Denmark's Citizenship Trends: A Numerical Analysis of English Speakers' Acquisition of Danish Nationality
Citizenship Crunch in Denmark: A Closer Look
Michael Barrett
Denmark has been ramping up its citizenship requirements and upping the application fee, leaving us questioning the impact on Anglophone immigrants. Has this tougher stance resulted in a decline or an increase in naturalized Danes from these regions?
Let's dive in!
latest statistics
In 2024, Denmark conferred citizenship to a total of 6,255 individuals, according to recent data from Statistics Denmark. This figure represents a significant increase compared to 2023, which saw only 3,355 new citizens.
tightening the reins
Denmark has long been firming up its citizenship regulations, including a 2021 change to the citizenship law that tightened several rules. Moreover, that same year, the citizenship test was enhanced with five additional questions addressing "Danish values" such as equality, freedom of speech, and the relationship between legislation and religion.
Parliament is anticipated to enact a bill soon, increasing the cost of application by a whopping 50 percent. Additionally, the government is contemplating evaluating the personal views of potential citizens.
a linguistic peek
So, who represents the Anglophone foreigners becoming Danish citizens in 2024? Let's examine the trends for select English-speaking countries:
United Kingdom (UK)
Since 2015, the number of British citizens granted Danish citizenship has seen a steady increase, with the most significant growth seen in 2020. This surge is likely associated with the loss of EU citizens' rights for Britons following Brexit, which gave those eligible for Danish naturalization a compelling incentive to apply. The figure has since leveled off, albeit remaining significantly greater than pre-Brexit numbers.
Ireland
Compared to the UK, the number of Irish citizens naturalizing is relatively minimal, aligning with Ireland's status as an EU member and the comparatively lower population of Irish citizens living in Denmark.
Australia
Similar to the UK, Australian numbers mirror those of Ireland to a degree. However, unlike the first two countries, there is a discernible downward trend after 2021, after the implementation of more stringent citizenship rules.
South Africa
The data for South Africa is too small to show a clear trend, with three years—2016, 2020, and 2024—seeing 20 or more citizenships awarded.
Canada
Following the pattern observed in the UK and Ireland, 2020 emerged as the peak year for Canadian naturalizations in Denmark. While this observation doesn't unequivocally signify a trend, it suggests that the 2021 law change may have slowed or reduced the number of granted citizenships.
United States (US)
The US ranks highest among the Anglophone countries, with a significant number of new Danish nationals in 2016 and 2017. The US figures reflect the trend of reaching their highest numbers in 2020.
Other English-speaking countries, such as New Zealand and Zimbabwe, were not included in this analysis due to insignificant data in the available database.
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- In light of increased citizenship requirements and fees in Denmark, some question the impact on Anglophone immigrants and potential changes in naturalized Danes from these regions.
- The latest statistics show a significant increase in new citizens conferred Danish citizenship in 2024 compared to 2023.
- Denmark has been tightening its citizenship regulations, including a change to the citizenship law in 2021 and an enhanced citizenship test with additional questions addressing Danish values.
- Parliament is expected to pass a bill increasing the cost of application by 50 percent, and the government is considering evaluating potential citizens' personal views.
- Since 2015, there has been a steady increase in the number of British citizens granted Danish citizenship, with the most significant growth seen in 2020, followed by leveling off that remains greater than pre-Brexit numbers.
- The number of Irish citizens naturalizing is relatively small, aligning with Ireland's status as an EU member and lower population of Irish citizens living in Denmark.
- After the implementation of more stringent citizenship rules, there is a discernible downward trend for Australian citizens becoming Danish citizens after 2021.
- Data for South Africa is too small to show a clear trend, but three years have seen 20 or more citizenships awarded.
- A peak year for Canadian naturalizations in Denmark was observed in 2020, though it's unclear if the 2021 law change affected this trend.
- The US has the highest number of new Danish nationals among the Anglophone countries, with significant numbers in 2016, 2017, and 2020.
- War-and-conflicts, policy-and-legislation, crime-and-justice, accidents, fires, art, news, space, finance, investing, wealth-management, business, personal-finance, and car-accidents are some areas that can be explored for their potential impact on new Danish citizens or residents.
