Medborgerskabsprøven explained: Denmark's permanent-residence civics test, 25 questions, 20 to pass

On top of the basic conditions for permanent residence, you must meet two of four supplementary conditions. Passing the Medborgerskabsprøve meets one of them, the citizenship condition (§ 1). So the test is one route among four, not a requirement for everyone; check which two conditions fit your case.

25 questions about Danish democracy and everyday life, and Danish culture and history (§ 9). The answers are right or wrong, including multiple choice. It is written, in Danish, taken alone, with no aids, and lasts 30 minutes.

You pass with at least 20 correct answers out of 25.

The questions come from the official learning material that the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) publishes. The topics (§ 10): everyday life and citizenship (associations, libraries, work and leisure), Danish society (the welfare state, the labour market and workplace culture, education, democracy and basic values, Denmark and the world, geography), and Danish history, art and culture.

The regulation says the Danish of the questions is set with the Danish-language requirement for permanent residence in mind (§ 9, stk. 4).

Twice a year, in May–June and November–December (§ 2). SIRI publishes the next year's dates, registration deadlines and the list of test centres by 1 October each year.

You register with the test centre where you want to sit it, at least 5 weeks before the test (§ 3, § 8). Anyone who has applied, or will apply, for permanent residence can sit it.

The fee is 874 kroner at 2024 prices, adjusted every 1 January (§ 3). Your test centre charges the current amount when you register.

Bring valid photo ID: a Danish residence card, alien's passport or refugee travel document; a passport or ID card from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland; or another passport with a Danish residence sticker. Without one of these you must ask SIRI for permission, at least 4 weeks before the test.

If you are late, you can only sit it if you arrive within the first 15 minutes, and you do not get extra time.

An external examiner marks the answers and returns them to the test centre within 7 working days of receiving them; the centre tells you the result as soon as it can (§ 20).

If you have a physical or mental disability or similar difficulties, you can apply to the test centre for practical help, a helper or extra time, at least 4 weeks before the test (§ 23).

Our reading: 20 out of 25 is 80%, so you can afford only five mistakes. Because the questions are in Danish, reading the official material in Danish, not a translation, is the better practice.