A Danish man adopted from Colombia has discovered that his official birthday might be wrong. After celebrating on January 1 his whole life, he now wants a new date that truly belongs to him.
The man who never had a normal birthday
Every year, Daniel Cesar Bredegaard wakes up to the same problem. While others are recovering from New Year’s Eve, he is supposed to celebrate his birthday. The 36-year-old lives in Copenhagen but grew up in Fuglebjerg near Næstved, and for as long as he remembers, January 1 has been a lonely day to celebrate.
His parents always tried their best, but most people were tired, hungover, or busy with family traditions. Over time, the day came to feel more like a burden than a celebration. This year, Daniel decided he wants that to change for good.
Why his birthday might be fake
Daniel was adopted from Colombia when he was three months old. Back in the 1980s, it was routine for adoption agencies to assign unknown birthdays as January 1 or July 1. It made administrative tasks easier and helped create complete identity papers for international adoptions. That is how Daniel ended up with his official date.
For decades, he assumed everything was correct. He trusted the papers and never questioned the Danish authorities. But around a year ago, he learned that his case likely fit the old administrative pattern where children from abroad were simply given a convenient date.
Understanding this sparked something deeper. For Daniel, it is not only a matter of replacing a number. It is about taking back personal ownership over his own story.
Challenging the official record
Changing a birthday in Denmark is legally possible but far from simple. The Civil Registration System, known as CPR, only allows changes when new or corrected evidence proves the registered date is wrong. Cases like Daniel’s require strong documentation from the birth country or adoption files, which he does not have.
He has already reached out to the Ankestyrelsen, the official Danish Appeals Board, to discuss what can be done. The process involves the local citizens’ registry and could take months or even years.
To make things more complicated, a new birthdate also means getting a new CPR number, which affects everything from tax information to healthcare records. Because of that, many international adoptees have decided not to pursue it, even if they know their original date might be false. Getting help from immigration lawyers is sometimes necessary to navigate the bureaucracy.
Marking a new beginning
Despite the challenges, Daniel has already chosen to celebrate a different day. The day he officially arrived in Denmark, March 17, 1989, holds real meaning for him. It is the moment his life truly began in the country he now calls home.
Yet, he wants more than a symbolic change. Daniel dreams of having his documents match the way he feels about his personal identity. If the system gave him his first date on a random basis, he believes he should now have the right to change it to one that feels true.
For him, it has become a matter of dignity and ownership. He no longer wants to be defined by decisions made at a desk decades ago. Instead, he wants to control the narrative of his own life.
The broader issue for adoptees
Daniel’s story reflects a larger issue among internationally adopted people in Denmark. For many, official papers list generic dates that were never proven. Some adoptees have even discovered new records later in life showing that their real birthdays were different. Getting those papers recognized by Danish authorities, however, can be hard and emotionally draining.
For people moving to or already living in Denmark who face complex personal documentation cases, resources about how to immigrate to Denmark and how identity is handled under Danish civil law can be helpful. The process demands patience, documentation, and persistence.
A meaningful change
In the end, Daniel sees his goal as part of a personal journey rather than a legal battle. The practical struggles mean little compared to the emotional weight of reclaiming something as fundamental as your own date of birth.
After 36 birthdays spent on what he calls “the worst day of the year,” he hopes one day to celebrate on a date that finally feels like his own. Whether or not the authorities approve the change, he has already chosen the day that truly matters to him.
Sources and References
The Danish Dream: How to Immigrate to Denmark
The Danish Dream: Best Immigration Lawyers in Denmark for Foreigners
TV2: Han har fødselsdag på årets værste dag – nu vil han have en ny
