Unaccompanied Minors in Denmark

last update: January 2012

If you are an unaccompanied minor and wish to seek asylum in Denmark you will generally meet the same requirements as adult asylumseekers. However, unaccompanied minor asylum seekers are considered a vulnerable group, which means that unaccompanied minors will be housed in special accommodation centers and will be appointed a personal representative, who will support during the processing of the case.

Age-assessment

To assess whether an asylumseeker is a minor or not, the Immigration Service can demand that you go through an age-test, carried out by doctors. This can happen even if you have identity-papers that prove your age.

The age test consists of three parts: First a general medical examination, by which the body's physical development is assessed. Then a radiograph will be taken, of the teeth and yet another one of one of the hands. Based on an evaluation of your psysical development doctors will assess your age with a margin of two years, meaning that they will decide that your age is for example 17-19 years old.
Age tests are controversial and criticized because they are inaccurate. The age assessment is always an imprecise estimate and the authorities often use the age assessment test to determine that you are past 18 years old. The decision can be appealed to the ministry of integration, but is reversed very rarely. Don't hesitate to appeal the decision if your age is wrongly assessed. Look at the contact list for assistance in the matter.   

The Asylum process

The personal representative that you will be appointed as an unaccompanied minor will assist you throughout the asylum process.

As long as you are under 18, you cannot be deported to the country you have fled from if you don't have a social network or local authorities to take care of you. If that is the case you will be granted a temporary residence permit. The temporary residence permit no longer applies when you are 18. At that age you are deported.

If you arrive as an unaccompanied minor the Immigration Service has an obligation to search your relatives, if you don't know where they are. Unfortunately we have not got much information, nor experience on these cases and therefore cannot say much about the actual practice.

It is possible for the Immigration Service to assess that you as an unaccompanied minor is not 'mature enough' to go through the normal procedure, and grant you a residence permit without you having to go through the application process. That happens rarely.