How To: Exchanging Your Foreign Driver's License (by Demelza Endenburg)

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The first thing to consider when applying for a Danish driver’s licence is your country of origin or, more importantly, the country where you got the driver’s licence from, that you would like to exchange.

As you probably know, Denmark is part of the EU, which means that citizens from other EU countries are generally treated with a bit more leniency than citizens from non-EU countries. Therefore, if your driver’s licence comes from an EU country, the rules are different. Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are countries with the same status as EU countries.

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Driver’s licence from an EU-country, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

First of all: You’re allowed to drive a car with a licence from any of these countries if you’re living in Denmark. In other words, you’re not obligated to exchange it for a Danish one if you want to drive here.

If you want to exchange it anyway, you can simply go to city hall and ask to get it exchanged. Be aware though, that it might be possible that you need to have your driver’s licence translated. It’s best to ask about this at city hall first, before having it translated. It can save you some translation costs. There’s no need to have it translated if your driver’s licence is in English. In case they tell you that you need to have it translated, you’ll need to have it done by an official translated who has been authorized to do so by the police.

You’ll need to bring a passport photo, your sundhedskort, passport or ID card and your proof of registration (‘Bevis for registrering’: that’s the two letters you got from ‘Statsforvaltningen’, when you first registered after moving to Denmark). You don’t need to bring a proof of registration if you are a citizen from a Nordic country.

As a EU citizen, you might be asked to sign a piece of paper that will allow the municipality to get some of the money that it cost them to exchange your driver’s licence back from the embassy.

Driver’s licence from Australian Capital Territory, Brazil, Japan, Taiwan, South-Korea, Russia, Switzerland or Ukraine

Most important to note: You need to exchange a driver’s licence from any of these countries within 90 days after moving to Denmark.

Just like the EU driver’s licences, you’ll have to go to city hall with a valid passport photo, sundhedskort, passport and your residency permit. Unless your driver’s licence is in English, you’ll probably have to get it translated by an official translator, who has been authorized to do so by the police.

Unlike EU-citizens, you will also have to get a medical certificate (‘lægeattest’) provided by your doctor. You do not, however, need to take a driving test.

Driver’s licence from a country not mentioned above

Most important to note: You need to exchange a driver’s licence from any of these countries within 90 days after moving to Denmark.

You will have to take a driving test and get a medical certificate (‘lægeattest’) from your doctor. Unless your driver’s licence is in English, you will most likely need to get it translated by an official translator, who has been authorized to do so by the police.

You’ll have to go to city hall with a valid passport photo, sundhedskort, passport and your residency permit.

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Other things to consider

You’re allowed to drive a car with a non-EU driver’s licence during the first 90 days of your residency if the licence is in the Latin alphabet or if it’s accompanied by a valid translation into English, French or Danish.

When is a passport photo valid to be used on a Danish driver’s licence? The requirements can be found at the police website. We advise you to have the passport photo made here in Denmark at a photo specialist shop, because the requirements can be quite different from those in your home country. That can be quite pricey, but at least you can be certain that it’s done correctly. Photo Care Holstebro makes good quality passport photos in Holstebro.

You will be given a temporary Danish driver’s licence that can be used in Norway and Sweden as well, which will normally be valid for a period of three weeks. It doesn’t look very impressive, it’s just a small white piece of paper with all your information written on it, but it’s an official document nonetheless. Your new, real Danish driver’s licence will be sent to your home address within three weeks.

You obviously need to pay for a driver’s licence, currently (July 2013), it costs 280 DKK. To be certain about the price, check with Holstebro Kommune 

What to do if…

I currently don’t have a valid passport?

In this case, you will need to bring an original birth certificate, name certificate or baptism certificate, with an official translation if required. It’s best to ask at city hall if you’re not certain what to do in this case.

People tell me that I need to go to the police station to get my driver’s licence exchanged?

Don’t worry, they’re simply wrong. Until the 31^st of December 2006, Danes indeed had to go to the police station to get a new driver’s licence, but that has been changed. Since the 1^st of January 2007 everyone in Denmark must go to city hall to get a driver’s licence.

They tell me that I can’t keep my foreign driver’s licence?

This is normal. By law, you’re not allowed to have two driver’s licences simultaneously. City hall will take your foreign driver’s licence and send it to the police (‘Rigspolitiet’); they will lock it in a safe. In case you will need this foreign licence again in the future, you can request it back, but they will then take your Danish licence and lock that one away instead.

I didn’t receive my new Danish driver’s licence within three weeks?

In this case, you should immediately contact city hall. They will tell you what will be done about it.

Where to find more information

Be certain to always check the sites mentioned below, before going to city hall or making the decision to have something translated. Our information is not only based on personal experiences, but mostly on information provided on these sites, and as you probably known, rules, prices etc. change all the time. 

http://www.holstebro.dk/Fra-udenlandsk-til-dansk-1223.aspx

https://www.politi.dk/da/borgerservice/korekort/udenlandsk_koerekort/

When in doubt, always contact city hall. 

How To: Using The Post Office In Denmark (by Demelza Endenburg)

You might think the title of this article a bit odd, and normally we would certainly agree with you. But how many traditional post offices buildings have you seen in Denmark lately? Our point exactly!

It has been common for some years in parts of Europe, to close the traditional post office building and move a smaller office into, for instance, a supermarket or stationer’s shop. And Post Danmark, responsible for your mail, packages, stamps etc. here in Denmark, felt inspired by this. They have recently announced that all traditional post offices will be closed down in the future. Even the big and fancy one in the middle of Copenhagen! In Denmark, these post offices are now called ‘postbutikker’.

Post office in Holstebro

As you might have noticed, they already changed from a post office to a ‘postbutik’ in Holstebro years ago. Nowadays, you have to go to the supermarket called Kvickly on Brogårdsvej 6, to pick up your packages. At least, most of the time, sometimes you’re required to pick your package up at something called ‘Døgnposten’ or ‘Pakkeboksen’, but we’ll get to that later.

The good thing about the post offices moving into shops is the fact that they now, sometimes, have more flexible opening hours. This is however (not yet) the case in Holstebro. Currently, the post office is not open on Sundays, but that might change in the future. For more information about the opening hours: http://www.kvickly.dk/Butikker+og+aabningstider/5500

Picking up a package at a ‘postbutik’

What to do, if you come home and there’s a piece of paper in your mail box that says that you have to pick up a package or letter at the post office or ‘postbutik’?  First of all, you obviously need to bring that piece of paper with you. Secondly, you need to prove that you’re the person the package has been addressed to. In other words, you’ll need some form of ID. In most cases your sundhedskort will suffice. In some cases, though, you will have to bring an ID with a picture on it; both a driver’s licence and a passport are allowed. It will say which form of ID you need to bring, on the piece of paper.

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Authorizing someone else to pick up your package

This is also possible. You can authorize a specific person to do that for you. All you need to do is fill-in the back of the piece of paper that you got in your mail box. You need to state the name of the person picking it up and then sign it with your signature. The person you have authorized must then bring a valid ID of him or herself to the post office to pick up the package.

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Picking up a package in ‘Døgnposten’ or ‘Pakkeboksen’

It’s starting to become more and more common, when ordering something on a webshop, that you then have to pick up your package in something called ‘Døgnposten’ or ‘Pakkeboksen’. In most cases you will have agreed to this beforehand, and made a user account at Post Danmark’s website, but that’s not always the case. If you do not wish to pick up your package here, but would prefer the normal ‘postbutik’, then you can call customer service at 70 11 22 12.

This system is not difficult to use, however, and the big advantage is that you can pick up your package 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You will be informed through e-mail or sms that a package is waiting for you, which means that there won’t be a traditional piece of paper in your mail box when you come home. This e-mail or sms will also contain a code, which you will have to use to open up the particular locker that contains your package. Remember to bring your sundhedskort as well; you will need to insert it into the machine as a form of identification.

Visit Post Danmark’s Self Service to find out where the particular ‘Døgnpost’ or ‘pakkepost’ is located. If you’re living in Holstebro, you will most likely have to pick it up at number 666, which is to the left of the train station in Holstebro.

More information

For more information regarding, for instance what it costs to send a letter abroad, you can check out Post Danmark’s website in English.

Review: Strandingsmuseum St.George (by Demelza Endenburg)

Strandingsmuseum St. George is a museum in Thorsminde dedicated to the stranding of the English vessels HMS St. George and HMS Defence off the cost of Jutland in 1811, killing nearly 1400. Items from the ships and their crews are on display, though not the ships themselves. The main focus is on the St. George, of which most artifacts on display at the museum are salvaged from.

I went there not only to check the museum itself, but also to see how suited it is for foreigners who do not understand Danish.

Right after you cross the souvenir shop and into the actual museum, you will see a small video room on your right-hand side. In there you can watch a video on the story of the St. George in Danish, German and English. The video is on-going, so you might have to wait a bit for setting it in your preferred language.

To the left you can see the first room of the museum showing some of the biggest items salvaged from the wrecks, like the cannons seen in the picture. Not only the big and impressive things are on display, though. Attention is given to every aspect of life on-board of the vessels, from the sea biscuits eaten by the common sailor to the Captain’s private wine cellar, and from the surgeon’s medical instruments to the rifles used by the marines.

Main focus of the museum is on the St. George, but there is also a room partially dedicated to the famous Battle of Jutland. This was the biggest naval battle ever fought. It took place during the World War I and, as you probably already guessed, it was fought off the coast of Jutland. 

                                                            Original German naval uniform from World War I

                                     

The showcases all through the museum obviously have descriptions in Danish of the items displayed, but you can get a little folder with the texts in German or English from the souvenir shop/cash register. There is a special kids’corner, where children can try out things that are connected to naval life, like making knots. This corner has descriptions in English and German as well. Some of the bigger descriptions relating to a series of showcases are available in English.

Of course I had a look at some other practical things, too. The museum is easily accessible for disabled people. The toilet in the museum itself is a combined toilet for men and women, with what some people might not be happy about; however, it was clean. There is a second toilet in the souvenir shop; I forgot to check if that’s a combined one as well. At the time of my visit, there was only one employee visible in the entire museum, the woman at the cash register. It’s therefore hard to tell how good the language skills of the museum’s staff are.

The entry fee during the period of my visit now in July 2013 was 55 DKK for an adult, 45 DKK for the elderly and free admittance for children up to the age of 17. In my opinion, these were very reasonable prices by Danish standards.

All in all, I think this museum is worth visiting, not only for those interested in history in general or naval history in particular, but for everyone, including children, who want to broaden their horizons.

For more information, check the museums’ website http://www.strandingsmuseum.dk/. The site can also be viewed in English and German. 

Review: Spøttrup Borg and Medieval Market (by Demelza Endenburg)

Spøttrup Borg is Denmark’s best preserved medieval castle. It’s situated in Salling in the Skive Kommune. Certain architectural signs show the castle was finished somewhere in the 1520’s, but there is no documented proof of when it was actually built.  Around the castle is a big park, where one week during the summer period a medieval market is held, the so-called Bishop’s Market. It’s called the Bishop’s Market, because the castle was owned by the Bishop of Viborg for a period of time. He was presumably also responsible for the construction of the castle.

Normally, you would most likely walk directly through the park and head straight for the castle, but during my visit, on the 23^rd of July 2013, the annual Bishop’s Market was taking place, meaning it actually took me a couple of hours to reach the castle! This was because the market not only has stalls were you can buy an array of medieval inspired products that you would want to have a look at, from recipes for a medieval onion soup to actual swords, but also because of the demonstrations and entertainment you might encounter along the route.

Many forms of medieval-style entertainment are provided at the market. Obviously, there is a knights’ tournament, with jousting and a melee, but also jugglers and acrobats and a group of fire-jugglers. In other words, there’s entertainment for both young and old.

When you continue towards the castle, you will first encounter a beautiful rose garden. You’re allowed to bring your own food and drink here, so if the weather is good, you’ll be able to have a lovely picnic. In case the weather is not so great, there’s always a risk of that here in Denmark, you can eat or have a cup of coffee at the restaurant on the other (left) side of the path. For obvious reasons, you’re not allowed to bring your own food here.

Walking further down the path, you’ll come to Spøttrup Lake; the lake was probably one of the reasons why the castle was built here in the first place. Cannons, a new invention in the period the castle was built, couldn’t be aimed directly at the gate because the lake was in their way. A gate is always a castle’s weakest point, and at Spøttrup Borg the only point of entrance, due to the castle’s double moat system with ramparts in between. Luckily for us, the lake also provides an opportunity for taking some great photos.

After you’ve entered the courtyard, you’ll have several different doors to choose from to enter the castle. There doesn’t seem to be a standard route to follow, but once inside you’ll most likely just walk from one room to the next, eventually making your way through the entire castle. It is a good idea though, to keep track on which floor you’re on, to make certain that you get to see everything, as the stairs can give a bit of a labyrinth feel to the building.

Most rooms and halls are almost empty, like the ball room shown in the picture. It gives an idea of the size of the rooms, but it does make the rooms look a bit bare. Of course, not all rooms were fancily decorated back then. Only the rooms used by the Bishop and his guests would have had comfortable furniture and decorations. The guards and other staff didn’t need anything fancy.

The big exception, being the rooms renovated in Baroque style by the Rosenkrantz family in the 18^th century. Finely decorated wardrobes, like shown in the picture, and an indoor toilet were part of everyday luxuries in life for a noble family in this century. For instance, the amount of detail visible in the postern of the bed in the next picture is exquisite. Because nothing is fenced off, you can get really close to study the details. The only exceptions are the chairs; a piece of rope has been placed between the arm rests, to prevent people sitting on them.

As you probably already noticed, there’s focus on both the luxurious lifestyle of the upper-class, but also commoners. For instance, the storage rooms for food in the basements were also used as a prison in the days of the Bishop. There’s also focus on the room were the guards used to spend their time when off-duty. 

Now, for the more practical things. There is a bathroom in case you need to go, but it’s not in the castle itself (you’re obviously not allowed to use the 18^th century toilet!), it’s in the park to the left of the path when you walk towards the castle. There are also toilets inside the restaurant. Keep in mind, that there can be some queuing during the market period. In that case they may sometimes also allow use of the toilets at the sport’s canteen next to the parking lot.

Normally the entrance price for the castle is 75 DKK for an adult, while children up to 17 are free of charge. During the Market period, however, the price was 100 DKK for an adult and free for children. These prices were valid for the summer of 2013, but be certain to check the castle’s website http://www.spottrupborg.dk/ before going. In my opinion, this price is more than reasonable, especially during the market period, because it allows entertainment for the entire family from 10 o’clock when it opens (check the website for changes of the opening hours) until closing time at 6.

It takes approximately 55 minutes to drive to the castle from Holstebro (remember to always keep to the speed limits!). I would advise using a GPS to drive there, unless you’ve got an experienced navigator with a map on his/her lap sitting beside you. You have to drive there on country roads and there isn’t a sign for the castle until you’re only about a kilometre away from it. Parking is close to the entrance, so you shouldn’t have to worry about having to walk too far.

You’re allowed to bring your dog to the park, but keep in mind that cannons will be used during the ‘Storming of the Castle’ at the market. Something not all dogs will enjoy. This is at a field a bit away from the actual market, so it shouldn’t be difficult avoiding this area, just check in advance at what time the ‘storming’ takes place. Some of the stalls at the market had drinking bowls for dogs as well, making it quite a dog-friendly place.

Lastly and perhaps most important for those of us who do not understand Danish: the languages used. If you’re only going there to visit the castle, then there is no language issue. All the texts throughout the rooms and halls in the castle are in Danish, English and German. At the market however, things are a bit different. The entertainment is completely in Danish, like for instance the presenter at the jousting, but luckily many things don’t need translating. It doesn’t matter for a child if the juggler is only speaking Danish it just wants to see him juggle! Proof of this, was the number of tourists present, there were Germans and Swedes amongst the crowd and they all seemed to have a great time, despite understanding little of what was being said. Languages shouldn’t be a problem at the market stalls either, the people selling there are just as likely to speak English or German as in any other shop you might enter in Denmark.

All in all, I would definitely recommend visiting this castle. The things displayed might not always be the most interesting for small children, but the entire family (including the dog) will have a great time if you chose to visit during the annual market!

Photos owned by Demelza Endenburg

Are you looking for Danish news in English?

If you're new to Denmark, or perhaps want to practice your English skills there are several digital newspapers in Denmark that are either completely in English or occasionally have articles or videos about Denmark in English. It might be worth noticing that, just like in every other country around the world, these media can be affiliated with a certain political wing. If a certain newspaper or other medium reports in languages other than English and Danish, we will of course mention that as well.

The best known English newspaper in Denmark is without a doubt the Copenhagen Post. The paper has both a printed weekly version and a constantly up-dated online version, both are entirely in English. As the name suggests, it focuses a lot on Copenhagen but it reports on other parts of Denmark as well if there is something of national or even international interest.

Jyllands Posten is perhaps the Danish newspaper that is best known world-wide. Less well known is that its online newspaper also has an English news section. It’s updated regularly but not necessarily on a daily basis. The online version has a lot of articles that can only be viewed when you have a subscription; luckily all English articles are still free to view. Jyllands Posten is generally associated with more right-wing politics.

Politiken is another well-known Danish newspaper with English news on its website. Like Jyllands Posten, it updates its English articles regularly but not necessarily on a daily basis. It’s considered to be more left wing in its political views.  

The National Danish Broadcaster DR has daily news updates on its website in several languages. Besides news in English, they also have articles in Arabic, Somali and Turkish.

The Danish Pioneer is the USA’s oldest Danish Community Newspaper. They provide news about Denmark in English. They don’t provide daily updates however, but instead write about highlights that are internationally appealing. This means that there might be a long time between one article and the next.

Denmark.dk Offers news articles, among other things. It’s not a news site in itself though. On the other hand, it has a lot of facts that might be interesting to read if you want to know more about the country, both as a tourist but also as a foreigner living in Denmark.

Lastly, Struer Kommunes website has a lot of information in English. Most of it is written especially for those living in that municipality, but some of it can also be used by people living in other parts of Denmark. 

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