In earlier times, passports were required when travelling in Denmark and abroad and on entry into Denmark. In 1862, the court in Denmark was abolished for immigrants, and the Foreign Law of 1875 lifted the curriculum for foreigners with the proviso that it could be reintroduced to persons from countries that only allowed Danish nationals who had passports. In 1917 the court was reinstated for anyone who would travel into Denmark.

The earliest Danish passports were large documents, exquisitely equipped with the large coat-of-arms, which had to be folded carefully in order to be carried on journeys and are issued to citizens of the Kingdom of Denmark to facilitate international travel.

Different versions exist for nationals of Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands although all citizens have the same nationality. Danish nationals residing in Greenland and the Faroe Islands can choose between the Danish EU passport and the local (Greenlandic or Faroese) non-EU passport.

Every Danish citizen (except for those residing in the Faroe Islands) is also a citizen of the European Union. The passport entitles its bearer to freedom of movement in the European Economic Area and Switzerland as provided in Directive 2004/38/EC.

The Danish and Greenlandic versions of the passport have burgundy colour covers, according to the European Union's recommendations, while the Faroese version is green. All contain the Danish Coat-of-Arms emblazoned in the centre of the front cover, with the word DANMARK (Denmark) above it, and the word PAS (Passport) beneath.

Above the word DANMARK, the Danish version contains the words DEN EUROPÆISKE UNION. Fields on the bearer's page are in Danish, English and French, with translations in the official languages of the European Union elsewhere in the document.

Since 1955, Nordic citizens have been able to travel to and from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden without being in possession of passports or other travel documents.

Extension of 10-year Passport

A 10-year passport can be extended to its validity of up to one year. A condition for extension of an expired passport is that it expired no longer than three months. A passport can only be extended once and for a maximum of 12 months. The holder has to make sure that the authorities of the country or countries he is planning to travel to recognises his extended passports. For instance, it is not possible to travel without a visa to the USA on an extended passport.

Provisional Passport

Danish embassy abroad may also be issued temporary passports to people who have lost their passport (police report required on application).

An emergency passport is issued with validity limited to the period required for the duration of the journey and rules of the countries to be travelled through and for a maximum of 12 months. Travelling with an emergency passport may cause problems with other countries' border controls. The holder has to make sure that the authorities of the country or countries he is planning to travel to recognize emergency passports.

Before leaving any foreign country on an emergency passport, the holder may need to get the local immigration authorities to put a new entry stamp instead of the stamp which was in the lost passport.

Extra Passport

There may be issued a special passport with a maximum of 2 years validity for people who travel a lot and therefore often have to submit their 10-year passport to other countries' embassies /consulates to apply for visas. Issuance requires documentation in the form of a letter from the company of employment. Additional pages cannot be inserted in Danish passports. A 2 years passport cannot be extended.
 

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SERIES: PRE-WORLD WAR II

Booklets of 36 pages and with grey heather cover.

 

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SERIES: POST-WORLD WAR II



The large coat of arms was gradually replaced by a smaller coat of arms (without a tent) and finally by the current state coat of arms around 1960.
 
C - Curated, S - Seen 
 

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SERIES: PRE-EUROPEAN COMMUNITY

 

The cover was made "police green", corresponding to the driving license. Internal pages were watermarked with coat-of-arms.
   
C - Curated, S - Seen 
 

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SERIES: EUROPEAN COMMUNITY

 


Det Europaeiske Fællesskab / The European Community

Cover: Burgundy

PRADO DNK-AO-01001

Issued since 1985
Not valid after 01/03/2010
Dimension: 92 x 130
Pages: 32
The embossed pattern over the whole cover

In 1973, Denmark became a member of the European Community, which in the early eighties adopted common rules for the passports of the member states. Denmark was one of the first countries to start issuing EC passports. Therefore, "the European Community" was at the top of the front of the passport, and the cover was changed to burgundy.

In the same changes, the state coat-of-arms as a watermark was replaced by Holger Danske on the passport's numbered pages (but not on the inside of the cover).

Any extension is indicated on page 5 in handwriting with the stamp of the issuing authority. Within a period of up to 24 months after the maximum period of validity, the document can be extended for up to 12 months. The serial number that begins with "A". Valid until the date indicated on the biodata page.

Section 12: height is entered in handwriting; section 13: the colour of eyes is indicated by underlining appropriate colour; section 15: children are entered in handwriting; endorsed with issuing authority's stamp and signature

     
C - Curated, S - Seen 
 

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SERIES : EUROPEAN UNION (OPTICAL PASSPORT) LAMINATED

Optical / Pre-biometric

Cover: Burgundy

PRADO DNK-AO-02001 since 01/03/1997
Not valid after 30/09/2017

Dimension: 88 x 125 mm
Pages: 32

The laminated biodata page is sewn into the passport between the inside front cover and page 1.
Laser-printed integrated facial image.

The latest version of the Danish passport dates from 1997 when the cover text "The European Community" was replaced by " The European Union ", which had been created by the Maastricht Treaty in 1993. In this version, the state coat-of-arms on the first page of the passport was replaced by the Christ figure from The Great Jelling Stone, just as the watermark on the other sides of the pass was also replaced with motifs from here.

An extension is indicated on page 1 in handwriting; the issuing authority's stamp is added. The document may be extended for up to a maximum of 12 months within a period of up to 24 months after the maximum period of validity. Valid until the date stated on the biodata page

     
C - Curated, S - Seen 
 

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SERIES: EUROPEAN UNION (OPTICAL PASSPORT) POLYCARBONATE


Optical / Pre-biometric

Cover: Burgundy

PRADO DNK-AO-03001 since 01/10/2004

Dimension: 88 x 125 mm
Pages: 32

OVD (optically variable device) - alternates between facial image and date of birth (ddmmyy)

Polycarbonate biodata page is sewn into passport between the inside front cover and page 1. (need to verify)
Laser-engraved integrated facial image
 
An extension is indicated on page 1 in handwriting; an official stamp is added. The document may be extended for up to a maximum of 12 months within a period of up to 24 months after the maximum period of validity. Valid until the date given on the biodata page.
   
C - Curated, S - Seen 
 

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SERIES: EUROPEAN UNION (BIOMETRIC PASSPORT) ICAO GENERATION 1



Cover: Burgundy

PRADO DNK-AO-04001 since 01/08/2006

Dimension: 88 x 125 mm
Pages: 32

Biometric identifier: Facial image
OVD (optically variable device) - alternates between facial image and date of birth (ddmmyy)

Polycarbonate biodata page is sewn into passport between the inside front cover and page 1. (need to verify)
Laser-engraved integrated facial image.
Integrated microchip in the biodata page.
 
An extension is indicated on page 1 in handwriting; the issuing authority's stamp is added. The document may be extended for up to a maximum of 12 months within a period of up to 24 months after the maximum period of validity. Valid until the date stated on the biodata page.
     
C - Curated, S - Seen 
 

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SERIES: EUROPEAN UNION (BIOMETRIC PASSPORT) ICAO GENERATION 2


Cover: Burgundy

PRADO DNK-AO-05001 since 01/01/2012

Dimension: 88 x 125 mm
Pages: 32

Biometric identifier: Facial image, Fingerprints

MAIN DIFFERENCE to DNK-AO-04001 is the OVD type which is using variable laser image
OVD (optically variable device) - alternates between facial image and date of birth (ddmmyy)

Polycarbonate biodata page is sewn into passport between the inside front cover and page 1. (need to verify)
Laser-engraved integrated facial image.
Integrated microchip in the biodata page.
   
An extension is indicated on page 1 in handwriting; the issuing authority's stamp is added. The document may be extended for up to a maximum of 12 months within a period of up to 24 months after the maximum period of validity. Valid until the date stated on the biodata page.
 
Price in 2019,
 
Expiration (2019)
2 years and 4 months for children up to the age of 1 
5 years and 4 months for citizens aged 2–17 
10 years and 4 months for individuals above the age of 18
(All passports can be renewed for 1 year within 2 years of original expiration date)
 
C - Curated, S - Seen 
 

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CONTROVERSY

In 2010, an atheist Danish citizen, a 50-year-old Karsten Riise Kristensen from Roskilde, filed a complaint to the Danish Ministry of Justice, due to the passport's inclusion of a picture of the crucifixion of Jesus as shown on the Jelling Stones, arguing that passports should be free of religious symbols. 

This argument was rejected by leading Danish politicians, arguing that Christianity is a part of Denmark's cultural history, and Christianity was not depicted exclusively, since the passport also includes an image of a dragon motif, likewise taken from the largest Jelling Stone. 


The passport design including images from the Jelling Stones was introduced in 1997 when the current red design was introduced.