Stays under 90 days

GUEST RESEARCHERS

The International Staff Unit (ISU) assists non-employed guest researchers and non-employed, non-enrolled PhD students at AAU to apply for residence and work permits. However, you will need to first contact the secretary at your affiliated department at Aalborg University. 

• For Nordic citizens

You do not need a residence and work permit. If your stay exceeds 90 days please read more about registration upon arrival for Nordic citizens.

• For EU/EEA citizens

You do not need a residence and work permit. If your stay exceeds 90 days please read more about the EU residence document and registration upon arrival for EU/EAA citizens.

However, you will need a residence and work permit to work and conduct research in Greenland or at the Faroe Islands.

• For non-EU/EEA citizens

Whether you are employed as a researcher or only visiting Aalborg University as a guest researcher (unpaid researcher without an employment contract), you are allowed to work without a residence and work permit, if your stay in Denmark does not exceed 90 days within a calendar year.

However, depending on your citizenship, you may need a short-term visa to enter Denmark. Please visit the New-to-Denmark website.

If you do require a visa, please contact the secretary at your affiliated department at Aalborg University for assistance with the invitation form for the visa application and/or invitation letter.

Kindly note that if your stay in Denmark is shorter than 90 days, you will not be able to register as a resident in Denmark (and get a CPR number) and you will not be covered by the Danish health insurance.

Aalborg offers several accommodation options for short-term stays. To have the best options to find suitable accommodation, it is important to start looking for accommodation as early as possible and before coming to Denmark.

AAU Accommodation Office

The AAU International Accommodation Office offers information and assistance in finding temporary accommodation.  

Please visit the AAU International Accommodation Office webpage for more information.

Hotel, hostel or bed & breakfast

If you prefer staying at a hotel, hostel or bed & breakfast, you can book accommodation online at Visit Aalborg.

Please note that if you are planning to stay in Denmark for less than three months (e.g. guest researchers, guest PhDs) and you are considering to bring a child under the age of 5, you need to be aware that it is your own responsibility to ensure a caretaker for your child. Enrolling your child in public childcare is only possible, if your child stays in Denmark with you for longer than three months and receives a Danish CPR number.

If you are considering bringing a child of school-age, you need to be aware that it can be very difficult to have your child admitted into a school in Denmark, both public and private, as the child will need a CPR number to be admitted into a school. Please contact the International Staff Unit for advise.

Please see Ending your stay. 

Please note that various rules and regulations apply, if you need to extend your stay to last longer than three months. Below the most important awareness points are listed and under the sections before arrival and upon arrival  you find further information about relevant topics.

NORDIC CITIZENS

We recommend you to register at the Citizen Service in order to get a Danish CPR number, which is recommended for stays longer than three months and obligatory for stays longer than six months. To get support from the International Staff Unit, you can sign up for the Getting Started in Denmark Support.

EU/EEA CITIZENS

You must apply for a registration certificate at one of the branch offices of SIRI (The Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration). The application for a registration certificate must be submitted no later than three months after you arrive in Denmark, which means before your three month's stay expires. 

We recommend you to register at the International Citizen Service in order to get a Danish CPR number, which is recommended for stays longer than three months and obligatory for stays longer than six months. To get support from the International Staff Unit, you can sign up for the Getting Started in Denmark Support.

NON-EU/EEA CITIZENS

If your stay exceeds 90 days it is important that you inform your department secretary as soon as possible, to submit an application for a residence and work permit before the expiry of your first three months’ stay. Following, the International Staff Unit will initiate the application and guide you through the process.

Please note that you may not carry out any work while your application for a residence and work permit is being processed. 

After you receive your residence and work permit you must register at the International Citizen Service in order to get a Danish CPR number, which is obligatory for stays longer than three months. 

TAX

If you decide to stay in Denmark for more than three months, you will need to register with the Danish tax authorities, and your tax liability to Denmark will be assessed. Normally, if you stay for more than three months and take up residence in Denmark, you will be fully tax liable to Denmark. If you are assessed to be fully tax liable to Denmark, this will also include the past three months. Find more information about taxation during your stay.

If you stay in Denmark for less than three months, please be aware that you will not be covered by the Danish national healthcare system. We strongly recommend that you take out private health insurance before coming to Denmark.

Non-EU/EEA citizens

We strongly recommend you to take out private health insurance. Read more about recommended insurances.

EU/EEA citizens

If you have a blue European health insurance card, we recommend that you bring it with you when traveling to Denmark. With this card, you will be entitled to Danish healthcare on equal terms with other Danish citizens. Read more about EU health insurance.

Nordic citizens

If you are covered by the public healthcare system in your home country, you will be entitled to Danish healthcare on equal terms with other Danish citizens. 

Can you go to the doctor without a Danish Health Insurance Card (CPR)?

During working hours, you can contact any doctor in your area of residence and request a consultation. You can find doctors by typing online "lægen i Aalborg" (doctor in Aalborg), for example. 

After 16:00 (4 p.m.) on weekdays, or around the clock at weekends and public holidays, you can call the Medical Helpline, Vagtlægen. The telephone numbers of your emergency doctor service are divided by region:

• In Aalborg/ Northern Jutland call  70 15 03 00
• In Esbjerg/ Southern Denmark call 70 11 07 07
• In Copenhagen (incl. Frederiksberg, Tårnby and Dragør) call 18 13
• In Zealand call 70 15 07 00
• In Aarhus/ Central Jutland call 70 11 31 31

If you are using a mobile phone service based outside Denmark, please remember to use Denmark’s country code +45 or 0045 before dialing​ your region's number.​

Guest researchers and guest students are not covered by the insurance scheme offered by Aalborg University. We recommend all guests to take out private insurance to cover you, if you sustain any injury during your visit at AAU. 

Please note that in order to take out insurance in Denmark, usually you need a CPR number (civil registration number). However, you cannot register for a CPR number if your stay is less than three months; consequently, it is difficult to take out private insurances in Denmark.  

Thus, we strongly recommend you to take out travel insurance before coming to Denmark.

Read more about private insurances.

You do not have to register with an address in Denmark, when your stay in Denmark is shorter than three months.

If you receive payment from Aalborg University (AAU) during your stay, you need to register for a tax card with the Danish taxation authorities (Skattestyrelsen). 

Read more about tax registration below under 'Taxation'. 

If your stay in Denmark is shorter than three months, you may not be fully tax liable in Denmark.

Read more about tax liability when coming to work or live in Denmark on the official website for the Danish tax authorities (SKAT).

Research visit funded by a fellowship

There are a number of criteria, which form the basis for the taxation of fellowships such as whether you are a resident in Denmark, the length of stay and the type of stay. These criteria determine whether a fellowship will or will not be taxed in Denmark.

Please contact the International Staff Unit for more information.

Tax exemption

If you are granted a fellowship during your research visit, you may - under certain circumstances - be exempt from tax under the Danish Income Tax Act. You should always consult the Danish tax authorities to enquire about this. In order to sort out your tax situation, please contact your department, who will assist you in connection with a possible application for tax exemption.

Please be aware that a tax exemption of your fellowship in your home country or the country providing the fellowship does not necessarily apply in Denmark. You must therefore expect the fellowship to be tax liable in Denmark, regardless of any tax exemptions in other countries.

Deductions and allowances

Under certain circumstances, you may have the right to deductions and allowances. See further information on the website of the Danish tax authorities (SKAT) or contact the Danish tax authorities (SKAT). 

How to declare a fellowship

Fellowships offered by Aalborg University (AAU)

Fellowships offered by AAU are automatically declared to the Danish tax authorities (SKAT). You do not need to do anything but will be informed automatically whether or not your fellowship will be taxed.

Fellowships offered by a Danish foundation

Contact the scholarship provider if you receive a fellowship from a Danish foundation or other Danish sources (not AAU sources). The foundation can inform you whether you need to declare the fellowship or not.

Non-Danish fellowships

Fellowships offered by non-Danish foundations must be declared to the Danish tax authorities (SKAT). You have to declare the fellowship income as “B-income” in your preliminary tax assessment of income. You can declare the fellowship in your online, personal tax-folder at www.skat.dk (only possible if you have registered at SKAT in Denmark) or contact the tax authorities (SKAT).

Research visit paid by salary from AAU

Special tax scheme for foreign researchers

If you are an employed researcher at AAU, you may be liable for the special tax scheme for foreign researchers. On this scheme, researchers pay a 27% flat tax rate and an 8% labour market contribution.

The local HR Service Centres (HSF and EST) handle applications for the research taxation scheme. Please contact the International Staff Unit for questions about the researcher tax scheme.

Taxation if you are not eligible for the special researcher taxation scheme

If you do not fulfil the conditions for the researcher taxation scheme, you must contact SKAT to enquire about your personal tax in relation to your stay in Denmark. The HR Service Centres do not guide you in personal tax matters.

• You must register to get your personal tax card

If you are employed at AAU for three months or less, you will need to obtain a Danish tax card and Danish personal tax number. You apply for the tax card in person at the International Citizen Service upon arrival in Denmark or you apply online on the Danish Customs and Tax Administration website

The tax card ensures that you get the tax allowances and reliefs you are entitled to before AAU withholds tax from your income.

Each year in March/April, you will receive a preliminary tax statement. You should change the information in the preliminary tax statement if your income or allowances change considerably, or else you may risk having to pay back money in the following tax year. You change your tax card online via the self-service facility (TastSelv).

• If you are on the researcher taxation scheme

If you have applied for the researcher taxation scheme, you do not need to register with the Danish tax authorities. AAU will do this automatically.