How to Bring Your Spouse to Denmark After Graduation
How to Bring Your Spouse to Denmark After Graduation
International graduates who remain in Denmark after completing their studies may also be able to have their spouse or partner live with them. Understanding how to bring your spouse to Denmark after graduation depends mainly on your own residence status after completing your degree.
If you hold an eligible Danish post-study job-seeking residence permit, your spouse, registered partner or qualifying cohabiting partner can potentially hold residence in Denmark as your accompanying family member. Children under 18 living at home can also qualify. SIRI specifically confirms that family members can receive residence in connection with an eligible graduate’s job-seeking residence period.
Can Your Spouse Stay With You After Graduation?
Yes.
Graduates who qualify for Denmark’s post-study job-seeking residence permit can continue living in Denmark after completing their programme, and eligible accompanying family members can also remain.
For graduates of qualifying state-approved professional bachelor’s, bachelor’s, master’s and PhD programmes, the job-seeking period can last up to 3 years.
Eligible family members include:
- Spouse
- Registered/civil partner
- Qualifying cohabiting partner
- Children under 18 living at home
If your spouse already lived with you in Denmark during your studies as an accompanying family member, they can apply to extend that residence permit when you move into the post-study job-seeking period.
What If Your Spouse Is Still Outside Denmark?
SIRI states that a residence permit can be granted to the spouse or cohabiting partner of a graduate holding an eligible post-study job-seeking permit.
The exact accompanying-family application route should match your current Danish immigration status.
This means you should first confirm whether you are currently:
- Still covered by your student residence permit.
- Holding a 6-month job-seeking permit.
- Holding a job-seeking permit of up to 3 years.
- Holding a new residence and work permit after finding employment.
Your spouse’s application should then be made under the corresponding SIRI family category.
Requirements for a Spouse
For a married spouse, Denmark must recognize the marriage.
SIRI states that the marriage should generally:
- Be legally valid in the country where it took place.
- Have involved both partners being physically present at the wedding.
- Have taken place when both partners were at least 18.
- Not be a marriage of convenience.
- Not conflict with fundamental Danish legal principles.
A marriage certificate and, when necessary, an acceptable translation will normally be required.
Can an Unmarried Partner Join You?
Yes, potentially.
Denmark also recognizes qualifying cohabiting partners for accompanying-family residence.
SIRI generally expects an unmarried couple to document a committed relationship in which they have lived together for around 1.5 to 2 years before the application.
Evidence may include:
- Joint rental agreements
- Shared bank accounts
- Joint insurance
- Shared bills
- Official correspondence showing the same address
Simply being in a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship without evidence of long-term cohabitation is normally not enough for this particular category.
Financial Support Requirement After Graduation
Financial requirements are especially important when the graduate is still on a study or post-study job-seeking residence permit.
For accompanying family connected to a student or graduate holding a qualifying job-seeking residence permit, SIRI uses a 2026 self-support amount of DKK 7,426 per month per accompanying family member, for a maximum period of 12 months.
For example, when 12 months of financial support must be documented for one family member:
DKK 7,426 × 12 = DKK 89,112
Evidence may include a bank statement or other accepted proof showing that sufficient disposable funds are available.
Can Your Spouse Work in Denmark?
One major advantage of the accompanying-family permit is access to the Danish labour market.
SIRI states that an accompanying family member to a student generally has the right to work in Denmark without applying for a separate work permit. The family member may also study or operate their own business.
This can make family relocation financially easier because the spouse is not necessarily dependent only on the graduate’s income.
What Happens When You Find a Job?
After graduation, you may eventually move from your job-seeking residence permit to a Danish residence and work permit.
If your immigration basis changes from study/job seeking to employment, your spouse’s immigration basis may also need to change.
SIRI states that when the main applicant changes to a new residence basis such as employment, the accompanying family member normally needs to submit a new application, rather than simply extending the previous student-family permit.
Common graduate work routes can include:
- Positive List for People with a Higher Education
- Pay Limit Scheme
- Supplementary Pay Limit Scheme
- Fast-Track Scheme
- Researcher Scheme
Your spouse may then apply as an accompanying family member to an employee.
Can a Spouse Work When You Hold a Danish Work Permit?
Generally, yes.
An accompanying family member to an employee normally has the right to work in Denmark without obtaining a separate work permit. They can also operate their own business or study.
There is an important exception: in some work-permit categories, a spouse who wants to work for the same employer as the main permit holder, or for a closely related company, may need a separate work permit. SIRI specifies exceptions depending on the sponsor’s work scheme.
Always check the conditions written in the spouse’s residence decision.
Denmark Spouse Visa Cost in 2026
For accompanying-family applications covered by SIRI’s study-related route, the official 2026 processing fee is DKK 3,080.
An extension for an accompanying family member to a student or graduate on a job-seeking permit also currently costs:
DKK 3,080
SIRI lists a normal processing time of approximately 3 months for extensions, increasing to up to 4 months if additional information is required.
Fees and processing times can change annually, so always confirm the current amount before paying.
Documents Your Spouse May Need
The exact documentation depends on your immigration status and family situation, but commonly requested documents include:
- Valid passport
- Copy of passport pages
- Marriage or registered partnership certificate
- Certified translation where required
- Proof of cohabitation for unmarried partners
- Proof of the graduate’s Danish residence status
- Proof of sufficient financial support where applicable
- Proof of fee payment
- Biometrics
SIRI requires biometric information for residence cards, and applicants generally must complete biometrics within the deadline specified for their application.
What About Non-State-Approved Study Programmes?
This is an important restriction introduced in Denmark.
Students who applied for residence in a non-state-approved higher educational programme on or after May 2, 2025 generally cannot obtain accompanying-family residence for spouses or partners through the standard student route.
The rule can differ for students whose original applications were filed before that date and in certain situations covered by the EU-Turkey Association Agreement.
Therefore, always check whether your Danish educational programme was state-approved.
Best Time to Apply for Your Spouse
Start planning before your study residence or job-seeking permit approaches expiry.
A practical sequence is:
Graduate → Confirm job-seeking residence → Check spouse eligibility → Prepare financial and relationship documents → Apply under the correct accompanying-family category
If you later obtain an employment-based permit, check immediately whether your spouse must submit a new accompanying-family application.
This avoids gaps in residence status and unnecessary immigration complications.
Final Answer
So, how can you bring your spouse to Denmark after graduation?
If you have an eligible Danish post-study job-seeking residence permit, your spouse or qualifying partner may also be able to obtain or maintain residence as your accompanying family member. Your spouse can generally work in Denmark, while you may need to prove sufficient financial resources while you remain on the post-study route.
If you later move to a Danish employment-based residence permit, your spouse can normally move to the accompanying-family-to-an-employee route as well.
The most important step is to choose the family application that corresponds exactly to your current Danish residence status.
Official Sources
- SIRI – 3-Year Job-Seeking Residence Permit
- SIRI – Accompanying Family to Students and PhD Students
- SIRI – Accompanying Family Extension During Study or Job Seeking
