Denmark freezes citizenship cases for 2,055 applicants

Denmark has put citizenship applications from 2,055 people on hold, leaving them uncertain about when they will receive a decision, DR reports. The applicants met the requirements in January, when the Folketing was due to consider their cases.

The pause is in place while an expert group examines how applicants could be screened for anti-democratic views. Those affected do not know whether they will have to apply again or how long they will wait for an answer. DR obtained information about the applicants through a freedom of information request.

Many have lived in Denmark for years

A quarter of the applicants had lived in Denmark for at least 20 years, and 130 were born and raised in the country.

They include 22-year-old Josephine Senyondwa, who was born at Glostrup Hospital and grew up in Hillerød. She is studying to become a food engineer, and one of her parents is from Uganda. She says the uncertainty makes her worried and fearful, and that she will eventually need Danish citizenship to live the life she wants in Denmark.

Applicants from Europe outnumber those from the predominantly Muslim countries of the Middle East and North Africa. There are 1,012 people from Europe on the lists, compared with 696 from the Middle East and North Africa.

Saeid Ashian moved to Denmark from Iran more than 10 years ago. He is highly educated and works at Saxo Bank, while his wife works at Lundbeck. Their children have Danish friends, take dance classes and submitted a song to MGP.

Ashian applied for citizenship more than three years ago and met all the requirements. His name was included on the bill in January, but the pause has left the family unsure whether they can stay in Denmark. He says the family may consider moving to another country if Denmark does not accept them.

Experts raise legal concerns

Denmark has joined the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. Article 6(3) of the convention says national law must provide for citizenship for people with lawful and permanent residence in the country. Article 10 says applications must be handled within a reasonable time.

Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights protects the right to respect for private and family life and the home. Senior researcher Eva Ersbøll says European Court of Human Rights case law holds that an arbitrary refusal of citizenship can interfere with a person’s private life.

Ersbøll also points to guidance from the Danish Parliamentary Ombudsman on good administrative practice. It says authorities should provide accurate, up-to-date and sufficiently detailed information about their practices, so people can understand their legal position and options. She says applicants whose cases had been approved are now left without clarity about the rules that apply to them.

Debate over democratic values

The pause follows calls from several parties to investigate screening applicants for anti-democratic views. A recent Epinion poll for DR found that three in four Danes believe foreigners should hold democratic values to receive Danish citizenship.

Senyondwa says it is fair to expect citizens to support democracy, but considers it unfair to apply new criteria to people whose applications were already approved. Although she is 22 and was born and raised in Denmark, she is not a citizen and could not vote in the parliamentary election in the spring.