Denmark Plans Restrictions for Ukrainian Men Aged 23–60
Denmark’s government has proposed restricting temporary residence permits for Ukrainian men covered by Ukraine’s mobilisation rules and related exit restrictions. Under the regulations currently cited by the Danish authorities, the measure would primarily affect men aged 23 to 60 who filed an application on or after June 25, 2026. The bill has not yet been adopted, with its first parliamentary reading scheduled for August 12.
The bill has not entered into force
Immigration and Integration Minister Morten Bødskov introduced Bill L 14 in the Danish parliament on June 25, 2026. As of July 23, its official status was “introduced.” The first reading is scheduled for August 12, the second for August 25 and the third for August 27. Existing rules remain in force until the parliamentary process is completed.
The proposal would amend Denmark’s Special Act governing temporary residence for people displaced from Ukraine. The national programme offers a faster residence procedure outside the ordinary asylum system.
Should parliament approve the bill, it would enter into force on the day after publication in Denmark’s official legal gazette. Its provisions would nevertheless apply to applications filed from June 25, the date on which the proposal was introduced.
The restriction covers mobilisation and exit rules
The Danish Immigration Service says the proposal concerns applicants covered by Ukrainian mobilisation rules, currently identified as men aged 23 to 60. They would only receive a permit under the Special Act when able to document an exemption from military service.
The explanatory memorandum makes a more precise distinction. According to the information used by Denmark, mobilisation generally applies to men aged 25 to 60, subject to exceptions. Mobilisation-related restrictions on leaving Ukraine cover the wider range of 23 to 60.
That distinction explains the age range used in the Danish proposal. Decisions would be based on the Ukrainian rules in force when each case is determined, meaning later changes in Ukraine could alter eligibility in Denmark.
June 25 is the decisive application date
Applications filed before June 25 would remain subject to the previous rules, including when the resulting permit is later considered for extension.
Applications submitted from June 25 present a more complicated transitional issue. Until the bill enters into force, the Immigration Service must continue processing them under current law. Once the amendment is enacted, however, the authority may review permits already granted to applicants in the affected group.
The Immigration Service says it will contact people whose permits may be revoked. The proposal does not provide for the automatic cancellation of every permit granted after the cut-off date; cases must be examined individually.
Permits for men under 23 would be time-limited
A man below the age of 23 could still receive a residence permit, but its validity may end on the day before his 23rd birthday if he would then become subject to the relevant Ukrainian rules.
An extension beyond that point would require evidence that he is exempt from military service or otherwise falls outside the regulated group.
The same expiry date could apply to family members whose residence rights depend on his permit.
Applicants must document an exemption
The primary evidence would normally be personal documents issued by Ukrainian authorities confirming exemption from military service or from the relevant rules.
The Immigration Service could request additional material or invite an applicant to an interview. The bill does not establish an exhaustive list of acceptable documents, leaving their sufficiency to an individual assessment.
Additional proof may not be necessary where exemption is evident from age or health. Ukrainian patients brought to Denmark through the medical-evacuation programme would normally be treated as exempt without the standard documentation.
An applicant’s inability or unwillingness to contact Ukrainian authorities would not automatically lead to a lower evidential threshold. In some cases, the person could instead be referred to the ordinary asylum procedure.
Family-based permits are also covered
The proposal also applies to residence granted to family members under the Special Act. A man covered by the relevant mobilisation rules would not qualify through the family route without documenting an exemption.
This could lead to different outcomes within the same household. A woman and children may meet the programme’s conditions while a male relative aged 23 to 60 faces refusal or a shorter permit.
Rejected applicants retain appeal rights
A refusal under the Special Act would not prevent the person from applying for asylum under Denmark’s ordinary immigration rules or seeking another independent basis for residence.
A refusal or a decision limiting the duration of a permit could be appealed to the Immigration Appeals Board. The proposed deadline is eight weeks from notification of the decision.
Later submission of exemption evidence may allow the Immigration Service to reopen a case, although reconsideration would depend on the circumstances.
Earlier applications remain protected
Men who applied before June 25 would remain covered by the previous rules. The amendment would not apply when permits based on those applications are later extended.
Current permits under the Special Act may be extended until March 17, 2027, provided their holders continue to meet the relevant conditions. The Immigration Service assesses extensions automatically, meaning permit holders do not need to file a separate application.
The proposal should therefore not be presented as the cancellation of all residence rights held by Ukrainian men already living in Denmark. Its principal effect concerns applications submitted from June 25 onward.
About 47,600 displaced Ukrainians live in Denmark
Around 47,600 people displaced from Ukraine were living in Denmark under Special Act permits at the beginning of May 2026. The total includes men, women and children and does not reveal how many people would be affected by the proposed restriction.
The government has not published a precise estimate of future refusals. The outcome will depend on application numbers, applicant ages, changes in Ukrainian regulations and the proportion able to prove an exemption.
The government expects lower public spending
The explanatory memorandum estimates that spending on integration programmes and related grants could fall by 12 million Danish kroner in 2026 and 15.7 million kroner in 2027.
Projected savings on benefits and housing support amount to 19.3 million kroner in 2026 and 23 million in 2027. Accommodation costs could decline by 3.2 million and 7.7 million kroner respectively.
More complicated case processing would increase Immigration Service expenditure by an estimated 2.1 million kroner in 2026 and 2.4 million in 2027. The bill describes all of these estimates as uncertain.
Cases would require individual assessment
The ministry acknowledges that the proposal differentiates by sex and age. Its explanatory memorandum considers the bill under Articles 8 and 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights, covering private and family life and protection against discrimination.
The ministry argues that the distinction may be justified by Ukraine’s authority to determine who is subject to military service and related exit restrictions. It also notes that there is no directly comparable Danish or European Court of Human Rights case law.
The government therefore proposes individual examination rather than automatic refusal based solely on age and sex. This is the ministry’s legal assessment, not a final judicial ruling on the future law’s compatibility with international obligations.
As International Investment experts report, the Danish proposal would substantially narrow access to the simplified residence programme but has not yet changed the law. Its most controversial feature is the retroactive cut-off tied to applications filed from June 25: some people may receive permits under the current rules and later face review. Dependence on changing Ukrainian regulations also reduces legal predictability. Individual examination and appeal rights provide some protection, but the requirement to obtain documents from Ukrainian authorities may create serious obstacles for applicants with complex medical, family or legal circumstances.