Thousands of hopeful residents face years-long delays for Danish citizenship
Around 2,000 applicants, including Syrian technician Ahmad Albokie and his family, are stuck waiting for parliamentary approval of Danish naturalisation, a process stalled by elections and a restrictive policy.
Syrian technician Ahmad Albokie fulfilled employment, residence, criminal-record, language and civic-knowledge criteria before applying for Danish citizenship for himself and his three children in June 2023. His name was slated for a naturalisation bill in October 2025, but the EU presidency pushed it to January 2026, and a subsequent election caused the bill to be dropped, leaving his life on hold. Over 2,000 other applicants face the same uncertainty, with some, like Sandra Frederiksen, describing a sense of exclusion.
Albokie's 17-year-old daughter Jouli risks losing the chance to obtain citizenship before turning 18, which could force her to restart the process amid possible rule changes. MP Peder Hvelplund criticises the parliamentary-vote requirement as fostering stigma and calls for a faster, fairer system. The governing Social Democrats, who favour a strict citizenship regime, intend to introduce a new bill in 2027 that adds value-based screenings, emphasizing loyalty and alignment with Danish values.
Why it matters
Prolonged citizenship delays affect thousands of families and raise questions about integration and democratic fairness in Denmark.
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