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DANISH CITIZENSHIP

How Danish Olympic medal highlighted slow citizenship process

The success of one of Denmark’s medallists at the Paris Olympics has reignited discussion of the country’s drawn-out citizenship process after it was revealed his case could have been concluded too late for him to compete.

Published: 12 August 2024 11:55 CEST
How Danish Olympic medal highlighted slow citizenship process
Wrestler Turpal Bisultanov (R) won Olympic bronze for Denmark after his citizenship application was expedited. Photo: Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix

Wrestler Turpal Bisultanov, who last week won a bronze medal for Denmark in the Paris Olympics, was almost unable to represent his country at the games because of the long processing time on citizenship applications.

Bisultanov’s story has highlighted the long waiting times applicants must wait before being given citizenship rights, despite fulfilling Denmark’s strict requirements for naturalisation.

Several politicians have subsequently criticised the slow processing times, broadcaster DR reports.

The current average processing time of a citizenship application is 19 months.

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“Waiting several years to have your application processed is far, far too long,” Christina Olumeko of the Alternative party told DR.

“This is simply embarrassing and very demeaning for the people who have spent time and money fulfilling the many criteria. It is not reasonable of Denmark,” she said.

Bisultanov passed the Danish citizenship test in 2022 and was subsequently informed the waiting time on his application was 22 months.

That would have meant he would not have received citizenship in time to represent Denmark at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, where he eventually went on to win a bronze medal.

The Danish sports federation DIF subsequently applied for dispensations on the wrestler’s behalf, which reduced the processing time for his case to 14 months.

The vast majority of applicants for Danish citizenship are unable to get their cases expedited in this way.

In DR’s report, another left-wing party, the Red Green Alliance, along with an association for immigration lawyers, Foreningen af Udlændingeretsadvokater, also criticise the current processing times.

Going further back, the centre-right Liberal (Venstre) party said in 2012 that it was taking too long – then 16 months – to process citizenship claims.

On social media X (Twitter) Samira Nawa of the centre-left Social Liberals (Radikale Venstre) remarked on Bisultanov’s case and highlighted another potential Danish Olympian who missed out because of the same issue.

“Turpal got Denmark a bronze in the Olympics. But he almost had to stay at home because of unreasonably long processing times. Crazy citizenship rules and long waiting times have meanwhile prevented Rico Coker from participating in the breakdancing,” she wrote.

Coker, who was born in Denmark to Gambian parents, had to cancel plans to represent Denmark in the Olympic breakdancing competition.

READ ALSO: Do children born in Denmark automatically get Danish citizenship?

Minister for Immigration and Integration Kaare Dybvad Bek told DR in a written statement that he admitted “processing times for naturalisation cases have been long – and too long – for a number of years”.

But he added that “more citizenship cases are currently processed than are submitted”, and that he therefore has “no plans at this time to initiate further measures.”

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DANISH CITIZENSHIP

‘It’s a concern’: How foreigners view Denmark’s move to hike citizenship fee

We asked our readers in Denmark about the government’s decision to make applying for citizenship 50 percent more expensive.

Published: 6 June 2024 18:43 CEST
'It's a concern': How foreigners view Denmark's move to hike citizenship fee

Denmark’s government on Tuesday announced it will rise the fee for applying for citizenship from 4,000 kroner to 6,000 kroner.

The government said it was raising the fee for apply for citizenship to 6,000 kroner so that it “more closely reflects the costs of case processing”.

The current 4,000 kroner fee, has applied since 2021 when it was raised from 3,800 kroner. The new hike means the fee is five times more than the 1,200 kroner that was charged to applications prior to 2018.

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We asked for your thoughts on this and it’s fair to say we got differing takes.

“If a person really loves Denmark and needs the citizenship of Denmark, then he/she should be ready to accept Denmark for what it is and be ready to contribute to the society as a future Dane,” said Selina.

Selina, who lives in Esbjerg, stated she would be happy to pay up to 20,000 kroner in fees to apply for Danish citizenship.

She also pointed out that, even with the incoming increase, the cost of applying for citizenship in Denmark remains less than the fee for non-EU nationals applying for permanent residency.

READ ALSO: What’s the difference between temporary and permanent residency in Denmark?

“We need to also respect that there is a cost incurred to the government to source employees to check our applications. The hourly wage here is high compared to other countries, which is why in return we also get paid high salaries,” she continued.

Selina said that, during five years living in Denmark, she had spent “nearly 15,000 kroner [on] application fees for me and my family just for residency visas, and I don’t complain!”

“I am not at all concerned about any cost for application fees and I do not understand why people make it a topic of discussion when a fee increases for them to apply for citizenship in one of the world’s happiest countries, actually,” she said.

Selina was not the only person to mention the cost of various types of residency permit against the citizenship fee.

“(The) initial family reunification application is 8,575 kroner, with renewal costs of 4,075 kroner, so 4,000 kroner for Citizenship seems like a bargain!”, Caz, who lives in Randers said.

READ ALSO: ‘A noticeable change’: What Denmark’s plans to change family reunion rules mean

A British national who is the spouse of a Dane, Caz said she plans on applying for citizenship “when the time comes around”.

“But so far it costs a small fortune to live here,” she said.

“The journey towards a citizenship is becoming more and more expensive, if you also add the cost of the permanent residence (which is required for citizenship),” said Salvador from Chile, a six-year resident of Denmark.

“The value becomes quite high for some households,” he noted, adding that he plans to apply for citizenship in around two years.

Some of the readers who responded to our survey rejected the government’s explanation that the fee raise was related to costs.

“A succession of steep price rises clearly indicates the government wants to reduce the amount of new citizens, instead of welcoming them. This is not about covering costs,” James, a UK national who lives in Gentofte said.

Although he is working towards qualifying for citizenship, James described the cost as a “concern”.

“I recently received my permanent residency in Denmark and do have some eventual plans to apply for the Danish citizenship as soon as I become eligible,” wrote Anuradha, who lives in Farum.

“The cost does seem to be on a higher side, however I see it as a one-time cost and definitely there is no guarantee that I will get the Danish citizenship so it is a calculated risk with no guarantee of getting the citizenship, either,” she said.

“I am sure that there are certain percentage of people who would still be applying irrespective of this cost and it would not really impact as long as they are motivated to apply for the citizenship,” she reflected.

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