Your legal residence process

Whether you are studying abroad in Copenhagen or Stockholm, you will need to understand the legal residence process for each country and how it applies to you. This can vary depending on how long you will be abroad and what kind of passport you have, so we’ve created a guide to help you better understand the process.

When you study abroad with DIS for a semester or longer, you will need to apply for and obtain the necessary documentation to reside in Denmark or Sweden legally.*

Before you depart, DIS will get in touch, let you know what your legal residence process will look like, and assist you with the necessary steps.

Read on for more information.

*Students traveling on an EU or Nordic passport will not need a residence permit.

If your passport is from a visa-free country, you will not need to apply for a visa for your summer with DIS. You may simply enter Europe using your passport.

For those studying in Copenhagen, check out Ny i Danmark’s list of visa-free and visa-required countries

For those studying in Stockholm, check the Swedish government’s list of visa-required countries

If you require a visa to study in Scandinavia for the summer, DIS will email you application instructions once you complete the ‘Personal Information’ form on Student Registration.

Summer session students can disregard any information below on this page.

Your residence permit

Known colloquially as your ‘visa,’ your Danish residence permit proves that you are in the country legally. When traveling to and from Denmark, you may be asked to show your Danish residence permit card at customs to prove that you have the right to come back into the country.

Your CPR card

Your ‘Civil Registration Number’ (also known as your CPR card) qualifies you as a legal resident of Denmark who can access the Danish healthcare system and receive social benefits. If you have a Danish residence permit, you are obligated to have a CPR card. You will apply for this once you are in Denmark.

How to apply

Your legal residence process will be based on your passport and where you will live in Copenhagen. You will not apply for a residence permit on your own. Before you depart, DIS staff will notify you of the process specific to you and assist you with the necessary steps.

While all semester students will require visas to stay in Denmark, not all students will require a visa to enter Denmark. It is very important to pay attention to your specific process, as it may differ from that of your peers.

Consult Ny i Danmark’s list to see the list of visa-free and visa-required countries.

Step one: Submit required documents in Student Registration for your residence permit

Before you depart, you will need to upload two documents to Student Registration so that DIS can submit your residence permit application on your behalf:

A copy of your signed (and valid) passport
A copy of a power of attorney form giving DIS the ability to apply and monitor your application on your behalf. (This form is only valid for your residence permit application and has no bearing on medical or financial situations while abroad.)

You will be able to enter Denmark without a Danish residence permit using the 90 visa-free days you have as a visa-free passport holder.

You will then complete your application after arrival.

Step two: Attend a biometrics appointment at the Danish Immigration Services

During your first weeks in Copenhagen, you will go to Immigration Services (SIRI) to get your biometric information recorded and complete your visa application. DIS staff will organize your transportation to and from SIRI, as well as assist you with this process. Closer to your arrival, you will receive an important newsletter from us with details about your bus departure time.

This appointment is essential for the progression of your residence permit application. To ensure you will not have any conflicts with this appointment, DIS requires that you do not schedule any travel for the first three weeks of the program. We finalize the dates closer to your arrival, and it will eventually be posted on the semester calendar as well as in your Compass Course.

The week after your biometric appointment, DIS will receive a Residence Permit Approval Letter on your behalf.

Step three: Receive “Next Steps” from DIS and submit the application for your CPR card

About one week after you have gone to Immigration Services, DIS will send you information about your next steps in the form of two emails, along with all relevant documents (i.e. Residence Letter, proof of address) needed for your CPR registration. Depending on where you live, you will either complete CPR registration online at your local kommune (the municipality you reside in) or attend and in person appointment at the International House. You can expect these emails approximately three to four weeks after the start of the semester.

Step four: Label your mailbox at your housing site with your first and last name.

In Denmark, your mail will only be delivered to you if your mailbox is clearly labeled with your name. Do this in advance to ensure you receive your residence permit and CPR card.

Step five: Receive your residence permit and CPR card in the mail

Your pink/purple residence permit card and your yellow CPR card will be sent to your home address in Denmark within two to three weeks of registering with your local kommune.

If you do not receive your residence permit card after those two to three weeks, please reach out to the Student Hub Staff to get instructions on how to get a re-entry permit in lieu of a residence permit card.  If you do not receive your CPR Card, make sure to contact your kommune to check on the progress.

: Step one: Receive an email from DIS with next steps and a guide to completing the application

About four months before your program begins, you will receive detailed instructions from DIS on how to apply for your Danish residence permit.

Step two: Schedule an appointment to submit your application

After receiving the instructions from DIS, you will need to schedule your appointment at a visa processing center so DIS knows to open an application on your behalf.

Step three: Complete application and attend in-person appointment

DIS will send you the information to complete the application, which must be done before attending your appointment.

Step four: Receive approval and visa entry sticker in your passport before departing to Copenhagen

After the appointment, it can take up to two months for the Danish Immigration Service to process your application. Once approved, you will be notified and receive an entry visa in your passport which allows you to travel to Denmark and enter the Schengen area.

The DIS Visa Team will check in with you throughout the process to ensure you’re on track and will also be available for any questions.

Please note: You are responsible for paying the Residence Permit fee and a Consulate fee as part of your Residence Permit application. You will also be responsible for coordinating and paying for travel to a visa processing center. Your school might pay on your behalf.

If you have any questions, contact us.

Step five: Receive “Next Steps” email from DIS and submit application

Shortly after arrival, we will send you detailed information about your next steps, along with all relevant documents (i.e. Residence Letter, proof of address) needed for your CPR registration. Please read that email carefully, as it includes important information about how you will apply for your CPR card during your first week in Copenhagen.

Please note: It is required that you apply for a CPR card within five days of arriving in Denmark. Depending on where you live, you may have to complete an online application, register in person at your local kommune, or both.

Step six: Label your mailbox at your housing site with your first and last name.

In Denmark, your mail will only be delivered to you if your mailbox is clearly labeled with your name. Do this in advance to ensure you receive your residence permit and CPR card.

Step seven: Receive your residence permit and CPR card in the mail

Approximately two to three weeks after you have applied for your yellow CPR Card, both your residence permit and your CPR card will be sent to your home address in Denmark. If you do not receive either card, make sure to contact your kommune to check on the progress.

: Step one: Register at Immigration Services (SIRI)

During your first week in Copenhagen, you are responsible for going to Immigration Services (SIRI-EU) to register your residence in Denmark. You will receive information about how to book your appointment time and necessary documents you must bring a few days before you arrive in Denmark.

Shortly after your appointment you will receive a registration letter from SIRI-EU that confirms your eligibility to apply for a CPR Card.

Step two: Apply for your CPR card

After you have registered at Immigration Services, refer back to the email you received from DIS about your legal residence process (sent a few days shortly after arrival). This email includes detailed instructions for applying for your CPR Card, which involves registering with your kommune (the municipality you reside in) in Denmark. Depending on where you live, you will either complete CPR registration online at your local kommune or attend an in-person appointment at the International House.

Step three: Label your mailbox at your housing site with your first and last name.

In Denmark, your mail will only be delivered to you if your mailbox is clearly labeled with your name. Do this in advance to ensure you receive your CPR card.

Please note that you are responsible for registering and applying for your CPR card before the last 90 days of your semester in Denmark. Failure to apply before then may result in the municipality denying you a CPR card. We therefore strongly recommend you initiate your CPR application process immediately after your appointment at SIRI-EU.

Step four: Receive your CPR card in the mail

Approximately two to three weeks after you have applied for your yellow CPR Card, your CPR card will be sent to your home address in Denmark. If you do not receive your card, make sure to contact your kommune to check on the progress.

: Step one: Apply for your CPR card

Shortly after arriving in Denmark, you will receive an important newsletter with information about how you apply for your CPR card, along with all relevant documents (i.e. proof of address) needed for your CPR registration. This email will include detailed instructions for registering with your kommune (the municipality you reside in) in Denmark. Depending on where you live, you will either complete an online application or apply in person at your local kommune.

Please note that you are responsible for registering and applying for your CPR Card before the last 90 days left of your semester in Denmark. Failure to apply before then may result in the municipality denying you a CPR Card.

Step two: Label your mailbox at your housing site with your first and last name.

In Denmark, your mail will only be delivered to you if your mailbox is clearly labeled with your name. Do this in advance to ensure you receive your CPR card.

Step three: Receive your CPR card in the mail

Approximately two to three weeks after you have applied for your yellow CPR Card, your CPR card will be sent to your home address in Denmark. If you do not receive your card, make sure to contact your kommune to check on the progress.

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Your visitor’s permit

Your visitor’s permit qualifies you as a legal resident of Sweden. When traveling outside of the country during the semester, you may be asked to show your visitor’s permit at passport control to prove that you have the right to come back into the country.

How to apply

You will not apply for a residence permit on your own. Before you depart, DIS staff will notify you of the process specific to you and assist you with the necessary steps.

Your legal residence process will be based on your passport. Upon admission to DIS Stockholm, all students who do not hold an EU or Norwegian passport will be required to apply for a Swedish visitor’s permit.

It is very important to pay attention to your specific process, as it may differ from that of your peers.

Consult the Swedish government’s list of countries requiring entry visas

If the country that issued your passport is on this list, you are considered “entry visa-required”

If the country that issued your passport is not on this list, you are considered “entry visa-free”

Learn more about the process based on your passport.

If you are a student from an entry visa-free country, you may legally enter Sweden without a visitor’s permit up to approximately 80 days in advance of your DIS term start.

However, DIS requires you apply for a visitor’s permit before you depart.

Step one: Submit required documents in Student Registration

Before you depart, you will need to upload three documents to Student Registration so that DIS can submit your residence permit application on your behalf:

A copy of your signed (and valid) passport
A bank statement showing you have at least $3,000 in your account
A copy of a power of attorney form giving DIS the ability to apply and monitor your application on your behalf. (This form is only valid for your residence permit application and has no bearing on medical or financial situations while abroad.)

Step two: Receive an email from DIS with next steps and a guide to completing the application

About four months before arrival, you will receive detailed instructions from DIS on how to apply for your Swedish visitor’s permit. You must submit the required application information and required supporting documents by the deadline indicated in this email.

It can take two to three months for the Swedish government to approve an application once submitted. Any delay in submitting the required documentation may extend the processing of your application, and therefore affect your arrival in Sweden as well as your travel in and around Europe.

Step three: DIS submits your Swedish visitor’s permit application on your behalf

DIS will compile the necessary documents you submitted in addition to a few other documents, then submit the completed online application so the Swedish embassy can start their review and processing. For this reason, we only want you to follow the process outlined by DIS.

Step four: Complete a digital passport check

Before approval, your passport must be verified as being valid and belonging to you. The Migration Agency allows for the majority of visa-free passport holders to complete this digitally. You will receive an invitation from the Swedish Embassy via email after your application has been submitted to the Swedish Embassy and before final approval. This step must be completed within 7 days of receiving this email, or you will have to show your passport in person at the Embassy.

Notes: Due to DIS holding Power of Attorney, we will receive the email invitation to the app, then forward it on to you as soon as it is received.

** If you hold a passport that is not compatible with the app, DIS will let you know and assist with travel to the Embassy to complete this step.

Step five: Receive approval letter

Once your application is approved, you will receive an approval letter. This is not your visa, but it is a formal letter indicating you have permission to live in Sweden. Your approval letter will be emailed to you within a few weeks of your departure to Sweden. You must carry it with you when you fly to Europe.

After you arrive in Sweden, you will be able to proceed with the next step.

Step six: Submit biometrics in Stockholm

During your first week in Stockholm, you will be brought to the Migration Agency to submit your biometrics. DIS staff will help you with this process, and you will find out more information in the days leading up to your arrival in Sweden.

Step seven: Receive your visitor’s permit

Approximately three weeks after your biometrics appointment, you will receive your Swedish visitor’s permit card in the mail. When traveling, you should always carry your passport and visitor’s permit with you.

As an entry visa-required student, you are required to obtain your Swedish visitor’s permit prior to departure.

Step one: Submit required documents in Student Registration

Before you depart, you will need to upload three documents to Student Registration so that DIS can submit your residence permit application on your behalf:

A copy of your signed (and valid) passport
A bank statement showing you have at least $3,000 in your account
A copy of a power of attorney form giving DIS the ability to apply and monitor your application on your behalf. (This form is only valid for your residence permit application and has no bearing on medical or financial situations while abroad.)

Step two: Receive an email from DIS with next steps and a guide to completing the application

It can take two to three months for the Swedish government to approve an application once submitted. If you turn in the paperwork late, your application may not be approved until after your arrival in Sweden – in which case your travel in and around Europe may be restricted. It might also impact how soon you will be invited to visit the Swedish embassy to present your passport for verification.

Step three: DIS submits your Swedish visitor’s permit application on your behalf

DIS will compile the necessary documents you submitted in addition to a few other documents, then submit the completed online application so the embassy can start their review and processing. For this reason, we only want you to follow the process outlined by DIS.

Step four: Visit the Swedish embassy in Washington D.C. to complete your in-person biometrics appointment

You will receive an invitation to book your biometrics appointment from the Swedish Embassy via email after your application has been submitted online and before final approval. You will then choose a date and time that works for you to complete this step.

Step five: Receive approval and your visitor’s permit

Once your permit is approved, you’ll receive your Swedish visitor’s permit card in the mail. It takes two to three weeks for you to receive the card after you receive your approval letter. You will need the visitor’s permit card to enter Sweden.

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If you have more than one passport

Contact the DIS North American Office.

We’ll advise you on which passport you should travel with. Whichever passport you inform DIS you are traveling with and use to enter Denmark or Sweden, you must follow that country’s application process to obtain your legal residence visa.

If you plan to travel before or after your term with DIS

Denmark and Sweden are included in the Schengen region, a zone consisting of 29 European member countries. If you will be traveling or studying in the Schengen area for an extended amount of time before your semester starts, DIS strongly advises you to contact the DIS North American Office to ensure that there will be no complications with your stay in Scandinavia.

If you plan to travel during your semester

Once you have spent 90 days in the Schengen Region, you must carry both your passport and your residence permit with you when traveling outside of Denmark or Sweden.

We suggest you to also travel with photocopies of both your passport and Residence Permit. Store these copies separately from the originals in case of loss or theft.

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Your legal residence process

Will you need a visa
to study abroad?

Danish legal residence process

Your residence permit

Your CPR card

How to apply

Swedish legal residence process

Your visitor’s permit

How to apply

Wherever you’re going,
we can help

If you have more than one passport

If you plan to travel before or after your term with DIS

If you plan to travel during your semester

Skip to:+ Will you need a visa to study abroad?+ DIS Copenhagen students+ DIS Stockholm students+ More information

Will you need a visato study abroad?

Danish legal residence process

Your residence permit

Your CPR card

How to apply

Students from entry visa-free countries

Students from entry visa-required countries

Students with an EU/EEA/EFTA (except Nordic) passport

Students with a Nordic passport

Swedish legal residence process

Your visitor’s permit

How to apply

Students from entry visa-free countries

Students from entry visa-required countries

Wherever you’re going,we can help

If you have more than one passport

If you plan to travel before or after your term with DIS

If you plan to travel during your semester

Skip to:
+ Will you need a visa to study abroad?
+ DIS Copenhagen students
+ DIS Stockholm students
+ More information

Will you need a visa
to study abroad?

Wherever you’re going,
we can help