Long stay abroad & permanent residency status

[ucanmanda]

Hi everyone, I'm currently living and working full-time in Denmark with a permanent residency and have been living here for a total of 7.5 years and I'm planning to apply for citizenship next year.

However, I'm going to be travelling and working from abroad for the next weeks/months. Part of it I will be in Portugal and then I need to travel to Asia and work from there for couple of weeks, perhaps a month or two. In total my stay abroad might reach 3 months, maybe a bit more.

My question is how long can I stay abroad without risking losing my permanent residency? I will still keep my apartment where I have my CPR registered here. And I heard that staying abroad for longer periods might negatively impact my citizenship application. Should I be worried about this? What are the best practices, tips regarding this matter, so that I don't risk my citizenship application after almost 8 years of living here?

Looking forward to hearing your answers.

Thank you in advance
Kind regards

[skaanebo]

On what grounds did you obtain a permanent residence permit? In any case, as long as your stay away from Denmark is less than 12 months, no need to worry about your current residence permit. It might affect your chance to obtain a Danish citizenship, though.

[ucanmanda]

I obtained my permanent residence permit through work / pay limit scheme.
I passed PD3 as well, so I could get it after 4 years of employment instead of 8.

How is the citizenship application is considered, is there a limit of time before it gets risky like above 3/4 months of staying abroad?
Do I risk obtaining Danish citizenship if I'm somewhere in EU for a period of time vs somewhere outside EU?

[skaanebo]

Any time you spend abroad which is longer than a "normal holiday" will be deducted from the time requirement for obtaining Danish citizenship.

[ucanmanda]

Ok so just to clarify, if I keep my permanent residency and after deducting my stays abroad if I still reach the requirements for citizenship. (Let's say instead of 9 years I need 10 or 11 years in total.) Would I still be able to obtain citizenship when I apply?

[skaanebo]

Yes, as long as you are able to keep a residency in Denmark (check requirements for keeping a "folkeregisteradresse"), the time you spend abroad longer than a "normal holiday" will simply be deducted from the time requirement in obtaining Danish citizenship. So it might be that you have to stay in Denmark for 12 years instead of 9 years if that is the current requirement. Please note, citizenship and naturalisation laws keep changing so often so it's difficult to predict how they would be in 1 or 2 years from now.

[ucanmanda]

I also heard that, for my citizenship application to be approved, I should only have stayed outside of Denmark for 12 months maximum in total since I first obtained my residence permit. Is that information accurate?

[skaanebo]

I hope other people on this forum will be able to help you answer this question ... Otherwise, you can always ask SIRI for guidance.

[evc]

If you stay out of the country for more than 4 weeks in a year (does not need to be consecutive), it impacts your application. On the other hand, you may be able to request an evaluation of your case.

I will recommend you to find a group on Facebook called "Dansk statsborgerskab - tålmodighed påkrævet". Mirian is an expert in these cases and will be able to help you further.

[ucanmanda]

Thank you for the response.

What about permanent residency, is there any risk of me losing it if I stay abroad 4-6 months stretches at a time in a calendar year?
Is it only if I stay abroad for 12 months in a row that I lose it?

[skaanebo]

I have answered your question already.

[Beraru]

Thank you for the response.

What about permanent residency, is there any risk of me losing it if I stay abroad 4-6 months stretches at a time in a calendar year?
Is it only if I stay abroad for 12 months in a row that I lose it?

You can lose your permanent residence, if you are out of Denmark for more than 2 consecutive years.

Regarding citizenship, it's too much a hassle and, frankly, the entire process and the way it's been "sold" to foreigners, makes it not too appealing for me.
You can easliy live in Denmark without being a danish citizen.

LE.It's not permanent residence after EU rules?

[ucanmanda]

I have answered your question already.

You answered 12 months, someone else says 6 months, another person says 2 years. What is the real answer?

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=23752

[mhg]

Read here, and be aware that there are several laws that apply to your situation:

https://nyidanmark.dk/en-GB/Words%20and ... _residence

[skaanebo]

I have answered your question already.

You answered 12 months, someone else says 6 months, another person says 2 years. What is the real answer?

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=23752

What I answered is correct but you keep changing your questions and expand your questions. There are different laws in regards to 1) a tempoary residence permit 2) a permanent residence permit and 3) for obtaining Danish citizenship by naturalisation and 4) for keeping an address registered in Denmark while being away from Denmark.

1) is not relevant in your case, I gather, since you already have a permanent residence permit.
2) A permanent residence permit in your case will become invalid if you're away from Denmark for more than 12 months.
3) Being away from Denmark for more than the lenght of a normal holiday can impact on your citizenship aplication.
4) You must change your address and report being away from Denmark if you stay continously longer than 6 months outside of Denmark, no matter if you keep your residence in Denmark or not. If you give up your residence (for instance by subletting it), you must report it right away.

So you mix up the answers because you keep mixing up your questions.