience bleeding, pain and afterpains. Afterpains are contractions that continue after birth as the uterus shrinks to its non-pregnant size. They usually last for 3 to 4 days.
Both the mother and the partner may experience minor as well as major emotional reactions to the new roles.
Contact the hospital if you experience complications or severe pain after labour. Contact the hospital, the health visitor (sundhedsplejerske) or your own family doctor (GP) if you experience dark thoughts, depression or similar.
If you feel the need, you have the option of a postpartum talk with a midwife. Generally, the midwife who delivered the baby will be the one participating.
The postpartum talk might take place before you leave the hospital or during the first week after birth. Some hospitals offer it in conjunction with your baby's heel blood test and hearing test, which are done at the hospital a few days after birth.
The need for a postpartum talk may arise long after giving birth. In that case, you can usually contact the hospital and make an appointment for a postpartum talk.
8 weeks after your birth, you should be examined by your family doctor (GP). Remember to book the appointment yourself. At the appointment, you will be offered a medical examination and have a conversation with your doctor (GP).
The purpose of the appointment is to round off your pregnancy and labour. Your doctor will assess how you are feeling both physically and mentally after giving birth – and talk about the well-being of the family in general. The doctor will talk to you about contraception and check for any stitches and whether your uterus has fully contracted as it should.
What is postpartum depression?
Having a baby to care for is a big change, and for some, it can feel overwhelming. This situation can develop into postpartum depression. The symptoms of postpartum depression include sadness, crying or thoughts of suicide. Both parents can suffer from postpartum depression.
Postpartum depression can be treated. Talk to your family doctor (GP) or health visitor (sundhedsplejerske) if you have any symptoms.
In most municipalities, the health visitor offers an examination for signs of postpartum depression 8 weeks after birth, so you can get help as soon as possible.
When should you seek help?
Contact your family doctor or health visitor if you have symptoms of postpartum depression.
If you need help urgently, you can call 112 or the emergency medical centre/emergency department. Your symptoms might for instance be suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming your baby.
The health visitor will talk about mental well-being and signs of postpartum depression as part of the visits with you. It is important to seek help if you or your partner have symptoms of postpartum depression. This also applies if it occurs after the examination or if you have not been offered an examination.
Phone number for the medical helpline in every region in Denmark:
- North Denmark Region, call +45 70 15 03 00
- Central Denmark Region, call +45 70 11 31 31
- Region of Southern Denmark, call +45 70 11 07 07
- Region Zealand, call +45 1818
- Capital Region of Denmark, call 1813
Public daycare facilities
According to the Daycare Act, the municipality must provide a place in a daycare facility for all children older than 26 weeks. If you want your child to attend childcare in a public daycare facility, you must enrol your child.
It varies from municipality to municipality when your child can be enrolled. In some municipalities, you can enrol your child as soon as they are born. Check the municipality's website to find out what applies in your municipality. Contact a daycare facility directly if you want to visit it before you register your child.
You can enrol your child through the self-service 'Digital pladsanvisning' (Digital Placement) or through the municipality's website.
Waiting lists
You have the right to be placed on a waiting list for a specific daycare facility of your choice. However, it is not certain that the child can get a place in the desired daycare facility as it depends among other things on the length of the waiting list. Your child's place on the waiting list may be affected by children with special needs and siblings.
Sibling subsidy
The municipality provides sibling subsidy. Check the municipality's website for what applies in the municipality.
Alternatives to daycare facilities
With private daycare provision, parents and a private childminder enter into an agreement on caring for one or more children. Contact the specific childminder to enrol your child.
You can choose to look after your child at home. Some municipalities offer a subsidy for minding your own child. Each municipality determines the financial subsidy and the age group that can receive the support. Check the municipality's website to read about the possibilities in the municipality.
Guaranteed childcare
According to the Daycare Act, the municipality must provide a place in a daycare facility for all children older than 26 weeks that is appropriate for their age until the child starts school. You have to be aware that the municipality has 4 weeks to offer a place in a daycare facility, so if you want a place immediately in connection with the 26 weeks, you have to enrol in good time.
The childcare guarantee does not guarantee a place in a specific daycare facility. However, you can request admission to a specific daycare facility in the municipality.
If you use the childcare guarantee place in a daycare facility, you still have the right to remain on the waiting list for the requested daycare facility.
Mum groups (and father groups and parental groups)
Through the health visitor, the mother of the child is – in many municipalities – offered to attend a mum group from around 1 month of age. Some municipalities also offer father groups and parental groups.
Some new parents choose to form similar groups with friends who have also just had a baby – some look for likeminded people through social media.
Talk to your health visitor (sundhedsplejerske) about the your possibilities.
Activities with your baby
There are a wide range of both public and private activities designed for parents on maternity, paternity or parental leave. These include activities that focus on your child's development, such as baby swimming, baby hymn singing in the local church, baby music and sensory classes and playgroups.
Other activities can for instance be yoga classes or classes at a fitness centre specifically tailored to take your baby with you, or choir singing or cinema screenings where babies are welcome.
Search online, check the municipality's website or contact your health visitor (sundhedsplejerske) to find out about possibilities near you.
Child and youth benefits
Most families with children in Denmark automatically receive child and youth benefits once every quarter of the year. Certain rules apply in order for you to receive these benefits:
Other benefits
As a parent you may be entitled to other benefits. This depends on the specific situation.
These benefits can for instance be:
The Danish Health Authority
The Danish Health Authority has made a number of leaflets concerning pregnancy, birth and young children. The material is available in English – and some of the material is also available in other languages such as Somali, Arabic, Ukrainian and Polish.
The materials are among others:
- The Danish healthcare system
- Pregnancy – Foetal testing
- Pregnancy and birth in Denmark
- Healthy habits – before, during and after pregnancy
- The Danish Childhood Immunisation Programme
- Prevent cot death
- Meningococcal disease
- Healthy children in a new country: 0-2 years old
- The health of young children
The Capital Region of Denmark
- Childbirth locations in the Capital Region of Denmark
- Herlev Hospital: Pregnancy and delivery
- Hvidovre Hospital: Pregnancy and delivery
- Nordsjællands Hospital: Pregnancy and delivery
- Rigshospitalet: Pregnancy and delivery
Region of Southern Denmark
Parents who have legal residence in Denmark must have the possibility to receive childcare.
The municipality determines, among other things:
- what it costs to have your child in childcare
- when the child may enrol for the waiting list
- the extent to which waiting lists for children from other municipalities may be closed for a limited period.
You have the possibility to apply for a place in a daycare facility in another municipality unless the municipality in question has closed the waiting list for children from outside the municipality.
Children of parents with legal residence in Denmark have guaranteed childcare. This means that the municipality must allocate a place in an age-appropriate daycare for all children over 26 weeks old until they start school. If you do not request a place until immediately before or after 26 weeks, the municipality has a deadline of another 4 weeks to offer you a place. To the extent possible, the municipality takes into account any wishes for a specific daycare.
Check your municipality’s current rules on registration dates and seniority. As parents, you must ensure that the child is enrolled for a place within the guidelines and deadlines for enrolment that the municipality has determined.
Check with the municipality what the specific deadlines are for you. If you exceed the municipality’s deadline for enrolment by, for example, 2 weeks, the municipality may wait 2 more weeks before offering a place to the child.
Due to the guaranteed childcare, the municipal council in the individual municipality has the obligation to provide a place in a daycare facility for all children from the age of 26 weeks that is appropriate for their age until the child starts school.
When parents seek a place in situations other than in extension of childbirth, the municipality must offer a place no later than 3 months after the time of application; that is, the day when the municipality’s administration receives the parents’ application.
Guaranteed childcare does not mean that you have the right to a place in a specific daycare facility. You have the right to request a place in a specific daycare facility, for example, a specific nursery.
If the municipality cannot fulfil the childcare guarantee, you have the right to either:
- have expenses covered at another daycare facility place in another municipality
- have expenses covered for a place in a private daycare provision
- receive a financial subsidy for minding your own child (subsidy for minding your own child).
You can read more about the rules for guaranteed childcare on the Ministry of Children and Education’s website:
You have the right to a place in a daycare facility for your child for all working days, but not on
- weekends
- public holidays
- Constitution Day on 5 June
- Christmas Eve on 24 December.
Besides these days, the daycare facility may only be closed on working days if there is a very low turnout of children, for example, during summer holidays or the day after Ascension Day (Kristi Himmelfart). The low turnout of children must reflect the parents’ actual need for childcare.
If the child’s daycare facility is closed, the municipality have to arrange alternative childcare.
Prior to any closing days, the municipalities must notify the parents well in advance that there will be closing days and that an alternative daycare facility will be available. The municipalities must also notify the parents well in advance, about where the alternative daycare facility is located.
When your child is enrolled in a daycare facility, you must pay part of the expenses for the place yourself.
The municipality must provide a subsidy of at least 75 per cent of the expenses for the place. The parent contribution may thus comprise no more than 25 per cent of the expenses.
The municipality has the obligation to publish rates for a place in daycare facilities.
In addition to the subsidy of at least 75 per cent, you may also be entitled to an income-based subsidy, sibling subsidy, treatment subsidy and social-educational subsidy that cover part of or the entire parental payment.
In some situations, it may be practical if the child is enrolled in a daycare facility in a municipality other than the one in which you live.
It could be the case, for example, if you live close to a municipality border and have a shorter distance to a daycare facility in the neighbouring municipality. Another situation might be that it makes your daily life easier if the child goes to a daycare facility in the municipality where a parent works or studies.
This requires that the other municipality has not closed its waiting list for children who are residents in other municipalities.
Daycare facilities must comply with a number of requirements.
Among other things, a certificate to show that the personnel have not been involved in child abuse must be obtained prior to employment. There is more about this in the article on ‘certificates to show that you have not been involved in child abuse at borger.dk (in Danish).
You can also read more about the requirements in the Act on Daycare Facilities and on the Ministry of Children and Education’s website.
Pedagogical curriculum
All daycare facilities must prepare a pedagogical curriculum. The pedagogical curriculum must set objectives for children’s learning within 6 themes that covers the child's comprehensive personal development, social development, communication and language, the body, senses and movement, nature, outdoor life, science, culture, aesthetics and sense of togetherness.
The pedagogical curriculum must state how the children’s environment will become an integrated part of the pedagogical work.
Language evaluation is a tool that the pedagogical staff can use in the pedagogical work with children’s language development.
All children who are approximately 3 years old and attend a daycare facility must receive a language evaluation if there are linguistic, behavioural or other conditions that give rise to presuming that the child may need language stimulation.
All children who are approximately 3 years old who do not attend a daycare facility must receive a language evaluation. On the basis of the language evaluation, it will be assessed whether the child needs language stimulation.
The municipality's responsibility
The municipality may decide that the language evaluation is to be brought forward to children who are about 2 years old. If the municipality has brought the language evaluation forward, the municipality is not obligated to carry out a language evaluation of the child again when the child is around 3 years old.
The municipality is responsible for ensuring that children receive the language stimulation they need. Language stimulation must, among other things, be based on the challenges and resources that are identified in the language evaluation.
Language stimulation
Danish-speaking children who do not attend a daycare facility and who need language stimulation must receive language stimulation, for example, within the physical framework of a daycare facility. Bilingual children who do not attend a daycare facility and who need language stimulation must attend a language stimulation offer in the form of a daycare facility 30 hours a week with no parental payment. Bilingual children are defined as children who have a mother tongue other than Danish and who did not learn Danish until they were in contact with the surrounding environment.
Parents of children who are to receive a language evaluation and, possibly, receive language stimulation are obligated to have their children participate in the language evaluation and, possibly, language stimulation or in a language stimulation that corresponds to what is generally required of the language stimulation that the municipality offers, which, for example, the parents can carry out themselves.
The municipality must make a decision on stopping child benefits, according to the Act on Child and Youth Benefits if the parents do not comply with their obligation and the lack of compliance is not due to excusable circumstances.
Parents have the possibility of establishing a parental board in all municipal, independent and private daycare facilities.
The parental board may determine principles for the work and financing of the daycare facility.
In connection with the approval of private daycare facilities, the municipal council must ensure that the parents are given influence corresponding to parental influence in independent daycare facilities, such as a parental board.
Parents have the possibility of making an agreement with the municipality to establish private family daycare.
Private family daycare runs based on an agreement between the municipality and the private family daycare.
There is no obligation on the municipality to enter into agreements with private family daycare. It is therefore up to the municipality to decide whether it wants to enter into an agreement with a private family daycare.
If the municipality chooses to enter into agreement with a private family daycare, the same requirements must be made to both the public and the private family daycare in the municipality.
If the municipality enters into agreement with a private family daycare, the municipality must provide a subsidy per child at the private family daycare. The subsidy is determined on the basis of the family daycare‘s budgeted gross operation expenses. The parent’s own contribution may be no more than 25 per cent of the private family daycare‘s budgeted gross operation expenses that has been agreed with the municipality.
Daycare facilities may be established and run as independent daycare facilities by a private supplier as agreed with the municipality.
For example, an undertaking, an organisation or a group of parents may establish an independent daycare facility if the municipality agrees to enter into an operation agreement with the independent daycare facility.
The independent daycare facilities are subject to municipal supervision and receive subsidies from the municipality to cover the facility’s expenses.
Independent daycare facilities are characterised by being non-profit facilities, which therefore cannot withdraw any surplus.
There is no requirement that the municipality must enter into agreements with independent facilities.
Everyone can establish a private daycare facility if they can render probable that they can comply with the requirements of the Daycare Act regarding content and live up to the approval criteria that the municipality has determined.
The municipality’s requirements for private daycare facilities must be professional and concrete, and they must not be more restrictive or easier than the requirements for the municipality’s own daycare facilities.
In connection with the approval of a private daycare facility, the municipality may make requirements regarding an operation guarantee.
With private daycare provision, parents and a private childminder enter into an agreement on caring for one or more children.
A private daycare provision is generally run without public funding and is fully or partially financed by the parents' payment. However, it is possible to apply for subsidy for private daycare provision.
The parents may receive a financial subsidy from the municipality on the condition that the municipality approves the private daycare provision agreement that has been made, including the childminder and the physical environment where the child is to be cared for. The municipal council determines the subsidy for private daycare provision. The subsidy is determined in the same way for all children in the same age group.
Municipal approval of the private daycare provision
If the municipality approves a private daycare provision, the municipality must carry out supervision. Private daycare provisions are not covered by the requirements of daycare facilities, for example, pedagogical curriculum etc. The private daycare provision must be arranged so that it promotes children’s learning through secure learning environments. In terms of content, the work with learning environments must meet the requirements for learning and learning environments in daycare facilities, just as the work with learning environments in each private daycare provision must be based on the composition of the group of children and the children’s different backgrounds.
A private daycare provision may be run as a facility or in private homes. If the private daycare provision is established in the form of family daycare in the childminder’s own home, permission may be given to receive no more than 5 children under the age of 14. However, if more than one person carries out the childcare, permission may be granted to receive up to 10 children. However, the individual childminder may be approved to mind no more than 5 children. If you establish a private daycare provision, you cannot look after your own children.
If you are dissatisfied with the way your child is cared for, you must speak with the pedagogical staff. If it is about more general conditions in the daycare facility, you may contact the parental board or speak with the leader of the daycare facility.
If, for example, you want to complain about the work carried out by the pedagogical staff in your child’s daycare facility or you want to complain about the service level in the municipality, you must complain to the municipality.
If you are dissatisfied with a specific decision, for example with regard to an income-based subsidy that the municipality has made in accordance with the Daycare Act, you can complain about the municipality’s decision. You must complain to the municipality within 4 weeks. The municipality must the re-assess its decision within 4 weeks of the complaint being received. If the municipality upholds the decision, your complaint is forwarded to the Board of Appeal, which will rule on the decision.
If you believe that the municipality does not comply with applicable legislation, you can contact the supervision in the Board of Appeal.
Based on your information, the supervision assesses, among other things, whether there is a basis for starting a supervision case.
The supervision in the Board of Appeal is a legal supervisory entity. This means that the supervision only assesses whether legislation has been complied with. The supervision does not take a position on whether the municipality’s actions are reasonable or appropriate, or whether the case processing is in compliance with good administrative practice.
There is no standard formula on how cooperation between schools and home should work. School-home cooperation can for example be: Parent-teacher meetings, subject evenings, parent cafés, workshops and school-home discussions.
The purpose of school-home cooperation is for parents to play an active part in their children’s well-being and learning at school.
Most parents will mainly experience school-home cooperation through annual parent-teacher meetings. A school-home discussion may for example deal with questions such as:
- How is the child getting on in the class socially?
- How is it going with schoolwork and paying attention during class?
- What is the child’s education level?
If you want to appeal anything related to school-home cooperation, you can first approach the school Head, who has overall administrative and educational responsibility for the school. If you are not satisfied with the school Head’s decision, you can appeal to the municipality within 4 weeks.
The decision of the municipality cannot be appealed to another authority.
Your child has a right to school transport if one or both of the following criteria are fulfilled:
- The school route is too long.
- There is dangerous traffic on the school route.
The school route is the shortest road or path that pupils can use. Your child must live and go to school in the municipality, live in the school district, and the shortest school route must be too long.
The school route is too long when the distances are:
- Classes 0-3: over 2.5 km
- Classes 4-6: over 6 km
- Classes 7-9: over 7 km
- Class 10: over 9 km
Your child will primarily travel by local public bus routes. If the child is attending a school outside the school district, the parents must arrange and pay for the transport themselves.
You may not apply for transport between home and a childcare facility, or to and from confirmation classes.
Your child can be given free school transport if the child lives in the school district and there is what is considered dangerous traffic on part of the school route. The municipality and the police assess whether there is dangerous traffic on part of a route.
You cannot appeal the municipality’s decision on school transport.
A child born on or after 1 July 2014 will automatically acquire Danish citizenship at the time of birth if the father, mother or co-mother is Danish. For children born before that date, it will depend on the law in force when the child was born.
A child can generally only become a Danish citizen through inclusion in a bill of naturalisation as a minor. In other words with one of their parents.
However, a child can become a Danish citizen on the basis of a bill of naturalisation as the main person (that is alone) if the child is unable to be included in a bill as a minor with one of their parents.
Special rules also apply to certain groups of children who may become Danish citizens as the main person. This applies to adopted children, amongst others.
It is a general condition for a child to become a Danish citizen as the main person, and thus be subject to the special conditions applicable to children, that the child is under 18 years of age at the time of adoption of the bill. However, there is an exception for people born outside marriage to a foreign mother and a Danish father.
Special rules apply to stateless children born in Denmark.
A child can generally only become a Danish citizen through inclusion in a bill of naturalisation as a minor. In other words with one of their parents.
A child may acquire Danish citizenship as a minor (with a parent), if they fulfil the following conditions:
- the child is unmarried
- the child is under the age of 18
- the child lives in Denmark and is legally resident, that is to say has an independent residence permit (for third-country nationals) or a valid residence certificate (EU citizens)
- the child has not been charged with or committed a crime that precludes citizenship or triggers a qualifying period
- the parent with whom the child is included in a bill has joint custody of the child
- the other parent (if they have joint custody) has given their consent.
In the case of adopted children, it is also a condition that the adoption is valid under Danish law.
If you have any questions concerning your child’s residence permit or grounds for residence, you can contact the Danish Immigration Service or the Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (EU citizens).
The conditions applicable to minors must be met at the time the parent becomes a Danish citizen. If the parent's acquisition of Danish citizenship assumes attendance of a constitutional ceremony, the parent (applicant) will not become a Danish citizen until they attend such a ceremony.
A child who wishes to be included as a minor must be stated in the relevant parent's application for Danish citizenship through law (naturalisation). No fee is payable for minors.
Declaration concerning minors
If you decide you wish to have your child or children covered by your application for citizenship after you have submitted the application to the Ministry of Immigration and Integration, you must complete the declaration concerning minors.
This also applies if you have already been informed by the Ministry of Immigration and Integration that you expect to be included in a bill of naturalisation, and
- you subsequently have one or more children
- you have one or more children who have subsequently become resident in Denmark
- you have subsequently gained joint custody of one or more children and now wish the child/children to be covered by your application for Danish citizenship.
Children aged 12 or over must give their consent to becoming Danish.
The following children can become Danish citizens by law as the main person (as the main applicant):
- Children who are unable to become Danish citizens with a parent
- Certain adopted children
- Children born outside marriage to a foreign mother and a Danish father from 11 October 1993 to 30 June 2014 inclusive
- Children who have not become Danish citizens on the basis of separation
- Children born stateless in Denmark.
Submitting the application
Applications for Danish citizenship by naturalisation must be submitted by sending the paper-based application form to the Ministry of Immigration and Integration:
Udlændinge- og Integrationsministeriet (Ministry of Immigration and Integration), Indfødsret, Slotsholmsgade 10,1216 København K.
If the applicant lives abroad, the application may be submitted to the local Danish local representation office. In the case of adopted children, applications for Danish citizenship can be submitted together with the application for adoption. The application will be sent by the adoption authority directly to the Ministry of Immigration and Integration.
What shall I bring when I hand in the application
The following must be enclosed with the application:
- Applicant’s birth certificate
- Copy of adoption order and any recognition by the National Social Appeals Board or the Agency of Family Law (adopted children only)
- Documentation of any sole custody
- Copy of any Danish residence permit for the applicant
- Any marriage certificate for the parents (not adopted children)
- Copy of the applicant’s passport (excluding blank pages)
- Copy of the Danish parent’s Danish passport (excluding blank pages)
- Copy of the Danish parent's birth certificate
- Copy of certificate of competence in Danish (final examinations of primary school and part I of secondary school) (not applicants born to a Danish father and a foreign mother)
- Copy of certificate confirming passing of the 2021 naturalisation test (citizenship test) (not applicants born to a Danish father and foreign mother)
- Receipt for payment of any fee (applicants over 18 years of age).
Special guidelines apply regarding the documentation requirements for foreign documents.
Application fee
No fee is payable for applications for Danish citizenship for applicants under 18 years of age. For applicants aged 18 or over, a fee of DKK 4,000 (2025) is payable for applications for Danish citizenship. The fee is payable once only. The fee must be paid to the authority to which the application is submitted.
Children who are unable to become a Danish citizen with a parent can apply for Danish citizenship as the main person.
Children can normally only be included in a bill of naturalisation as the main person if they are unable to be included in a bill as a minor of one of the parents.
This applies even if the parent does not fulfil the conditions for becoming a Danish citizen (for instance the requirement for competence in Danish) and even if the parent does not wish to acquire Danish citizenship.
A child can be included in a bill of naturalisation as a minor when one of the parents who is a not a Danish citizen has joint custody of the child and is resident in Denmark.
Conditions
A child who is unable to become a Danish citizen with a parent as a minor must normally fulfil all the general conditions for inclusion in a bill of naturalisation as the main person. The child must therefore fulfil the following conditions:
- Minor: It is a condition that the child is under 18 years of age until adoption of the bill that the child is included in. This applies even if the application is submitted before the child’s 18th birthday.
- Residence in Denmark: The child must normally live in Denmark.
- Residence: The child must normally have resided in Denmark for a continuous period of 9 years.
- Criminal record: In the case of children aged 15 and over, it is a condition that the child has not committed certain types of crime. If the child has been found guilty of other crimes or has been sentenced, the child can only become a Danish citizen after a certain qualifying period.
- Debt to the public sector: The child must normally not have any overdue debts to the public sector.
- Self-sufficiency: The child must normally fulfil the general self-sufficiency requirement. This means that the child must not have received support under the Act on social policy or the Integration Act during the past 2 years, and that the child must not have received support under the Act on social policy or the Integration Act for a combined total of more than 4 months during the past 5 years.
- Competence in Danish and the citizenship test of 2021: In the case of children under the age of 12, there is no requirement for documentation of the child’s competence in Danish or documentation of the child’s knowledge of Danish social affairs, Danish culture and history.
In the case of children over the age of 12 who have not yet passed the final examinations of primary school and part I of secondary school (9th or 10th grade) and who are not expected to pass these examinations by the time of adoption of the bill in which they are included, a statement from the applicant's school that the applicant’s competence in Danish and knowledge of Danish social affairs, Danish culture and history is at a level which corresponds to what can be expected of a child in the grade concerned will be accepted as sufficient documentation of the child's competence in Danish and knowledge of Danish social affairs, Danish culture and history.
Children over the age of 12 who have passed the final examinations of primary school and part I of secondary school (9th or 10th grade) or who are expected to do so by the date of adoption of the bill in which the child is included must pass the final examinations in the Danish disciplines with the exception of general conduct with an average grade of at least 6 (according to the 13-point scale) or 2 (according to the 7-point scale). The child must also document that they have passed the 2021 citizenship test.
Certain adopted children automatically become Danish citizens upon adoption.
An adopted child who is adopted by Danish citizens and who has not automatically become a Danish citizen upon adoption can become a Danish citizen through inclusion in a bill of naturalisation as the main person. This also applies in the case of second-parent adoption.
It is sufficient for one of the adopters to be a Danish citizen. It is a condition that the adoption is valid under Danish law.
If the adoption was carried out under foreign law, the Agency of Family Law's statement must be enclosed with the application for Danish citizenship.
Conditions
The adopted child must normally fulfil the following conditions:
- Minor: The child must be under the age of 18 until adoption of the bill in which the child is included. This applies even if the application is submitted before the child’s 18th birthday.
- Periods of stay and residence in Denmark: Children who are adopted by a Danish citizen before the age of 12 do not need to fulfil the residence requirement or the requirement concerning a residence in Denmark.
- Children who are adopted by a Danish citizen between the ages of 12 and 18 are subject to requirements regarding residence in Denmark and a minimum of 2 years’ continuous residence.
- Criminal record: In the case of children aged 15 and over, it is a condition that the child has not committed certain types of crime. If the child has been found guilty of other crimes or has been sentenced, the child can only become a Danish citizen after a certain qualifying period.
- Debt to the public sector: The child must normally not have any overdue debts to the public sector.
- Self-sufficiency: The child must normally fulfil the general self-sufficiency requirement. This means that the child must not have accepted support under the Act on social policy or the Integration Act during the past 2 years, and that the child must not have received support under the Act on social policy or the Integration Act for a combined total of more than 4 months during the past 5 years.
- Competence in Danish and the citizenship test of 2021: For children under the age of 12, there is no requirement for documentation of the child's competence in Danish or documentation of the child's knowledge of Danish social affairs, Danish culture and history.
For children over the age of 12 who have not yet passed the final examinations of primary school and part I of secondary school (9th or 10th grade) and who are not expected to pass these examinations by the time of adoption of the bill in which the child is included, a statement from the applicant’s school that the applicant's competence in Danish and knowledge of Danish society, culture and history Danish social affairs, Danish culture and history are at a level which corresponds to what can be expected of children in the grade concerned will be accepted as sufficient documentation of the child’s competence in Danish and knowledge of Danish social affairs and Danish culture and history.
Children over the age of 12 who have passed the final examinations of primary school and part I of secondary school (9th or 10th grade) or who are expected to do so by the date of adoption of the bill in which the child is included must pass the final examinations in the Danish disciplines with the exception of general conduct with an average grade of at least 6 (according to the 13-point scale) or 2 (according to the 7-point scale). The child must also document that he or she has passed the Naturalisation test of 2021 citizenship test.
In certain cases, children born outside marriage to a foreign mother and a Danish father can become a Danish citizen subject to certain special conditions.
A child born outside marriage to a foreign mother and a Danish father between 11 October 1993 and 30 June 2014 inclusive can become a Danish citizen through inclusion in a bill of naturalisation as the main person without fulfilling the general conditions.
If the child was born abroad and becomes a Danish citizen before he or she reaches the age of 22, they will be covered by the rules regarding retention of Danish citizenship.
A child born outside marriage to a foreign mother and a Danish father during the period from 11 October 1993 to 30 June 2014 inclusive will automatically have acquired Danish citizenship in the following situations:
- If the child's parents were married at the time the child was born
- If the child’s parents have subsequently married
- If the child was born in the Kingdom of Denmark (Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands) on or after 1 January 1999.
A child born on or after 1 July 2014 will automatically acquire Danish citizenship at the time of birth if the father, mother or co-mother is Danish.
Processing of the application
It is a requirement that the applicant was born outside marriage to a foreign mother and Danish father during the period 11 October 1993 to 30 June 2014 inclusive. The application must include the following:
- Documentation of the father's citizenship: It is a condition that the father had Danish citizenship at the time the child was born. A copy of the father’s valid Danish passport and birth certificate or citizenship certificate must therefore be enclosed with the application.
- Documentation of the relationship between the child and the Danish father: It is vital that the relationship between the child and the Danish father is confirmed. The child's birth certificate must therefore be enclosed with the application. If the birth certificate is foreign, special guidelines may apply to verification of the document. The relationship can also be verified through the applicant and the Danish father having a DNA test.
- Documentation of custody: If the applicant is under 18 and both parents have joint custody, both parents must sign the application form. If one parent has sole custody, documentation of this must be submitted to the Ministry of Immigration. If this documentation is foreign, special guidelines may apply concerning verification of the document.
If a child's parents have been separated and this has prevented the child from acquiring Danish citizenship as a minor and the parents become reunited, the child can apply for Danish citizenship as the main person.
Children who have not become a Danish citizen as a minor upon naturalisation of one of their parents entirely as a result of the parents’ separation can be included in a bill of naturalisation if it is demonstrated that the parents have resumed cohabitation and the effects of the separation have ceased.
This solely applies to applicants who were under 18 years of age at the time of adoption of the bill and who did not acquire the citizenship as a minor of one of their parents because, at the time, the parents had ceased cohabiting and the naturalised parent did not have joint custody.
6920 Videbæk
6920 Videbæk
6950 Ringkøbing