These Are 10 Things You Must Do as Soon as You Move to Copenhagen

I visited Copenhagen seven times before moving here in 2020, and while the process of moving here and settling in was straightforward, it was still time-consuming. If you have even less experience of visiting Copenhagen and Denmark than I did, knowing what you need to do is essential.

Based on my personal experiences of moving to Copenhagen and living here for over four years at the time of writing, I’m putting together this helpful guide. My hope is that you’ll find settling into your new Danish life much easier; while bureaucracy is never fun, this should hopefully simplify the process. 

Moving to Copenhagen? 

Read these handy guides to prepare even better for your move to the Danish capital: 

• How to Find an Apartment in Copenhagen as a Foreigner (based on my own comprehensive experiences 😆)
• How to Pay for Things in Copenhagen: A Simple Guide
• Working in Copenhagen, Living in Malmö: Is It Possible?

Register Your Residence 

Kind of obvious, I know, but your access to life in Copenhagen is *very* restricted if you haven’t yet registered as a resident in Denmark. I had to wait three weeks after moving before my apartment lease started, and while I could do all the touristy things, I still felt a bit isolated. 

How you register your residence will differ depending on whether you’re an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen, from outside these countries, or a Nordic citizen. 

EU, EEA, and Switzerland

I have an EU passport as I’m half-Italian (I also moved to Copenhagen before Brexit), and since I was self-employed, I first had to show my self-sufficient funds with a bank statement not older than 30 days. Later, I changed my residence to self-employed. 

If you’re an EU citizen and have been offered a job or place to study, you should take your certification to prove this. You’ll also need a passport or national ID card. 

It’s normally quite easy to book an appointment at the Danish immigration office if you’re an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen. You can find out more information, including how to book, on the official website. 

If you qualify for residence, you’re normally issued a certificate on the spot or will receive it digitally within a few days. 

Bring with you: 

• Passport/National ID card
• Your rental contract
• Proof that you qualify for residence in Denmark (e.g. employment contract)

The Copenhagen office address for SIRI is: 

Carl Jacobsens Vej 39, 2500 Valby

Non-EU

Registering as a resident in Denmark if you’re from outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland, including UK citizens from 2021 onwards, will require additional steps. Besides applying for a residence permit, you’ll also need to submit your biometric details. 

Depending on the type of visa you’re applying for, you may also have to pay a fee. I recommend going to the Danish immigration authorities’ website and customising the parameters for your specific situation. If you’re moving for work, it’s also worth asking your employer to see if they can help with the visa application process. 

Nordic Citizen

Nordic citizens can move to Denmark without a residence permit and visa; you just need to register your address and get your CPR number/sign up for MitID/sign up for a tax card (more on that in a moment). 

However, your family—if they aren’t Nordic citizens—will need to apply for EU residence based on reunification rules. 

You can find all the information you need here.

Get Your CPR Number and Danish Tax Card

Once you’re registered as a resident, you’ll need to get your CPR number. I did this on the same day as registering my residence, and if you can, I suggest that you do the same. 

Your CPR number will allow you to access the Danish healthcare system, and I also needed it to sign up for my first gym in Copenhagen. The CPR number is necessary for MitID signup, too, which is pretty much the gateway to Denmark. 

You can apply for CPR registration here. 

Besides getting your CPR number, you’ll also need to get a Danish tax card. If you’re employed, you need “A-skat”; self-employed people will pay B-skat instead. You’ll need to have activated MitID for this, and I’ll show you how to do that in the next section. 

Sign Up for MitID 

MitID is the key to basically every digital service in Denmark, and you must make it a priority once you’ve got your residence permit and received a CPR number. It’s possible to get MitID with your passport, whether you’re a Danish or foreign citizen, as long as your passport has a readable chip. More information on that is available here. 

I messed up my MitID activation, and as a result, I had to go to the Borgerservice centre. I recommend avoiding this if possible because it is more time-consuming. Nonetheless, if you need to, you can learn more about booking an appointment here. 

Once you’ve activated MitID, make sure you can access your e-Boks. We rarely get physical mail in Denmark; most of it is sent digitally, and you’ll access all of it in your e-Boks. Bank statements, important government announcements, and more are sent here. You can read more about e-Boks, and log into your account, on the official website.

Getting Your Danish Tax Card 

Once you’ve got all the necessities for getting a Danish tax card, you can apply here. Sign up as soon as possible; you’ll get charged the highest tax rate until this is sorted. 

Get a Danish Bank Account as Soon as Possible 

You can’t receive your salary until you’ve opened a Danish bank account, so you should apply for one as soon as you activate MitID. I signed up for a Danske Bank account and have had no issues with them; they’re pretty good with international customers, so I would suggest starting here. 

Other major banks in Denmark include Nordea, Jyske Bank, Nykredit, and Sydbank. I didn’t have to go into the office when opening my Danske Bank account, but your mileage may vary. Check whichever bank’s website you want to sign up for and get the specific details associated with your situation. 

In the meantime, I recommend using Wise, Revolut, or another alternative—such as Monzo—to pay for things in Denmark without incurring significant foreign exchange fees. I used Monzo for the first month I was living in Copenhagen and had no problems. 

Sign Up for Danish Classes

No society is perfect, but one thing that made me happy when moving to Denmark is how much effort is put into helping you become a part of its society. For example, you can get free Danish lessons for up to five years when you move here; you’ll normally receive a letter after you get your CPR number. 

Although most people here speak excellent English, not learning Danish is one of the biggest mistakes that expats make when moving to Copenhagen. I do think that “you need to learn Danish to have Danish friends” is BS to an extent, but I hated not being able to understand what was going on around me when I first moved here. Secondly, you’ll receive a lot of correspondence in Danish. Also, your landlord may send an English translation of your rental contract—but the only Danish version is legally binding.

Learning Danish will also help you feel more at home in Copenhagen, and it’s useful when you travel elsewhere in Denmark. You’ll have no problem getting around Copenhagen and Aarhus with English, but Danish is sometimes necessary in more rural parts of the country. 

You will need to pay a deposit of 2,000 DKK, but you get it back once you pass. Learn more about getting free Danish lessons here.

Buy a Bike and Familiarise Yourself With the Rules

Despite Copenhagen’s efficient public transport network, getting a bike will make your life much easier. The Danish capital is well-known for its excellent cycling infrastructure, and pretty much everywhere is within a 30-minute bike ride at most.

However, before you start cycling, I suggest familiarising yourself with Copenhagen’s cycling etiquette and rules. They might be different from what you’re used to, and not following them is a great way to learn some Danish swear words 🙂. 

Here are the most important cycling rules: 

• Always hold up your left hand (like a high-five) to let people know that you’re getting off or stopping at a junction. You don’t need to do this if you’re stopping at a light. 
• Cycle in the same direction as the traffic, unless you see a sign saying it’s a two-way bike lane. 
• Signal when you’re about to turn. 
• Don’t cycle on the pavements.
• Buy a bell. Don’t be one of those Tour de France rejects who think that shouting in someone’s ear is the way to get past them 🙂

Prepare yourself even better by reading my full guide to cycling in Copenhagen. Besides the essential rules, I’ve also outlined other important things to know (e.g. bike maintenance).   

Start Building Your Network as Soon as Possible 

I know that you’ll already have a lot on your plate with the move, but you should make time to meet new people as soon as possible. Having a strong network in Copenhagen could make your apartment search easier in the future, and it might also help you land a new job. I also think that having good friends here makes a huge difference in your overall well-being. 

While most people say that making friends in Copenhagen is hard, I don’t agree with that. My experiences have been the complete opposite, and the simple reason why is that I’ve put myself into environments with the types of people I’d want to be friends with. For example, I don’t drink that much (literally about once every six months at this point); going to a bar to make friends would therefore be pointless. 

I’ve made lots of friends here through photography, and I also go to a CrossFit gym where the people are quite social. Joining a coworking space also helped me build my network and find a community of like-minded people. 

You will need to put yourself out there (and probably make the first move), but I think that Copenhagen is a very sociable city. Besides joining hobby and sports clubs/groups, you can use apps like Meetup.com to find events you’re interested in. I’m always open to meeting new people, too, so feel free to get in touch if you’re moving to Copenhagen and want to hang out. 🙂

Explore the City and Make Yourself Feel at Home

Life is too short to live in a place you hate, and it’s very difficult not to love living in Copenhagen. Existing here on a day-to-day basis is great, but there’s also *so much* to see and do. I strongly recommend getting out and exploring the Danish capital as much as you can. 

Spend some time getting to know each neighbourhood; you’ll indirectly also learn where in the city you’d like to live when you’re more settled. I also recommend spending a few days doing all the touristy things. For example, I still try to have a “tourist weekend” every month or so where I photograph Nyhavn and go to all my favourite places. 

Get some inspiration by checking out my comprehensive Copenhagen travel guide if you’re stuck; it has over 5,000 words of value. I’ve also written up some tips on experiencing Copenhagen like a local. 

You might also find these guides interesting 🤓: 

• A Local’s Guide to the Best Photography Spots in Copenhagen
• Copenhagen and Malmö Weekend Trip Itinerary

Get a Mobile Data Plan and Download the Most Important Apps 

You can use your EU data roaming plan in Denmark, but I suggest getting a Danish phone number as soon as possible if you’re not covered long-term. For example, I could use my British phone number for 30 days after moving here—but after that, I had to change to a Danish number. 

Mobile plans are relatively inexpensive in Denmark. Lebara is a good starting point; I’ve been with them ever since getting my first Danish phone number, and my subscription costs less than 100 DKK per month. 

OiSTER is another affordable mobile network provider; note that the website is in Danish. Telia, Telenor, and 3 are some of the other most common internet providers in the country. I suggest getting a rolling monthly subscription; I have regretted every long-term mobile contract I’ve tied myself to. 

Essential Apps

I recommend downloading these apps when you move to Copenhagen: 

• MitID
• e-Boks 
• PostNord/GLS (the two main parcel delivery companies) 
• DSB (useful for travel in Copenhagen and throughout Denmark; you also get a discount when you pay for journeys in Copenhagen here 🙂)
• MobilePay 

You should also download apps for any utilities you’ll sign up for. Since Southern Sweden is so close, I also suggest getting the Skånetrafiken app to buy tickets to and from Malmö plus other cities. 

Set Up Your Apartment Bills 

Copenhagen apartment contracts vary significantly in terms of which utilities are and are not included. While I had all bills included in my rent for my first place here, I’ve also had apartments where heating and water were a part of the bill—but electricity and internet were not. 

You’ll need to check with your landlord to confirm what you do and don’t have to deal with. Once you know, set up those subscriptions as soon as possible. Most major providers, such as Andel Energi, will have support or sites available in English as well as Danish.