FAQ: Other residence permits

Since 1979, Denmark has had a permanent resettlement program. Resettled refugees are often called “quota” refugees, because Denmark for many years had a fixed quota for how many refugees could be resettled to Denmark. Resettled refugees who come to Denmark are granted a residence permit under section 8 of the Danish Aliens Act. 

Recognized refugees may be submitted for resettlement in other countries by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Refugees are usually resettled from countries that have received many refugees and are unable to offer them another durable solution such as local integration. 

In 2017, the Danish Parliament decided that it should be up to the Minister for Integration to decide annually whether Denmark should receive resettled refugees. In the period from 2016 to 2018, Denmark did not receive any resettled refugees, but since 2019 Denmark has resumed receiving resettled refugees, albeit fewer than previously. 

It is UNHCR that decides who should be submitted for resettlement, and it is UNHCR that decides to which country a refugee should be submitted for resettlement. 

When you are recognized as a refugee in Denmark, you can apply for family reunification in Denmark with your close family. This follows from section 9 of the Danish Aliens Act and Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights on the right to respect for private and family life. 

Refugees with a residence permit under section 7(3) of the Danish Aliens Act are not able to apply for family reunification until they have had a residence permit for two years. 

However, there are some exceptions to this: children who are recognized as refugees and adult refugees with, for example, a seriously ill spouse or seriously ill children can in certain situations be granted family reunification immediately after obtaining a residence permit. 

DRC's Volunteer Counselling Services can help with questions regarding family reunification. Applications for family reunification are processed by the Danish Immigration Service. 

Read more about DRC's Volunteer Counselling Services here.

You can only apply for a humanitarian residence permit if you are registered as an asylum seeker in Denmark. Applications for humanitarian residence permits under section 9(b) of the Danish Aliens Act are processed by the Ministry of Immigration and Integration. 

The residence permit is temporary, and very few people are granted a humanitarian residence permit in Denmark. 

If you are very seriously ill, either physically or mentally, and if it is not possible to receive treatment in your home country, you may in certain situations be granted a humanitarian residence permit in Denmark after asylum has been refused. 

Applications for residence permits under section 9(c)(1) of the Danish Aliens Act are processed by the Danish Immigration Service. 

The residence permit is temporary, and very few people are granted a residence permit on special grounds in Denmark. 

A residence permit under section 9(c)(1) of the Danish Aliens Act may be granted if there are special reasons to justify it such as the consideration for family unity and, if the case concerns a child, consideration for the best interests of the child. 

If your application for asylum has been rejected and you cannot be returned to your home country by the Danish authorities, you can apply for a residence permit under section 9(c)(2) of the Danish Aliens Act. 

It is a requirement that the authorities have not been able to return you for 18 months, that you cooperate with the authorities on the return, and that the authorities assess that it is not possible to return you.  

Residence permits are temporary, and very few people are granted residence permits in Denmark because they cannot be returned.