Denmark · Startup Visa
Start-up Denmark Residence Permit
Start-up Denmark lets non-EU founders run an innovative company in Denmark once a panel of experts has approved the business idea. The scheme admits at most 75 people each calendar year.
- Startup route
- Start-up Denmark
- Minimum capital
- Living funds from DKK 153,240 (single, 2025 level)
- Permanent residence
- 8 years; 4 if all supplementary criteria are met
- Citizenship
- 9 years' residence plus permanent residence
Start-up Denmark
Status: A maximum of 75 foreign nationals can receive a permit each year, 1 January to 31 December
Before SIRI accepts an application, a panel of experts appointed by the Danish Business Authority must approve the business plan, which is submitted through the panel's own web portal. The idea has to be innovative with real potential for development; restaurants, retail shops, smaller trades and import or export businesses generally fall outside the scheme, and holding companies are excluded. Applicants can be individuals or teams of up to three people sharing one plan. Each founder must be a full or partial owner with an active role in running the company, since a passive shareholding is not enough. Approved founders receive a combined residence and work permit for up to 2 years, renewable for up to 3 years at a time.
- Annual cap
- 75 permits per calendar year
- Validity
- Up to 2 years; extensions of up to 3 years at a time
- Processing time
- 2 months normally; up to 4 if more information is needed
- Government fee
- DKK 3,060
- Living funds
- DKK 153,240 for a single applicant (2025 level)
- Team size
- One founder or a team of up to three
- Family
- Spouse, partner and children under 18 living at home
- Leads to
- Permanent residence after 8 years, or 4 at the earliest
Requirements
- Expert panel approval of the business idea before the SIRI application is filed.
- An innovative business with development potential; restaurants, retail, smaller trades and import or export firms usually do not qualify.
- Full or partial ownership and an active role in running the company; holding companies are excluded.
- Documented funds for the first year in Denmark, shown by a bank statement in the applicant's name.
- Biometric features recorded no later than 14 days after submitting the application.
- A passport valid long enough, because the permit ends no later than 3 months before passport expiry.
How to apply
- Submit the business plan to the expert panel through its online portal.
- Once the idea is approved, create a case order ID and pay the DKK 3,060 fee.
- File the residence and work permit application with SIRI, with proof of funds.
- Have biometrics recorded within 14 days of applying.
- Wait about 2 months for a decision, or up to 4 months if SIRI asks for more information.
How much money founders need
SIRI asks founders to prove they can support themselves for their first year in Denmark, and the amount rises with family size. At the 2025 levels shown on the official page, a founder arriving alone documents DKK 153,240. A founder bringing a spouse documents DKK 306,480, a founder with a spouse and one or more children documents DKK 356,904, and a founder with children but no spouse documents DKK 203,664. These are living funds rather than an investment threshold; the scheme sets no minimum capital for the company itself.
The annual cap
Start-up Denmark is one of the few European founder routes with a hard quota. No more than 75 foreign nationals can receive a permit under the scheme in a calendar year, counted from 1 January to 31 December. Because each member of a founding team counts separately, a three-person team uses three of those places. Founders planning a late-year application keep the cap in mind, together with the time needed first for the expert panel review and then for SIRI's processing.
Questions and answers
Can a team of co-founders apply together?
Yes. Start-up Denmark accepts individuals or teams of up to three people who share one business plan. Each team member must be a full or partial owner with an active part in running the company, and each one applies for a residence and work permit and counts toward the annual limit of 75.
What kinds of businesses are rejected?
The scheme is designed for innovative companies with growth potential. SIRI states that restaurants, retail stores, smaller trades and import or export businesses generally do not qualify, and holding companies are excluded entirely. Being an investor or shareholder without an active management role does not meet the conditions either.
Can family members come to Denmark with the founder?
Yes. A spouse, a registered or cohabiting partner and children under 18 living at home can receive permits. The founder must then document higher living funds, rising from DKK 153,240 for a single person to DKK 356,904 for a spouse plus children at 2025 levels.
Official sources
- Start-up Denmarkwww.nyidanmark.dk
- Permanent residence permitwww.nyidanmark.dk
Reviewed October 2026. Immigration rules change often. Confirm the current requirements with the official authority or a licensed adviser before applying.
Your path in Denmark.
Startup visa
Start-up Denmark permit after expert panel approval of the business idea
02Temporary residence
First permit up to 2 years, then extensions of up to 3 years each
03Permanent residence
Permanent residence after 8 years, or 4 years if all extra criteria are met
04Citizenship
Naturalization by act of parliament after 9 years; dual nationality allowed