Religious Worker

As a foreign national, you may apply for a residence permit in Denmark to work as a member of the clergy, missionary or to serve a religious order or denomination in some other capacity, such as a nun or monk.

Normally, you cannot be granted a residence permit if you are to work solely as a teacher (including at religious schools), and if you are to teach subjects that are not characterised by preaching a religious message. Likewise, you cannot be granted a residence permit in order to receive religious instruction or to be educated or trained as a religious worker.

You need to document that you are affiliated with the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church (Folkekirken) or another officially acknowledged or sanctioned religious denomination in Denmark. Documentation can be in the form of a written agreement or declaration by the denomination stating that you are a religious worker within the denomination or religious order.

You may be granted a residence permit to serve a religious order in some other capacity if you can document that you are to work for a religious order. Generally, this refers to monks, nuns or other members of an order who traditionally have religious functions within the order. The Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church (Folkekirken) or another officially acknowledged or sanctioned denomination in Denmark needs to provide confirmation to the Immigration Service that the order is established under, or works within, the religious denomination.

The number of foreign nationals granted a residence permit as a religious worker for a specific denomination needs to be proportionate to the size of its congregation. The denomination will be asked to indicate the size of its congregation (number of members), as well as the number of religious workers affiliated with it.

You need to document that you are affiliated with the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church (Folkekirken) or another officially acknowledged or sanctioned religious denomination in Denmark. Documentation can be in the form of a written agreement or declaration by the denomination stating that you are a religious worker within the denomination or religious order.

You need to document that you have a background, training or education relevant to being a religious worker.

A description of your responsibilities while in Denmark (this could be in the form of a letter of employment or an invitation to serve as a religious worker in Denmark that included a description of your responsibilities)

You and a representative from your denomination/religious order in Denmark each need to fill in part of the application form.

If you are granted a residence permit as a religious worker, you will also be granted permission to work in the position and at the place of work indicated by your residence permit.

You need to sign a declaration stating that neither you nor any accompanying family members will receive any public assistance during your stay in Denmark. The declaration is included in the application form. Public assistance is any benefit that has the character of public assistance for maintenance. E.g. cash benefits, old age pension, early retirement pensions, unemployment benefits, early retirement pay, unemployment benefits in the event of illness or birth, child assistance, housing assistance, State education grant etc.

As a religious worker, you can be granted a residence permit for seven months. Permits can be extended for one year at a time, for a maximum of three years in total.

If you are authorised to perform weddings, your residence permit can be extended for two years initially, and then for a period of three years and five months. Subsequent extensions will be granted for four years at a time, with no upper limit on the number of extensions.

If you do not pass the extension test and/or take a course in Danish family law, individual rights and democracy within six months of being granted a residence permit as a religious worker, you cannot be granted an extension. Read more about extension of residence permit