Updates regarding International Guest Researchers and International Employees during the coronavirus outbreak

On 29^th May 2020 the Danish government announced that Denmark will carry out a "careful and gradual reopening" of the Danish borders towards Germany, Norway and Iceland from 15^th June 2020 onwards. It means that tourists from these countries will be able to enter Denmark with some restrictions and it means that Danish residents can visit these countries as well. The government announced that they expect to gradually open up the borders to other Schengen countries and Great Britain at some point after the summer holidays. Read more about the travel restrictions here.  

From 15^th June 2020 onwards it is a requirement that you wear a face mask, when entering a Danish airport. If you do not have a face mask, you will be able to buy one when entering the airport. Please contact the relevant Danish airport if you have any questions. 

The Danish borders have been closed since 14^th March, 2020. 

Currently, only people with a “worthy purpose” are allowed entry into Denmark. A worthy purpose is for example, if you live and work in Denmark. On 25^th May it was announced that persons permanently resident in Germany or a Nordic country (Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland) related to Danish residents, in some cases can enter Denmark. Read more under "What are worthy purposes".

You must bring the following when crossing the border to Denmark, if you are moving to Denmark:

• Employment contract if you are employed at UCPH or letter stating your affiliation with UCPH if you are a guest researcher
• A valid residence and work permit if you are a non-EU/EEA citizen
• A valid ID card if you are an EU/EEA citizen
• We strongly recommend that you also bring a copy of a lease or proof of accommodation in Denmark
• Accompanying family members must be able to prove their family relation, please read more below

If you are stopped by the border police and you need the university to verify your right to cross the border as an affiliate with the University of Copenhagen, please contact Søren Høfler, senior mobility consultant, phone +45 26140298 or Vivian Tos Lindgaard, Head of section, phone + 45 30589809.

Accompanying family members (spouse, children) of a person allowed to enter Denmark for a worthy purpose, are also allowed entry to Denmark when accompanying said person. They must bring documentation of their relationship, for example their marriage certificate, the child’s birth certificate etc. Please refer to this website for more information about what documentation is required. If you are not married, you must bring documentation that you and your partner have lived together for at least the last 18 months (i.e. a rental agreement). Please contact ISM if you have any questions.

Please be aware that special rules apply if your family members are residents of Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland or Iceland. Read more under "What are worthy purposes?"

The Danish authorities have announced that Denmark will open up for necessary business travel as of 25^th May 2020. It will be up to the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) as a workplace to assess whether a trip is deemed necessary, including whether the trip can be postponed or held via a virtual platform. If the business trip is deemed necessary, the traveler must be able to present documentation at the Danish border, showing the work relationship and the time and place where the meeting/work is to take place. Please be aware that job interviews are not included as part of necessary business travel. Please see more below.     

Required documentation:

The documentation must contain practical reason(s) why the meeting can’t be postponed or held via a virtual platform. Furthermore, the documentation must contain contact information for a relevant contact person in connection with the meeting/work in Denmark that, if necessary, is able to confirm to the Danish border police that the business trip to Denmark is a necessity. The documentation can be in the form of an e-mail or an invitation letter issued by UCPH.

Other requirements for entry to Denmark:

• If the business traveler is an EU/EEA citizen, the business traveler must be able to produce/show proof of their EU citizenship in the form of a passport or other photo identification valid for travelling.
• If the business traveler is a citizen from a country outside the EU/EEA with a visa requirement for entry to Denmark, the business traveler must be able to present a valid short-stay visa for Denmark upon entry. The application for a visa must be made via the Danish representation abroad. Please contact ISM if you have any questions.

Do I need to stay at home for 14 weeks after arriving in Denmark?

Business travelers are viewed by the Danish police as workers, crossing the border in order to work. Business travel is therefore exempt from the Danish Health Authorities recommendations on home quarantine upon entry, unless you have COVID-19 symptoms.

You can only visit Denmark and the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) for a job interview, if you are permanently resident in Germany or a Nordic country (Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland). Please read more under “what are worthy purposes”. If you visit UCPH for a job interview, you are exempt from the Danish Health Authorities recommendations on home quarantine upon entry, unless you have COVID-19 symptoms.  

The University of Copenhagen is following the guidelines of the Danish Health authorities. The guidelines state that you are strongly advised to stay at home for 14 days after either returning to, or arriving in Denmark. The advice applies to both Danes and foreigners. Please contact your manager to arrange for the possibility of working from home, if possible. If you do not have a place, which allows you to stay isolated for 14 days, please contact ISM: interstaff@adm.ku.dk

If you are commuting back and forth for work from e.g. Sweden or Germany, or you are visiting Denmark on a business trip, you are exempt from the Danish Health Authorities recommendations on home quarantine upon entry, unless you have COVID-19 symptoms. 

The Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) has announced that their branch offices in Odense, Aarhus, Aalborg and Aabenraa will reopen for personal appearance on 27^th  and 28^th May and onwards. You must book an appointment online. 

Please note that SIRI's branch office in Copenhagen is still only open for personal appearance in special cases. It is still not possible to state an exact date for when SIRI Copenhagen will open for personal appearances. 

Please read more about recording biometric features for non-EU citizens below. 

When you move to Denmark, you need to apply for a CPR number in order to be covered by the Danish public healthcare system. If you move to the Copenhagen area, you must apply for the CPR number online and collect it in International Citizen Service (ICS) when your application has been processed. You need to show up in person, as you need to undergo an ID-check.

During the coronavirus lock down, it will only be possible to get a CPR number if you have uploaded all the required documents online, are already in Denmark, have received the invitation letter from ICS and have booked a personal appointment. Please read more on the ICS website.   

If you do not have all the required documents for the online application for the CPR number (for example a valid rental contract or an EU certificate), you will unfortunately not be able to obtain your CPR number yet. In this event, please read more below about health care

EU citizens need an EU certificate to obtain a CPR number. Currently, the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI), who issues the EU certificates, are only open for personal appearance in some cities (not Copenhagen). Please read more above.

If you are not able to obtain a CPR number because of the current lockdown and you are in need of medical assistance, you may be able to get your financial medical expenses covered retrospectively. You must fulfill the criteria to obtain a CPR number in Denmark at the time of becoming ill. The criteria are:

• A valid residence permit to Denmark
• A valid residence in Denmark (you must be able to register at the given residence)
• You have already arrived in Denmark

You would have to contact the Capital Region of Denmark to see if you are eligible for reimbursement of your medical expenses. You cannot apply for reimbursement before you have received your CPR number.

For EU citizens: you may be covered by the European health card (called "the blue health card" in Denmark). Please contact the authority in your home country to clarify.

We strongly encourage you to take up private health insurance if you are not covered by the Danish public health insurance.

Please follow the health and safety precautions as set out by the Danish Health Authorities to avoid further spread of the virus. Please do not visit a doctor’s office or hospital without an appointment. Call your doctor or the emergency phone number outside of office hours. If you live in the Copenhagen area, dial 1813 on your phone.

It is currently only possible to record biometric features (fingerprints and facial photo) in Copenhagen in a few cases, if you have to apply for or renew your residence and work permit. The Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) is partially reopened in Copenhagen, but only for urgent cases for obtaining biometric features. SIRI will contact the applicants directly. It means that it is not possible to book an appointment on your own initiative.

The Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) has announced that their branch offices in Odense, Aarhus, Aalborg and Aabenraa will reopen for personal appearance on 27^th  and 28^th May and onwards. You must book an appointment online. 

Normally, biometric features must be recorded within 14 days of having submitted an application for a residence and work permit to SIRI. Otherwise, the application will be rejected. Due to the current situation in Denmark, SIRI has extended this deadline to 1^st July, 2020. SIRI is also able to start processing applications for residence and work permits, but will not be able to make a final decision on your case until you have had your biometric features recorded.

Recording biometric features abroad:

Some representations outside Denmark have started to open up, which makes it possible to record biometric features abroad, if you are close to an open representation. Find the nearest representation to you here.

If you are a non-Danish citizen, you are only allowed entry into Denmark if you have a ‘worthy purpose’. If you are a non-EU/EEA citizen, proof of a worthy purpose will be your employment contract and your valid Danish work permit. Please refer to the Danish authorities’ website about “worthy purposes” for entering Denmark.

The police will ultimately make the decision at the border, on who can enter Denmark.

If you are stopped by the border police and you need the university to verify your right to cross the border as an affiliate with the University of Copenhagen, please contact Søren Høfler, senior mobility consultant, phone +45 26140298 or Vivian Tos Lindgaard, Head of section, phone + 45 30589809.

If you commute to/from work in Denmark from for example Sweden or Germany (or vice versa), you will not have to stay at home for 14 days between commutes, unless you have COVID-19 symptoms. 

If you are already employed by the UCPH and not currently in Denmark, please follow the guidelines as set out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. Please also refer to the internal UCPH page for more information and guidelines about travelling and staying abroad.

Residents returning to Denmark from traveling abroad are strongly advised to stay at home for 14 days upon arrival in Denmark.

Under normal conditions, you must leave Denmark before your residence permit expires. If you are unable to leave before the expiry date of your residence permit due to the coronavirus situation, you must leave Denmark as soon as it becomes possible.

The Danish immigration authorities has stated that they will disregard whether you have stayed beyond the duration of your residence permit, if you have been unable to leave Denmark due to closure of flight routes etc. caused by the coronavirus pandemic.