Denmark business visa
Denmark sits inside the Schengen Area, and that shapes everything about how you apply. As an Indian passport holder travelling for business, you need a Schengen short-stay visa — the Type C, or uniform, visa — stamped before you fly. It covers meetings, contract negotiations, conferences, training and business events, and buys you up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area. One rule decides where you file: apply through Denmark when it is your main destination, the country where you spend the most days. If your time divides equally between several Schengen states, apply through Denmark only when it is your first point of entry.
From India, the Royal Danish Embassy in New Delhi hands submission to VFS Global. You fill in and pay for the application online at applyvisa.um.dk, then book an appointment to lodge your documents and give biometrics at a VFS Global centre — New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Pune and Kochi are among them. The decision itself stays with the Embassy. Expect around 15 days in the ordinary course, stretching to 30 days, and up to 45 days in complex cases. The time your passport spends travelling to and from the Embassy does not count toward that.
Who this visa is for
- ✓Indian passport holders travelling to Denmark for meetings, contract negotiations, conferences, training or other business events
- ✓Applicants for whom Denmark is the main destination (most days spent), or the first Schengen country of entry when time is split equally between several states
- ✓Those holding a signed invitation from a Danish host company or organisation stating the purpose, dates and place of the visit
- ✓Applicants with a covering letter from their Indian employer or company confirming the business purpose of the trip
- ✓Applicants who can show sufficient funds for the stay (at least DKK 350 per day staying privately, DKK 500 per day at a hotel) and clear ties to India showing they will return
- ✓Applicants holding Schengen travel medical insurance covering at least EUR 30,000 for the full trip
Visa options for Denmark
Business visa (Schengen short-stay 'C')
Standard category for meetings, conferences, training and business events; permits up to 90 days in any 180-day period and travel across the whole Schengen area.
Red Carpet business visa
Fast-track category for staff of companies on the Embassy's authorised signatory list; submitted at VFS without an appointment, using an Annex C cover letter and copies of previous Schengen visas.
Single or multiple entry
The 'C' visa is issued as single or multiple entry; a multiple-entry visa suits repeat business travellers, typically those with a sound prior Schengen travel history.
Documents typically required
- ✓Application form completed and paid for online at applyvisa.um.dk, then printed and signed
- ✓Visa fee payment receipt printed from applyvisa.um.dk (short-stay Schengen visa fee, currently EUR 90 for adults)
- ✓One recent passport photo (35x45 mm, colour, white background, less than six months old)
- ✓Passport valid for at least three months beyond your intended stay in Schengen, with at least two blank pages (other travel documents must be valid for at least six months)
- ✓Covering letter from your Indian company or organisation stating your identity, the purpose of the journey (meetings, conferences, training or business events) and the period and place of stay
- ✓Signed invitation from the Danish host with the host's contact details, your identity, the purpose, and the dates and place of stay (the Embassy recommends the host file the online invitation at nyidanmark.dk)
- ✓Schengen travel medical insurance covering at least EUR 30,000, valid for all Schengen countries and the entire trip including arrival and departure dates
- ✓Flight tickets, plus intra-Schengen flight/train/car proof if visiting several states (the Embassy advises not to buy the ticket before approval)
- ✓Proof of accommodation (hotel or holiday-home reservations) for all nights of the stay
- ✓Original personal bank statement in your name showing the last three months' movements, stamped and signed by the bank
- ✓Indian income tax return acknowledgment for the last two assessment years
- ✓If employed: last three months' payslips, plus employment contract and holiday/leave approval from your employer
- ✓If a company owner or self-employed: certificate of registration of the company
- ✓Biometrics (fingerprints and photograph) given in person at a VFS Global centre
Your exact checklist depends on your profile — we confirm it during your case analysis. Every visa decision rests with the embassy or consulate.
First-time Schengen applicants must give fingerprints in person at a VFS Global centre. If any document is missing at submission you have three days to supply it directly to VFS before the Embassy decides the case on the information available. During the March to September peak, submit to VFS at least four weeks before travel. A Denmark Schengen visa lets you travel the whole Schengen area, but you may apply through Denmark only when it is your main destination or your first point of entry.
Frequently asked questions
Do you guarantee the visa?
No, and be wary of anyone who does. The decision rests entirely with the Royal Danish Embassy and the Danish Immigration Service. Our job is to assess your case honestly and build the strongest application we can. Over the last 2-3 years our applications have carried a 97% success rate, but no consultant can promise an outcome.
Should I apply to Denmark for a European business trip covering several countries?
Apply to Denmark when it is your main destination — where you will spend the most days, or carry out the core purpose of the trip. If your time is split equally between Schengen states, apply to the country where you first enter the Schengen area. Once issued, a Denmark Schengen visa lets you travel the whole Schengen area.
How long does a Denmark business visa take?
The Royal Danish Embassy usually decides within about 15 days of receiving an admissible application, extending to 30 days, or up to 45 days in complex cases. Transport time to and from the Embassy is not counted, and during the March-September peak you should submit at least four weeks before travel.
How long can I stay and what can I do on this visa?
The Schengen short-stay business visa gives you up to 90 days in any 180-day period for meetings, conferences, training and business events, and lets you travel the whole Schengen area. What it does not allow is taking up employment in Denmark.