Download the MitID app, open the menu and choose the passport option, then scan the chip in your valid foreign passport or ID card and complete a face scan. No Danish CPR number is legally required, but without one you need an 8-digit P-code from MitID Support, and that version cannot open most Danish self-services.
This guide is for people who have just landed in Denmark, people still waiting for a CPR number, and people living abroad who need Danish digital access. It covers the app route with a foreign passport, the P-code route without CPR, what to bring to Citizen Service when the scan refuses to work, and the error messages that trip people up.
What MitID unlocks, and what it does not
MitID is Denmark’s digital ID. It is how you log in to your bank, your tax account, your health records, your municipality and your mail from the authorities. Without it, daily admin in Denmark happens by phone, letter and queue.
The catch for newcomers is that MitID and the CPR number are two separate things that feel like one. MitID proves you are you. The CPR number is what most Danish systems use to find your file. You can hold a valid MitID and still be locked out of services because no CPR number is attached to it.
That distinction matters if you are opening an account with one of the banks in Denmark. Several institutions expect a CPR number before online banking works, and Danske Bank has been reported as directing customers without one to get a CPR number first.
Who can get MitID as a foreigner
- MitID states that a Danish CPR number is not a legal requirement. People without one are advised to use a P-code instead.
- Chipped passports and ID cards issued by other countries work in the app. This function went live on 12 January 2023. Before that, from June 2022, only Danish, Greenlandic and Faroese passports could be used in the app.
- If you already have a CPR number and a foreign passport, you use the same passport route as everyone else.
- MitID’s own eligibility page sets the minimum age at over 13. Note that the Embassy of Denmark page for the UK says 15, so check mitid.dk for the current rule before you help a teenager sign up.
- Foreign phone numbers are supported, so you do not need a Danish SIM to finish the setup.
- No fee appeared in any of the official sources reviewed for this guide.
Creating MitID in the app with a foreign passport
You need two things before you start. First, a valid, unexpired passport or ID card with a chip, which you can spot by the small chip symbol on the cover or front. Second, a phone that can read that chip. The Embassy of Denmark in the UK cites an iPhone 7 or newer, or a newer Android phone.
The sequence in the app is short. Download MitID, open the menu, choose the option for getting MitID with a passport, scan the code, let the phone read the chip, then complete a face scan. The chip read and the face scan are the two steps where things usually go wrong.
If a scan fails, close the app completely, reopen it and try again. MitID’s own guidance notes that the face scan may take several attempts. Good light, a plain background and a steady hand help more than you would expect. Put the passport flat on a table and move the phone slowly across the back cover to find the chip.
The P-code route if you have no CPR number
If you do not have a CPR number, you cannot simply finish in the app without extra help. You need an 8-digit P-code, and you request it from MitID Support, not from inside the app. Support can be reached on +45 33 98 00 10.
Turnaround for MitID Erhverv users is given as roughly 24 hours. Third-party sources describe the P-code as valid for 60 days and usable for up to three attempts, and give support hours as Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 20:00. Those details are not published on mitid.dk, so confirm them when you call.
Be realistic about what a P-code MitID gives you. The union 3F states plainly that most self-service solutions currently require a CPR number, which means a P-code MitID will not open them. For business use the picture is better. MitID Erhverv has accepted CPR-free personal MitID since 24 September 2023, which is why foreign company owners and board members can often get moving before their personal paperwork is done.
When the app fails: going to Borgerservice
If repeated chip and face scans fail, the fallback is a Citizen Service Centre, called Borgerservice in Danish. MitID’s guidance says to book an appointment and bring documents, and booking ahead is the part people skip and regret.
Copenhagen Municipality accepts a foreign residence permit showing a CPR number, issued in Denmark, as documentation, together with your passport. MitID’s own list of valid Citizen Service documents also includes the health insurance card, a residence certificate and a Danish birth certificate.
Two identification paths exist at the counter. Staff may ask you control questions based on CPR data, which only works if there is data to ask about. Alternatively you can bring a witness whose MitID is at least 30 days old. The witness may also need to show foreign ID plus a Danish health card, so check the exact list on your municipality’s page before you both take time off work.
Error messages, including the 2026 problem for users abroad
The generic “An error has occurred” message is the most common complaint. The first fix is always the same: close the app, reopen it, and repeat the step.
In May 2026, MitID published a notice that this error affected some citizens abroad, with a workaround of setting the phone’s time zone to Copenhagen. An update dated 26 May 2026 says the issue was resolved. If you are outside Denmark and stuck, the time zone trick costs nothing to try.
MitID news from 9 June 2026 also reports that foreign passport holders without a CPR number now find it easier to get and activate MitID. If you gave up on this months ago, it is worth another attempt before you book a counter appointment.
MitID and AltID side by side in 2026
AltID launched on 3 June 2026 as a separate app, and MitID continues to exist alongside it. Early reporting suggested AltID would replace MitID, and that was corrected. AltID also requires a CPR number and a minimum age of 13.
For a newcomer, nothing changes practically. Get MitID working first, because that is what the passport route and the P-code process are built around. Keep an eye on the MitID news page for any change, since no further changes for 2027 appeared in the sources reviewed here.
Once MitID works, guard it. Your digital ID and your CPR number together are the keys to your Danish life, which is why incidents like the one covered in our report on the CPR leak credit warning matter so much. Never approve a MitID request you did not start yourself.
FAQ
Do I need a CPR number to get MitID?
No. MitID states that a CPR number is not required, and people without one are advised to use a P-code. The limitation is practical rather than legal: 3F notes that most Danish self-service solutions currently need a CPR number, so a P-code MitID will not open them.
Can I use a passport from my home country?
Yes, if it has a chip. Since 12 January 2023, foreign passports and chipped international ID cards can be used directly in the MitID app. Before that, the in-app option covered only Danish, Greenlandic and Faroese passports from June 2022.
Can I get MitID while I am still living abroad?
Yes, through the passport route in the app. Citizen Service is an option once you are physically in Denmark. MitID keeps a dedicated help section for people living outside Denmark, and foreign phone numbers are supported.
Can I use a P-code MitID for online banking or tax?
Generally no. The sources reviewed say banks and most public self-services require a CPR number attached to your identity. Business access through MitID Erhverv is the exception, since it has accepted CPR-free personal MitID since 24 September 2023.
How long does the whole process take?
With a chipped passport and a compatible phone, the app route can be done in one sitting. With a P-code, expect to add the time it takes MitID Support to issue it, given as about 24 hours for MitID Erhverv users. A Citizen Service visit depends on local appointment availability.
Official sources
- MitID (Agency for Digital Government)
- MitID Erhverv
- Agency for Digital Government (Digitaliseringsstyrelsen)
- Københavns Kommune, Citizen Service
