First 30 Days in Denmark: Newcomer Checklist

1. 1

   Residence basis

   (registreringsbevis) EU at Borgerservice: same day or within 1 week by post

   Establishing your legal right to live in Denmark: EU/EEA/Swiss citizens register for an EU residence certificate (registreringsbevis) if staying over 3 months; non-EU citizens must hold an approved residence and work permit before arriving. This is the foundation every later step (CPR, MitID, bank) is built on.

   Where: EU citizens: SIRI via nyidanmark.dk online, or combined at your municipality's Borgerservice appointment. Non-EU citizens: apply to the Danish Immigration Service (SIRI) through nyidanmark.dk before entering Denmark; biometrics at a Danish embassy/consulate or a SIRI office.

   Bring:

   • Valid passport or national identity card
   • Proof of address in Denmark (signed rental contract)
   • Basis documentation: signed employment contract (with employer CVR number, role, start date, salary), university enrollment letter, or bank statements showing sufficient funds
   • Non-EU: approved residence and work permit (shown as basis at Borgerservice)
   • Non-EU: proof of qualifications (degree certificates, professional licenses) for Positive List roles

   Watch out: No Danish address yet: a physical certificate is mailed to your Danish address, so you cannot register your residence basis (or get a CPR number) until you have a signed rental contract and address. For non-EU citizens, arriving before the permit is approved is the blocker — there is no retrospective process.

   Tip: In most major municipalities you can complete the EU residence certificate and CPR registration at the same Borgerservice appointment — the case officer handles both at once, which is the fastest route. Confirm your local Borgerservice offers the combined service before booking.

2. 2

   Danish SIM / phone number

   Same-day, set up in minutes at a 7-Eleven on arrival; do it within your first 24 hours, ideally before leaving the airport

   A prepaid Danish SIM gives you a +45 number, which MitID, MobilePay, your bank, and Borgerservice all send codes and confirmations to — without it you're locked out of daily systems.

   Where: A prepaid SIM from 7-Eleven (open 24/7, sells Lebara/Telmore/CBB), Netto and other supermarkets, or ordered online from any carrier (lebara.dk, telmore.dk, oister.dk). No government office involved.

   Bring:

   • Passport or photo ID (prepaid SIM needs ID only)
   • Your name and email (for online SIM registration)
   • A Danish delivery address if ordering online (temporary accommodation address is fine)
   • International card or Danish bank details if buying a monthly/postpaid plan

   Watch out: Trying to start on a monthly/postpaid contract, which asks for a CPR number for a credit check — buy a prepaid SIM (ID only) instead and convert later

   Tip: Buy a Lebara or Telmore prepaid SIM at 7-Eleven on day one (no CPR needed); once you have CPR and a bank account, switch to a cheaper postpaid plan and port your number with a PAC code.

3. 3

   CPR number

   (CPR-nummer / Folkeregister-tilmelding) Appointment takes 15-30 min (book 1-4 weeks ahead; slots fill in Aug-Sep); CPR number then arrives by post within 1-2 weeks

   Your 10-digit Central Person Register number is the foundation of all Danish admin — without it you can't open a bank account, get a tax card, register with a GP, or access any government service.

   Where: Your local Borgerservice (Citizens' Service) office, in person, for the commune where you'll live; book online at borger.dk (Copenhagen residents use kk.dk/borgerservice). The CPR number is issued as a result of Folkeregister registration at the same appointment.

   Bring:

   • Valid passport or (EU/EEA) national ID card, in date
   • Proof of address: signed rental contract showing your name and the property address (Airbnb/hotel not accepted; a host letter if staying with someone)
   • Proof of registration basis: employment contract, university enrolment letter, or bank statement showing sufficient funds
   • Non-EU only: Danish residence permit — physical card or official SIRI confirmation letter
   • Family members: marriage/birth certificate proving the relationship, plus the EU citizen's CPR number
   • Bring originals only — photocopies and phone scans are refused

   Watch out: No registered fixed address — temporary accommodation like Airbnb, hotels, or hostels is not accepted, so you can't get a CPR number until you have a signed rental contract (or a host's written confirmation).

   Tip: Don't wait for the letter to act — book your appointment the day you arrive (the 5-day rule), and the moment your CPR arrives, set up MitID immediately since the bank, tax card, and NemKonto all depend on it.

4. 4

   MitID

   (MitID) About 30 minutes once you have a CPR number and Danish SIM; allow 24-48 hours after receiving your CPR before the system recognizes it

   Denmark's mandatory national digital identity, used to log in to banks, the tax office, e-Boks, and every government portal.

   Where: Start online at mitid.dk (select "Get MitID"); if identity verification fails, finish in person at a Borgerservice office or a participating bank branch.

   Bring:

   • CPR number
   • Danish mobile/phone number (prepaid SIM is fine)
   • Smartphone (iOS or Android) for the MitID app
   • Passport (for biometric or in-person identity verification)

   Watch out: No Danish phone number yet for the SMS verification step (the most common sticking point for new arrivals).

   Tip: Buy a prepaid Danish SIM (Lebara, Lycamobile, CBB Mobil, Telmore) the day you arrive for under DKK 100 — no CPR needed — so you have a Danish number ready for verification.

5. 5

   Danish bank account

   Wise bridge opens in ~10 min with just a passport

   A real Danish bank account (Lunar) gives you a Danish account number to receive salary, designate a NemKonto, and use MobilePay; a Wise/Revolut bridge account covers your first weeks before CPR.

   Where: Wise or Revolut online (open before arrival, passport only); then the Lunar app once you have CPR + MitID. Traditional banks (Lunar's alternatives: Nordea, Arbejdernes Landsbank) require a branch appointment — call ahead.

   Bring:

   • Passport or national ID
   • Email address
   • Phone number (Danish SIM for MitID/Lunar)
   • CPR number (for Lunar and all real Danish accounts)
   • MitID (for Lunar and traditional banks)
   • Employment contract + proof of Danish address (for pre-CPR traditional-bank route)

   Watch out: No CPR + MitID yet — traditional Danish banks (especially Danske Bank) turn newcomers away or waitlist them; Lunar cannot be opened at all without CPR.

   Tip: Open Wise before you even fly in as a bridge account, then open Lunar the same day you activate MitID — the gap between CPR and Lunar should be hours, not days.

   Before you arrive: a Danish bank account can take 1–2 weeks after your CPR. Open a Wise account first so you have an IBAN, a card, and a way to receive money from day one — then move to a Danish bank once your CPR and NemKonto are sorted.

6. 6

   Tax card (skattekort)

   (skattekort) File the Forskudsopgørelse online; SKAT activates the card and sends it to your employer via eIndkomst within 1-2 business days

   An electronic record that tells your Danish employer how much income tax to withhold; without it employers must legally withhold 55% of your gross salary.

   Where: Online at skat.dk (SKAT, the Danish Tax Agency) — log in with MitID and file your preliminary income assessment.

   Bring:

   • CPR number (required to access skat.dk as a registered taxpayer)
   • Active MitID (to log in to skat.dk)
   • Your employment contract (for expected annual salary)
   • Details of any other income (rental, freelance, investments)
   • Any deductions to claim (e.g. commute distance for befordringsfradrag, a-kasse, union membership)

   Watch out: No CPR number yet — you cannot interact with skat.dk as a registered taxpayer (and you also need active MitID to log in) before applying.

   Tip: After filing, proactively tell your employer's payroll team you have submitted the preliminary assessment so they check eIndkomst — some payroll systems do not pull updated tax cards in real time, which is how you end up with 55% withheld on payslip one.

7. 7

   NemKonto

   (NemKonto) Under 15 minutes to designate; change takes effect immediately or within 1-2 business days

   A designation you flag onto an existing Danish bank account that tells the state where to send all public payments (tax refunds, child benefits, unemployment, etc.); legally required for everyone with a CPR number.

   Where: Your Danish bank's netbank (recommended), or borger.dk / nemkonto.dk logged in with MitID, or by contacting your bank directly.

   Bring:

   • CPR number
   • An open Danish bank account (registration number + account number)
   • MitID (if designating via borger.dk or nemkonto.dk)

   Watch out: NemKonto must be an account with a Danish account number at a Danish-licensed bank — foreign accounts don't qualify, and Wise/Revolut don't issue Danish account numbers, so you cannot set it up until you have both a CPR number and a real Danish bank account.

   Tip: When you open your Danish bank account, most banks ask during onboarding whether to designate it as your NemKonto — say yes and you skip a separate step. Don't rely on Wise/Revolut; designate a real Danish account as soon as you have CPR.

8. 8

   Health card & GP

   (sundhedskort) Card issued automatically and mailed within ~1-2 weeks of your Borgerservice appointment (allow up to 3 weeks)

   The yellow health card (sundhedskort) is your key to free GP, hospital and emergency care; it's issued automatically after CPR registration and ties you to an assigned GP you can later change.

   Where: No separate application — the card is issued automatically by your municipality after CPR registration at Borgerservice and mailed to you. To choose or change your GP, use sundhed.dk or borger.dk (log in with MitID).

   Bring:

   • CPR number (the card is triggered by CPR registration — no separate application)
   • Passport as backup ID when seeing a GP before the card arrives
   • CPR number to give the GP receptionist / pharmacy / A&E
   • Passport or Danish ID plus CPR number if registering a GP in person
   • MitID to log in to sundhed.dk or borger.dk to choose/change GP

   Watch out: The card itself can't be blocked — it issues automatically once you have a CPR number. The only snag is GP assignment: in cities, nearby practices often have full patient lists, so you may need to widen your search or let the region assign one for you.

   Tip: You don't need the physical card to access healthcare — your CPR number alone lets a GP, pharmacy, A&E or the 1813 out-of-hours line look you up. Memorise your CPR number as soon as you get it.

Built from our source-checked Denmark guides (borger.dk, nyidanmark.dk, skat.dk, mitid.dk, lifeindenmark.dk). Rules, fees and processing times change — check the official source for each step before you rely on it. Not affiliated with any Danish authority. The Wise link is an affiliate link; it costs you nothing and helps keep these guides free.