Government wants to make it harder for kids with foreign parents to become a citizen

Another shortcut on the chopping block

Although the government has already reached a consensus on tightening the requirements for foreigners who would become Danish nationals, it has revealed it intends to tighten the screws even more during the upcoming parliamentary session.

The government wants to toughen up a law that makes it possible for young people who are born and raised in Denmark to obtain citizenship without meeting the language requirements and passing the general knowledge test.

In the law in question, which was introduced by the Helle Thorning-Schmidt government in the summer of 2014, the children of foreign parents were given a shortcut to Danish citizenship if they had lived in Denmark for 12 years, had completed primary school and had not committed serious crimes.

READ MORE: It’s official: government unveils tougher citizenship requirements

Calls for compromise
Conservatives support the government’s attempt to stop what they call “automatic” citizenship.

Members of Thorning-Schmidt’s party Socialdemokraterne are hoping for a compromise.

“Basically we do not support a complete repeal,”  Socialdemokraterne’s citizenship spokesperson Astrid Krag told Jyllands-Posten. “We believe that there may be an opportunity to create other solutions.”





  • Come and join us at Citizens Days!

    Come and join us at Citizens Days!

    On Friday 27 and Saturday 28 of September, The Copenhagen Post will be at International Citizen Days in Øksnehallen on Vesterbro, Copenhagen. Admission is free and thousands of internationals are expected to attend

  • Diversifying the Nordics: How a Nigerian economist became a beacon for inclusivity in Scandinavia

    Diversifying the Nordics: How a Nigerian economist became a beacon for inclusivity in Scandinavia

    Chisom Udeze, the founder of Diversify – a global organization that works at the intersection of inclusion, democracy, freedom, climate sustainability, justice, and belonging – shares how struggling to find a community in Norway motivated her to build a Nordic-wide professional network. We also hear from Dr. Poornima Luthra, Associate Professor at CBS, about how to address bias in the workplace.

  • Lolland Municipality launches support package for accompanying spouses

    Lolland Municipality launches support package for accompanying spouses

    Lolland Municipality, home to Denmark’s largest infrastructure project – the Fehmarnbelt tunnel connection to Germany – has launched a new jobseeker support package for the accompanying partners of international employees in the area. The job-to-partner package offers free tailored sessions on finding a job and starting a personal business.