1. Determine Your Visa Category
Identify the correct visa type based on your travel purpose, duration, and nationality. Tourist visas cover short stays up to 90 days within 180 days, while work or study visas require specific documentation and separate residence permits. Denmark is part of the Schengen area, which means you apply for a Schengen visa. You must apply for a visa to the country of your main destination, that is, the Schengen country where you will spend most days. If you spend an equal amount of time in two or more countries, you must apply for a visa to the country of your first entrance into the Schengen area. For visa-exempt nationals, note that ETIAS is scheduled to launch in the last quarter of 2026, working alongside the Entry/Exit System (EES) to improve safety and efficiency at borders.
2. Gather Required Documentation
Collect essential documents including:
- Valid passport with minimum 3 months validity beyond your planned departure date
- Completed application forms with accurate information
- Recent biometric photographs no older than 6 months prior to application
- Financial proof demonstrating sufficient funds for your stay
- Travel insurance covering minimum 30,000 EUR
- Proof of accommodation in Denmark
- Round-trip flight reservation or proof of onward travel
All documents required for your Danish Schengen visa must be completed or translated into English or Danish. All foreign documents require official translation and may require apostille certification depending on document type.
3. Complete Application Forms
All applications for the Schengen visa from Denmark must be filled out online via Denmark's ApplyVisa portal through the official website of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. You must register for an account, complete the online application form, and pay the visa fee digitally. Pay the fee, then print and sign the cover letter. The cover letter must be signed in 2 places. Ensure all information matches supporting documents exactly. Double-check dates, spellings, and passport numbers to avoid processing delays.
4. Schedule and Attend Appointment
Verify if you need to book a time slot with VFS Global in order to submit your application at your local Visa Application Centre or if they offer walk-in service. Check available appointment slots with the visa application centre before starting the application process. Due to fluctuating numbers of applications, you may sometimes have to wait several weeks for an appointment. When applying online, you will be asked to select a Visa Application Centre, where you will hand in your signed cover letter from ApplyVisa, supporting documents, passport and have your biometrics captured. Arrive punctually with original documents and copies. Personal attendance is mandatory for Denmark visa appointments, as biometric data (fingerprints and photographs) must be collected.
5. Provide Biometric Data
Your fingerprints will be collected when applying for a visa. However, where fingerprints have been collected as part of an earlier application less than 59 months before the date of the new application, you do not have to provide your fingerprints again. You must attach a passport photo which is no older than 6 months prior to application. Some applicants are exempt from supplying biometrics including children under the age of 12, persons for whom fingerprinting is physically impossible and Heads of State and members of national governments. The supporting documents and your passport will be kept with your application during the case processing time and only handed back once a decision on your application has been made.
6. Pay Processing Fees
The standard Denmark Schengen visa fee for an adult is 80 EUR. This equals approximately 85 USD. An additional fee may apply if applicants go through authorised centres, which collect applications on behalf of consulates in some cases. Payment must be completed online through the ApplyVisa portal using accepted credit or debit cards. Certain types of applicants (most students, children under 6) are exempt from all visa fees. Please note that these fees are non-refundable. Retain payment receipts for tracking purposes.
7. Track Application Progress
The processing time in visa cases is up to 15 calendar days, when all required documentation has been provided. In cases where the processing requires further enquiries or submission to the Danish Immigration Service, the maximum processing time is up to 45 calendar days. The case processing time is calculated from the day the Embassy registers the application in the visa system. It is not calculated from the time you apply online or submit the application at a VFS centre. Please be aware that the transportation time between VFS and the Embassy is NOT included in the Embassy's processing time. Monitor your application status through the official tracking system using your reference number. Apply well in advance of your planned departure. You may apply up to 6 months in advance of your intended date of travel.
8. Collect Your Decision
Retrieve your passport with visa decision from the submission location. Your passport and supporting documents will be returned once processing is complete. If approved, verify all visa details including validity dates, duration of stay, and number of entries permitted. In case of refusal, you will receive a refusal letter with the passport explaining the reason behind the refusal. The refusal letter will indicate whether the decision is to be appealed to the Danish Immigration Service, the Immigration Appeals Board or the Ministry of Immigration and Integration, how to appeal, and whether there is a time limit for appeal. An appeal about a decision to refuse a visa made by a Danish representation must be submitted to the Immigration Service within 8 weeks from the date on which the applicant received the refusal.
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