Questions and answers
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Visa
If you have entered Denmark as visa-free or with a visa, as a starting point you must coordinate and pay for the stay yourself. According to a new law, municipalities have the option of offering accommodation and meals to displaced persons from Ukraine who have submitted or will submit an application for a residence permit under the Special Act within five working days of the accommodation or meals. It is also a requirement that you are not supported by the Danish Immigration Service. The law also does not apply if it is obvious that you are not covered by the Special Act. It is necessary to contact the individual municipality to find out about the possibilities for accommodation through the municipality.
The Special Act
If you are applying for a residence permit under the new Special Act, you can choose to be accommodated in an asylum center while your application for a residence permit is being processed, but this is not a requirement. DRC Danish Refugee Council does not know which asylum center you will be accommodated at. You can also choose to stay privately with family and friends. As a rule, if you choose to live privately you must pay for the stay yourself. In some places, it is also an option to be accommodated through the municipality while your residence permit is being processed. You can contact the individual municipality to hear more about that option.
Asylum
If you are applying for asylum in Denmark, you will in principle be covered by the Danish Immigration Service's support. This means that you will basically have to stay at an asylum center, where you will receive pocket money, food, necessary health treatment, etc. As an asylum seeker, you can choose not to be accommodated in an asylum center. One consequence, however, will be that you will no longer be covered by the Danish Immigration Service's support, and that you will therefore have to bear all expenses for food, health treatment, etc.
It is not a prerequisite for the asylum case to be processed that you are accommodated in an asylum center. However, you must make sure that the Danish Immigration Service has the necessary contact information and you must show up at Center Sandholm, for example when you are summoned for an asylum interview.
If your asylum case is processed in Denmark, it is possible to apply for a permit for private accommodation during the asylum case processing and in some cases continue to be under the support of the Danish Immigration Service.
If you are applying for private accommodation with a spouse, you can apply immediately, but it is a condition that your spouse can support you. If you are applying for private accommodation with others, e.g. friends and other family, you can apply after 6 months and there is an opportunity to continue to be under the support of the Danish Immigration Service. An application for private accommodation must be submitted to the Danish Immigration Service. For more information about theaccommodation of asylum seekers, refer to New to Denmark.
If you have entered Denmark as visa-free or with a visa, you must in principle coordinate and pay for the stay, and this means that you cannot get public support. However, municipalities can offer accommodation and meals to people who have been displaced from Ukraine for a shorter period until they have been granted a residence permit under the Special Act. It is necessary to contact the individual municipality to find out more about the possibilities for accommodation through the municipality.
If you have applied for a residence permit under the new Special Act and have chosen to use the option of private accommodation, you do not have the option of receiving public support in the form of payment of cash benefits. In some municipalities, however, it is possible to get support for meals even if you are privately accommodated and it is therefore a good idea to contact the municipality you are staying in and hear about the possibilities.
After you have been granted a residence permit under the new Special Act, you will be treated in the same way as other refugees in Denmark and have the right to apply for self-sufficiency- and repatriation benefits or transition benefits. If you are granted asylum and get a residence permit, you have the right to apply for self-sufficiency- and repatriation benefits or transition benefits.
Everyone who resides in Denmark has the right to emergency medical care at a hospital in the region where they reside. Whether emergency medical care is needed will depend on a specific medical professional assessment of the patient. In cases where it is assessed that the need for medical care is not urgent, persons without a residence permit are not normally entitled to treatment in Denmark, but because the war in Ukraine prevents treatment in the home country, the National Board of Health (Sundhedsstyrelsen) states that non-urgent care will be widely available for newly arrived Ukrainians. Whether newly arrived Ukrainians will be charged for the treatment remains unclear, but it will depend on an assessment of the individual patient's ability to pay. However, the National Board of Health (Sundhedsstyrelsen) has referred to the fact that the regions are spacious in their estimation of whether persons can pay for the treatment, and that the special challenges that may have arisen in connection with the escape, including lack of income, frozen accounts, etc. are taken into account. The National Board of Health (Sundhedsstyrelsen) emphasizes that medical care always must be offered before an assessment is made of whether the patient can pay for the service or whether the payment must be covered by the Danish state.
The Ministry of Health has allocated funds that has made it possible to offer free vaccination for several infectious diseases, such as measles, diphtheria, and polio. It is the intention that free vaccination should be offered to both children and adults from Ukraine immediately after entry into Denmark - regardless of whether they may later choose to apply for a residence permit under the Special Act. There are several criteria one must live up to in order to be covered by the offer of free vaccination. The criteria can be read on the Ministry of Health's website.
Especially for children and young people under 18 years
According to the National Board of Health, children, and young people under the age of 18 who have fled the war in Ukraine must be offered the same health services as children who have a permanent residence in Denmark for free.
Especially for you who have applied for residence in Denmark under the new Special Act
All Ukrainians who have applied for residence in Denmark under the Special Act are entitled to necessary health services while their application is being processed. This applies regardless of whether you are accommodated privately, municipally or in an asylum center.
According to the National Board of Health, a health service is categorized as necessary if it is pain-relieving or urgent. A treatment is considered urgent if it cannot wait until the foreigner is granted a residence permit or departures, because the condition can involve not insignificant risks of lifelong injury, or the development of severe progression of illness or that the condition becomes chronic.
Especially for you who have submitted an application for asylum
If you have applied for asylum and are accommodated in an asylum center, you are entitled to necessary health services and the expenses will be covered by the Danish Immigration Service.
A health service is categorized as necessary if it is pain relieving or urgent. A treatment is considered urgent if it cannot wait until the foreigner is granted a residence permit or departures, because the condition can involve not insignificant risks of lifelong injury, or the development of severe progression of illness or that the condition becomes chronic. Asylum-seeking children are entitled to the same health treatment as all other children in Denmark.
Especially for you who have been granted a residence permit in Denmark
Once you have been granted a residence permit in Denmark, you are entitled to free treatment in some parts of the health service. On the Danish Health and Medicines Authority's website, you can find information about what rights you have when you have been granted a residence permit in Denmark. The information is available in Danish, English, Ukrainian and Russian.
Patients who, according to the Health Act, have the right to treatment by a general practitioner, specialist or at the hospital, are in this connection entitled to interpreter assistance when the doctor deems that an interpreter is necessary for the treatment. Interpreting assistance is free of charge for persons who have resided in Denmark for less than three years. If you have lived in Denmark for more than three years, you must pay a fee for interpreting assistance in the health service. However, there are several exceptions for the fee payment.
Especially for those of you who have questions regarding people with disabilities
If the question is about how people with disabilities can get help in a specific situation, you must contact the municipality where the person who has been granted a residence permit resides.
Red Cross Health Clinic
The Red Cross Health Clinic is present in Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Odense. Here, you can get basic health care if you fall outside the public Danish health system. The consultations in the clinic are free, and the necessary medicine is free for those patients who do not have the means to pay.
Medical care at the Danish border
If you need medical help when you enter Denmark, you can contact the Danish police at the border. They will make an assessment of whether you can be referred for treatment at a hospital.
On DRC Danish Refugee Council's psychosocial telephone line, you can call in and have a short conversation with a Ukrainian professional. Here, you can be guided in your mother tongue about normal reactions under difficult life circumstances, as well as what you can do to strengthen security and resilience in a new life full of upheavals. A first reassuring conversation, where you are heard and understood, get answers to your questions or simply share your experience of grief and loss, can have a great impact on how a crisis situation is experienced and handled. At this conversation, it is possible to arrange a time for a longer follow-up conversation. It is also possible to be examined for three therapeutic interviews as needed. The psychosocial telephone line can be contacted by telephone: +45 3373 5314. Opening hours are from 9-10 and from 17-18 (Monday to Friday).
The Capital Region of Denmark, the Region of Zealand, the Region of Southern Denmark and the North Jutland Region have set up counseling telephones, which offer emergency crisis assistance to Ukrainian citizens and others connected to Ukraine.
If you have a residence permit in Denmark and suspect trauma or PTSD, you can contact your general practitioner, who can refer you to suitable help.
If you have been granted a residence permit under the new Special Act, you can apply to be admitted to an education in Denmark. The application procedure and application requirements differ from education to education, and it is therefore a good idea to contact the individual educational institution to hear about the possibilities for applying.
It is important to be aware of the fact that the Danish and Ukrainian education systems are different in a numerous ways, and it may therefore be a good idea to familiarize yourself with the difference between the Danish and Ukrainian education systems before applying. When applying for an education, it may be necessary to be able to document previous education. If you need an assessment of your foreign education, you can contact the Ministry of Education and Research. If you have specific questions, you can also contact one of the assessment staff responsible for the country from which your education comes.
Several Danish educations also have a language requirement for admission. The language requirement means that you must be able to prove that you master the language in which the education is taught. This is most often done through a test or by being able to document the language skills through previously completed education.
If you have a residence permit under the Special Act and are admitted to an education, you are entitled to SU (Statens Uddannelsesstøtte). It is a financial aid that you can get while you are studying. To apply for SU as a foreign citizen, you must apply to be equated with a Danish citizen. There are several different rates for SU and the level of assistance depends on different criteria.
At UddannelsesGuiden you will find an overview of the different educations in Denmark.
The Special Act
Ukrainians who have submitted an application for a residence permit in accordance with the Special Act, and who have had fingerprints and personal photographs taken, have the opportunity to work before they are granted the residence permit. However, the faster access to the labor market does not apply if it is obvious that you are not covered by the Special Act. If you are offered a job while the case is being processed, you must send the Danish Immigration Service a copy of your employment contract, as it may have an impact on where in Denmark you will live if you receive a residence permit.
There is a great deal of attention paid to ensuring Ukrainians' access to the labor market in Denmark and therefore the government, the social partners, KL and the Danish Regions have joined forces and formed a partnership for Ukrainians in jobs. Among other things, the partnership will focus on: Rapid competence clarification, job banking, opportunities for Danish language education, focus on upskilling and opportunities for IGU courses, etc. The booklets Your path to a job in Denmark can be a good place to start if you are new to Denmark and would like to know more about how to enter the Danish labor market.
Especially for you who want to start working before you have received a residence permit: If you want to start working before you have received a residence permit, you must contact the Danish Tax Agency to get a tax card. You must have a tax card so that you pay the correct tax on your Danish salary.
Especially for you who want to work after you have received a residence permit: You must have a tax card so that you pay the correct tax on your Danish salary. If you do not have a tax card, you must pay 55% of your salary in tax. A tax card is a digital card that tells your employer how much you have to pay in taxes. You can get your employer to help you get a tax card made. You can apply by logging on to Skat.dk. In addition, you must have a NemKonto. It is an ordinary bank account where you receive a sum from the public sector, e.g. if you have paid too much in tax.
Asylum
As an asylum seeker, you can apply for permission to work at the Danish Immigration Service while your case is processed, if a number of conditions are met. One of the conditions is that more than 6 months have passed since you applied for asylum in Denmark.
Children under the age of 18 are offered tuition at or in connection with an asylum center. Some children may have the opportunity to attend classes at a regular primary school.
Adult asylum seekers must attend classes at or in connection with the asylum center. Upon arrival, there will be an asylum seeker course, which provides an initial knowledge of the Danish language, as well as cultural and social conditions and the Danish labor market, education and housing conditions. There will subsequently be tuition in Danish, English or the mother tongue.
For more information about work and teaching, please refer to the Danish Immigration Service's website: New to Denmark.
Day care
If you have been granted a residence permit under the Special Act, your children can be cared for in day care. If your child is between 8 months and 2 years old, you can apply for a nursery place for the child. An alternative to nursery is day care. Here, the child is typically cared for in the day care provider's private home, and the day care worker is not allowed to look after more than five children. If your child is between 3 and 6 years old, you can apply for a kindergarten place for the child. To get a place in a daycare offer, you must register your child through Borger.dk. You must pay for part of the costs yourself by having your child in a day care service, but the municipality must provide a subsidy of at least 75 per cent of the costs for the place. In addition, you and your child may be eligible for various grants which may help reduce the cost.
The municipalities are responsible for providing language stimulation to children who, based on a language assessment, are assessed as having a need for language support activities.
On 21 April 2022, a political agreement was reached to give the municipalities increased flexibility in connection with the reception of displaced children and young people from Ukraine in the field of children and education. A bill will therefore be submitted that gives the municipalities the opportunity to deviate from various requirements in the day care area.
School
Children in Denmark often start school in the calendar year in which the child turns 6 years old. In Denmark, there is a 10-year compulsory education, but not compulsory schooling. This means that parents have the right to choose how their child is taught. Often parents choose to let their children enroll in the public school, called Folkeskolen which is free and funded by the Danish state. Alternatively, you can let your child enroll in a free school or private school. It is also possible to apply for the right to teach one's children at home. How long a school day is varies from grade to grade, but in many places children are in after-school care (SFO) when school ends and until parents pick them up after work.
On 21 April 2022, a political agreement was reached to give the municipalities increased flexibility in connection with the reception of displaced children and young people from Ukraine in the field of children and education. A bill will therefore be submitted that gives the municipalities the opportunity to deviate from different requirements in the primary and lower secondary school area.
On the website of the Ministry of Children and Education, you can find answers to a large number of questions regarding the impact of the Ukraine conflict on children and their education. If you as a parent need specific counseling, you can contact the Parental Counseling.
Yes, you can bring your pet into Denmark, but there are several papers that must be in order. At the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration you can read more about what you need to do to keep your pet with you when you enter Denmark.
Once you have been granted a residence permit under the Special Act, you can leave just like other foreigners who have a residence permit in Denmark. When you have a residence permit under the Special Act, you are welcome to travel back to your home country. You can therefore travel back to Ukraine on shorter holiday visits without consequences for the residence permit. If you travel for longer periods, you may risk that the residence permit is considered to have lapsed. Get more information about the rules when leaving for Ukraine at Ny i Danmark.
If you want to travel to Ukraine for a shorter or longer period after you have been granted a residence permit, it is important that you are aware that a trip out of Denmark can have an impact on your maintenance benefit, your accommodation and your self-sufficiency and return program in Denmark. Before you travel out of the country, it is important that you contact your municipal caseworker.
If you need legal advice on the possibility of applying for asylum in Denmark and the rules for this, you can contact DRC Danish Refugee Council's Asylum Department for advice by telephone on +45 3373 5000 from Monday to Friday from 9-15 or e-mail [email protected]. On Tuesdays between 13 – 15, Ukrainian interpretation is available by telephone inquiries.
Do you need legal or social professional advice on, for example, visas, family reunification, studies, work, payments, etc. you can contact DRC Danish Refugee Council's Volunteer Counseling by e-mail [email protected] or by telephone on +45 33735315 from Monday to Friday from 9-12.
If you are in contact with Ukrainians in Denmark who have difficult questions, you can refer them to DRC Danish Refugee Council's Psychosocial telephone line. Here, children, young people and adults can call in and in their mother tongue be guided in normal reactions under difficult life circumstances, as well as what can be done to strengthen the feeling of safety and resilience in a new life full of upheavals.
The psychosocial telephone line can be contacted by telephone: +45 3373 5314. Opening hours: kl. 9AM-10AM and 5PM-6PM (Monday to Friday).
The Danish authorities have set up website kriseinformation.dk where you can find answers to current questions, news and press releases related to the Danish efforts and get an overview of sanctions and Danish contributions to Ukraine.
If you have questions regarding issues such as work, education and childcare you can find more information on the website www.ukrainian-in-denmark.dk (information available in Danish, English and Ukrainian).