BackWhen foreign nationals apply for a residence permit in Denmark according to the Labour Market Attachment Scheme, they have to use a digital application form on the website of the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI). The applicant needs to enter his or her passport number and its expiry date into the form, among other things. If the boxes are not filled in, the form cannot be submitted.
However, it is not a requirement in the Labour Market Attachment Scheme to have a valid passport in order to get a residence permit. Therefore, in March, the Ombudsman asked SIRI to ensure that also foreign nationals without a valid passport can apply.
SIRI has now decided to change the digital application form which is to be used by foreign nationals applying for a residence permit in Denmark according to the Labour Market Attachment Scheme. The change means that in future it will not be mandatory to fill in passport number and information about the passport’s expiry date in the form.
This will help those foreign nationals who wish to apply for residence in Denmark according to the Labour Market Attachment Scheme and who are not in possession of a valid passport.
"The previous solution has made it difficult to apply, and in some cases it may even have discouraged applicants without a valid passport from applying. I am satisfied that SIRI is now changing the design of the form" says Parliamentary Ombudsman Niels Fenger.
SIRI has stated that the form will be changed at the end of May or beginning of June this year. Until then, SIRI is informing applicants on its website that they can use a paper form if they do not have a valid passport.
Source: The Office of the Danish Parliamentary Ombudsman
