Canreach Global

Denmark Start-up Residence Permit

A temporary Danish residence and work permit for founders who build and actively run an approved innovative business. Denmark has no passive investment or citizenship-by-investment route.

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Start-up Denmark is for founders who want to establish an innovative, scalable company in Denmark and secure the residence and work authorisation needed to lead it. There is no amount you can invest to buy this permit. Your business concept is assessed by an expert panel, and the permit that follows is tied to running that specific business. For entrepreneurs who want more than a passive holding, this route creates a genuine platform for building a European business and relocating with qualifying family members.

Key facts

Denmark Start-up Residence Permit at a glance

OutcomeDanish temporary residence and work permit to establish and run the approved business, renewable while the business and permit conditions continue to be metMinimum investmentNo fixed passive investment threshold. You need enough capital to run the approved business and to support yourself and your familyInvestment routesOne route only. An innovative, scalable business you own in full or in part and actively operate in Denmark, approved by the Start-up Denmark expert panelTime to approvalNormal processing time of two months for the residence permit application, extended to up to four months if additional documentation is requested. This runs after the business idea has been approved by the Danish Business AuthorityFamily includedEligible spouse, registered or cohabiting partner, and children under 18, under the applicable family rulesPhysical presenceYou must live in Denmark and be actively involved in running the approved business

Figures as of October 2026. Amounts and timelines change and are confirmed before you commit.

The program

About the Start-up Denmark residence permit

Canreach Global offers Start-up Denmark, and our team guides founders through both stages of it: the business idea approval and the residence permit application that follows.

Start-up Denmark is Denmark's residence route for entrepreneurs. Your business plan is assessed by an expert panel appointed by the Danish Business Authority. If the panel approves the concept, you then apply to SIRI, the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration, for the residence and work permit that lets you move to Denmark and operate the business.

Denmark has no passive Golden Visa or citizenship-by-investment program. The closest investment-linked route is Start-up Denmark, for founders of innovative, scalable businesses approved by an expert panel. If you have arrived here expecting to place capital into property or a fund and receive residence in return, that option does not exist in Denmark.

Two points follow from that. Buying Danish property does not create residence rights. And there is no fixed passive investment threshold, because the test is not how much capital you bring. The test is whether the business is innovative and scalable, and whether you will genuinely run it.

The permit is temporary and tied to the approved activity. It can be extended provided the business remains active and the permit conditions are maintained. Nothing about permanent residence or Danish citizenship is purchased through this route.

Benefits

Why clients choose Start-up Denmark

  1. Residence and work authorisation to operate the approved Danish business.

  2. The opportunity to establish a business presence in a highly developed European market.

  3. Qualifying family members can accompany the principal applicant under applicable rules.

  4. A renewable residence pathway, provided the business remains active and the permit conditions are maintained.

  5. A company built inside the Danish and wider European business environment, rather than a passive holding.

Is it for you

Who the Start-up Denmark permit suits

This route is best suited to founders with an innovative, scalable business model who intend to be actively involved in Denmark.

Main applicant

  • A founder with an innovative and scalable business concept capable of passing expert panel assessment.
  • A full or partial owner of the business who will take an active role in running it.
  • Willing to relocate to Denmark and operate the approved company there.
  • Able to show sufficient funds to support yourself and any accompanying family.
  • Able to document company ownership, the business plan and the source of your funds.

Family members who can be included

Eligible spouse, registered or cohabiting partner, and children under 18 may obtain accompanying residence permits under the applicable family rules, subject to family and financial-support requirements. We confirm exactly who in your family qualifies during your assessment.

Not the right fit

This program is not the right fit if you are seeking a passive property purchase, a fund subscription, or guaranteed residence in exchange for capital. None of those exist in Denmark. It is also not the right fit if you want to take a salaried job in Denmark or run a different business, because either would generally require a different or new permit.

Investment

Approximate investment and costs

The qualifying position

No fixed passive investment threshold.
There is no set amount of capital that qualifies you.
Working capital for the approved business.
You need enough to establish and operate the company described in your approved business plan.
Proof of self-support.
You must show funds sufficient to support yourself, and your spouse or partner and children if they accompany you. These are support funds you demonstrate, not amounts paid to anyone. The current Danish requirement levels are:
Single applicant
DKK 153,240
Applicant and spouse
DKK 306,480
Applicant, spouse and children
DKK 356,904
Applicant and children, no spouse
DKK 203,664
Buying Danish property does not create residence rights.
Property purchase is not a qualifying route and is not counted.
Residence and work permission is tied to the approved entrepreneurial activity, not to an amount invested.

Other costs to budget for

Danish government application fees, charged per applicant including accompanying family members.
Fees on each extension application.
Company formation, accounting and local advisory costs in Denmark.
Translation and legalisation of supporting documents.
Canreach professional fees, quoted separately after your assessment.

Figures as at October 2026 and confirmed with Canreach. Government requirements change; we confirm current figures before you commit.

Request program details

Outcome

What you receive

Status and documents

A Danish temporary residence and work permit to establish and run the specific business approved under Start-up Denmark, together with a residence pathway that can be extended if the business and permit conditions continue to be satisfied.

Travel

A Danish residence permit allows short-stay travel within the Schengen Area in accordance with the applicable rules. Travel rules are set by the countries you visit and can change, so we confirm the current position with you before you commit.

Living, working and studying

The right to live in Denmark while actively operating the approved company. The permission is tied to that business, so a salaried job or a different business would generally require a different or new permit.

Family

Eligible spouse, registered or cohabiting partner and children under 18 may obtain accompanying residence permits under the applicable family rules, subject to family and financial-support requirements.

Financial and business

The ability to build a company inside the Danish and European business environment rather than making a passive investment. Business outcomes are never guaranteed, and they are a separate matter from the immigration decision.

Tax considerations

Moving to Denmark to live and run a company will normally bring you within Danish tax residence, and Danish personal tax rates are high by international standards. Tax treatment depends on your personal circumstances and where you are tax resident. We refer you to qualified tax advisors before you commit.

Path to permanent residence or citizenship

A genuine residence history can potentially support later applications for longer-term or permanent status, if you independently satisfy the rules then in force. No direct citizenship or permanent residence is purchased through this route, and neither follows automatically from the permit.

Before you apply

What to know before you apply

  • Denmark has no passive investment or citizenship-by-investment program. Any offer presenting a Danish residence permit in exchange for capital alone is not describing a real Danish route.
  • Buying Danish property creates no residence rights.
  • The permit is tied to the approved business. Significant business changes may require a new application.
  • A salaried job, or a different business from the one approved, may require a different or new permit.
  • No direct citizenship or permanent residence is purchased through the investment.
  • Expert panel approval comes first. Without it, there is no residence application to make.

Step by step

How the application works

  1. Develop the concept

    Build an innovative and scalable business concept capable of standing up to expert assessment.

  2. Obtain approval of the business idea

    Submit the business plan to the Start-up Denmark expert panel appointed by the Danish Business Authority and obtain its approval. This step comes first.

  3. Assemble your evidence

    Prepare your passport, ownership and company documents, business plan and proof of sufficient self-support funds.

  4. File with SIRI

    Create the immigration case, pay the fee and submit the residence and work application to SIRI.

  5. Give biometrics

    Complete biometrics within the required deadline.

  6. Answer any queries

    Respond to any request for additional evidence.

  7. Move and operate

    After approval, enter Denmark and operate the approved business.

  8. Extend on time

    Apply for an extension before expiry, showing continuing business activity and compliance.

Important: the business idea must first be approved by the Danish Business Authority before the residence permit application is submitted. The two stages run in that order, and the residence application cannot be made until the approval is in hand. Planning the two stages in the right order from the start keeps your file moving.Government processing times change and vary by case. We confirm a current, realistic timeline with you at the assessment stage and keep you updated as your file moves.

Preparation

Documents and our pre-filing review

Documents we help you prepare

Passport; expert-panel approval; business plan; company and ownership records; proof of funds; family civil-status documents; and biometrics.

Our pre-filing review

Before anything is filed we work through: nationality and residence history, family composition, criminal history, sanctions and politically exposed person screening, source and path of funds, tax advice, investment and project due diligence, translations and legalisation, current government fees, and holding and exit rules.

Questions

Start-up Denmark questions, answered

Does Denmark have a golden visa or an investor visa?
No. Denmark has no passive Golden Visa or citizenship-by-investment program. The closest investment-linked route is Start-up Denmark, which is an entrepreneur route for founders of innovative, scalable businesses approved by an expert panel.
Can I buy property in Denmark and get residency?
No. Buying Danish property does not create residence rights, and property is not a qualifying route under Start-up Denmark.
How much do I need to invest?
There is no fixed passive investment threshold. You need enough capital to establish and run the business described in your approved plan, and enough to support yourself and any accompanying family under the current Danish requirement levels.
Do I have to live in Denmark and run the business myself?
Yes. The permit is granted for you to establish and run the specific approved business, and you must be actively involved in it. This route does not work for a passive or absentee owner.
How long does the process take?
Normal processing time for the residence permit application is two months, extended to up to four months if additional documentation is required. That sits on top of the earlier stage, because the business idea must first be approved by the Danish Business Authority before the residence permit application can be submitted. We give you a realistic timeline for your case.
Can my family come with me?
Eligible spouse, registered or cohabiting partner and children under 18 may obtain accompanying residence permits under the applicable family rules, subject to family and financial-support requirements.
Does this lead to permanent residence or a Danish passport?
Not automatically, and nothing is purchased. A genuine residence history can potentially support later applications for longer-term or permanent status if you independently satisfy the rules in force at that time. Those are separate applications with their own requirements.

Official program source

Start-up Denmark business plans are assessed by an expert panel appointed by the Danish Business Authority, and the residence and work permits are issued by SIRI, the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration. The official sources are nyidanmark.dk and startupdenmark.info.

Canreach draws program information from the official program authority and confirms current rules, fees and requirements before any file is submitted.

Next step

Take the next step

Schedule a confidential program assessment. We will confirm whether Start-up Denmark fits your goals, or point you to a program that fits better, and prepare a tailored roadmap covering eligibility, the business plan stage, documentation, the expected government process and next steps.

  • A confidential assessment of your goals, your family and your budget
  • A written comparison of the programs that fit
  • Clear estimates of costs and timelines before you commit to anything
Phone: 905-696-7434
Email: info@canreach.com