Denmark is currently not granting new citizenships, leaving thousands of applicants waiting while politicians negotiate new naturalization rules. DR reports that 2,055 applicants already named on a citizenship bill still have no decision.
DR reported on August 21 that thousands of applicants remain in limbo. Among them is Yasemin Cathrin Thallaug Rahbek, a Norwegian citizen who has lived in Denmark for 26 years. She teaches Danish in primary school and lives here with her two children, aged seven and three.
Rahbek told DR that she has always felt Danish and wants to formalize that feeling. She applied three years ago, met all requirements, and was later recommended for inclusion on a citizenship bill. Per DR, she describes the current situation as being in no man’s land.
Another applicant is Zoé de Moffarts, a Belgian resident who arrived in Denmark in 2014 and first applied in 2023. She told DR that the wait feels inhuman and that she has a house, friends, and a life in Denmark. According to DR, she says it is unfair that new requirements keep being added after she was already approved.
Bill debated in February, still no grants
Citizenship in Denmark is granted by the Folketing, which must pass bills listing individual applicants by name. The 2,055 applicants cited by DR appeared on a bill given its first reading in the parliamentary chamber on February 5, 2026. Beyond them, more than 14,000 people have applied since and are also waiting.
Berlingske reported in June 2026 that 14,300 applicants are in a waiting position after the Ministry of Immigration and Integration paused case processing. Berlingske links the halt to the Conservative People’s Party and Liberal Alliance leaving the 2021 naturalization agreement. Without a new agreement, there is no political basis for granting citizenship.
CPH Post reported in June 2026 that Immigration Minister Morten Bødskov wants the government’s working group on citizenship to continue its work. The group is examining whether applicants should be screened for their values and democratic mindset, including through so-called sindelagssamtaler. Its report is expected around the turn of the year.
According to VisaVerge, the ministry announced on March 9, 2026 that applications would not generally be processed until after the March 24 general election. Processing was to resume once there is clarity on future conditions. VisasUpdate notes that Nordic declaration cases and adoption cases can still be handled.
The political dispute over Danish citizenship has become a central conflict at Christiansborg. Rahbek told DR that setting requirements is acceptable, but applying them retroactively is not. She said she remains hopeful about being included when the time comes.
