Denmark for Ukrainian Expats: Temporary Protection

Denmark for Ukrainian Expats: Temporary Protection, CPR and Settling In

If you have just arrived from Ukraine, your legal status in Denmark is almost certainly temporary protection under the Ukraine Special Act (the Danish implementation of the EU Temporary Protection Directive, active since March 2022). This is a special, fast route — it is not the same as EU freedom of movement, and not the same as the slow standard non-EU permit process. It gives you a temporary residence permit, the right to work, and access to healthcare, schooling and integration support. Permits have been extended to 17 March 2027 (announced October 2025) — verify the current date on nyidanmark.dk, because the directive can be extended again.

The single most important thing to understand: your residence permit is the door, but your CPR number is the key that unlocks everything behind it — tax card, bank account, healthcare card and your MitID login. This guide walks the steps in the order Danish authorities actually expect, written for someone who arrived recently and is dealing with this under stress.

1. Your legal basis: temporary protection, not a standard permit

You apply inside Denmark. You cannot do this from abroad — you must already be in Denmark (or at a Danish border) to apply. Eligibility covers Ukrainian citizens, and people recognised as refugees in Ukraine, who left on or after 1 February 2022. Close family members of an approved applicant can apply too.

The process, per nyidanmark.dk:

1. Submit the SL1 application (online or on paper) to the Danish Immigration Service — note this is the Immigration Service, not SIRI, which handles other permit types.
2. Book and attend an appointment to record your biometrics (photo and fingerprints), normally within four weeks.
3. Wait for the decision — processing takes up to about 35 days on average.

The application is free of charge. Bring your original passport or ID documents plus copies, children's passports if relevant, documentation of your refugee status in Ukraine if you are not a Ukrainian citizen, and an employment contract if you already have a job offer. You only get the right to work once the permit is granted — do not start a job before then.

Read the broader sequence in our moving to Denmark guide, and if you are weighing a longer-term route, our Denmark work permit guide explains the standard track you may transition to later.

2. Get your CPR number — the key to everything

Once your permit is approved, getting your CPR number (civil registration number) is the next priority. It is assigned when you register your Danish address with your municipality (kommune) at a Borgerservice or International Citizen Service centre. With temporary protection, your municipality also becomes responsible for your reception and integration support.

The CPR unlocks your healthcare card, your tax card, the ability to open a normal bank account, and MitID (the national digital ID you need to log in to almost every public and banking service). After you have your CPR, you are also entitled to free municipal Danish language courses. See our dedicated CPR number guide for the exact steps, documents and current waiting times.

3. Bank account and tax

You need a Danish bank account to receive wages and any public payments — this is your NemKonto ("easy account"), which is just a normal Danish account flagged as your official payout account. Opening one usually requires your CPR and MitID, so it comes after registration. Our best bank account for expats guide compares the realistic options.

On tax: before your first day of work, get a tax card (skattekort) from skat.dk. This matters financially — if you start working without one, your employer must withhold 55% of your pay, per skat.dk. You can apply up to a month before you start, so do it early. Our tax card guide walks through it.

While you set up Danish banking, a multi-currency app such as Wise or Revolut is useful for holding euros or hryvnia, sending money to family in Ukraine cheaply, and spending before your Danish card arrives. Treat these as a bridge — your NemKonto must still be a Danish bank account.

4. Housing

In the first phase, your municipality is responsible for accommodating you; many people start in municipal or temporary housing before moving to a private rental. When you do rent privately, expect to show ID and often a deposit of up to three months' rent plus prepaid rent. Beware of rental scams that ask for money before any viewing or contract — never transfer a deposit for a flat you have not seen and a contract you have not signed. Register every address change with your municipality, because your CPR record and your post (sent via Digital Post) follow your registered address.

5. Healthcare access

With temporary protection and a CPR number, you have access to Danish healthcare on the same footing as residents. You are assigned a GP (egen læge) and receive the yellow health insurance card (sundhedskort), which you show at appointments. Most GP and hospital care is tax-funded and free at the point of use; you typically pay for prescriptions and dental care. Our Danish healthcare system guide explains how to register a GP and what is and is not covered.

6. Work and recognition of qualifications

Once your permit is granted you can take any job without a separate work permit. If your profession is regulated (for example nursing, medicine, teaching or law), you may need your Ukrainian qualifications formally assessed before you can practise — the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science handles recognition of foreign qualifications. For many roles, a translated CV and diploma copies are enough to start.

Practical Ukrainian-specific notes: municipalities run integration and free Danish-language courses once you have your CPR — these double as a way to meet people and improve your job prospects. Jobcentre advisers can help match you to work. Ukrainian community networks and the Red Cross in Denmark run practical help and social groups in many towns. Keep digital and paper copies of every Ukrainian document you brought; they are hard to replace from abroad.

Common problems and fixes

• "I started working before my permit was granted." Don't. The right to work begins only when the Special Act permit is granted. Wait for the decision.
• No CPR yet, but you need a bank account. Most banks require CPR and MitID first. Use Wise or Revolut as a stopgap for euros and transfers home, then open a Danish account once registered.
• 55% tax shock on your first payslip. That means you had no tax card. Apply for a skattekort on skat.dk before you start; over-withheld tax is later refunded, but the card avoids the shock.
• Worried about the 2027 end date. Extensions are assessed automatically by the Immigration Service — you usually do not apply. Watch your Digital Post and check nyidanmark.dk; start planning a transition route (work or study permit) well ahead if the directive is not renewed.
• Missed official letters. Danish authorities contact you through Digital Post, tied to your MitID and registered address. Set up MitID and keep your address current so you never miss a deadline.

Your next step

If you have not yet applied, go to the official Danish Immigration Service page — Apply for a residence permit as a person displaced from Ukraine — and submit the SL1 form today. Everything else (CPR, bank, healthcare, work) follows from that permit, so it is the one thing to do first. Verify every date and fee on the official source, as the rules around temporary protection change as the directive winds down.