Dual citizenship approved by Danish parliament

A broad majority of parliament today approved dual citizenship in Denmark on June 4.

The new law will permit Danes to apply for citizenship of another country without losing their Danish citizenship and for the many Danes who have previously reluctantly given up their Danish citizenship for another the new law will make it possible for them to reclaim their Danish citizenship. The new law will allow foreigners living in Denmark to become Danish citizens without having to give up the citizenship of their own country. 

“Many people today choose to settle in foreign countries, but still retain a strong attachment to their country of origin,” said the justice minister, Karen Hækkerup, in a statement.

“We should not force people to choose.”

The government’s decision to allow dual citizenship is based on a report by a panel that it established in late 2012 to look into the issue.

The parties have agreed on a transitional scheme to change the laws to allow dual citizenship. Many former Danish citizens were asked to relinquish their Danish citizenship while applying for the citizenship of another country. Foreigners married to a Danish citizen were also asked to forego the citizenship of their native countries while applying for Danish citizenship.

The parties also have agreed on the conditions under which a person who applies to regain Danish citizenship, has to adhere to. One of them is that in the time period between losing and regaining the Danish citizenship, the applicant must not be convicted of a crime and sentenced to an unconditional punishment.