Denmark requires most foreign nationals seeking citizenship to pass a Danish language test, but official guidelines confirm that five distinct categories of applicants are exempt from this rule. According to Denmark's official citizen information portal, the standard condition for naturalisation is passing Danish language test 3 (Dansk 3).
Alternative Language Tests for Some Applicants
Those who have not received social assistance under Danish law for more than three months across a nine-year period may instead qualify by passing the slightly lower-level Danish language test 2 (Dansk 2). However, some applicants are fully exempted from providing evidence of Danish language skills altogether.
The Five Exempt Categories
1. Residents of Faroe Islands or Greenland: For these applicants, a police assessment confirming that the person can participate with ease in a Danish or Faroese/Greenlandic conversation, without paraphrasing or switching languages and with a natural accent, is considered sufficient.
2. Swedish and Norwegian speakers: Completing a primary school education in Swedish or Norwegian is treated as adequate proof of language ability for these applicants.
3. Danish minority in Southern Schleswig, Germany: Members of this community who fall under the facilitated residence conditions set out in the Circular on naturalisation are exempt.
4. Children of Danish mothers born between 1961 and 1978: Applicants born to a Danish mother between 1 January 1961 and 31 December 1978, currently residing abroad, can use an assessment from a Danish diplomatic representation confirming conversational ability in Danish, without paraphrasing or other languages and with a natural accent.
5. Certain children applying independently: Children below the age of 12 face no language evidence requirement at all. For children aged 12 and above who have not yet completed secondary education at the ninth or tenth grade level, a letter from their school confirming that their Danish language skills and knowledge of Danish society, culture, and history are in line with expectations for a child of the same age is considered sufficient. This school statement is not accepted if the child completes the ninth or tenth grade before the law on notification of naturalisation, in which they are expected to be included, is adopted.
Additional Citizenship Requirements
Legit.ng has also published residency years for foreigners who want to become Qatari citizens. Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia's Department of Home Affairs has outlined the residence requirement foreigners must meet before applying for citizenship. Applicants must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for a number of years before the date they apply for citizenship. The rules also specify how much time applicants are allowed to have spent outside Australia during that period.
