It’s the first time I write something in English on this blog. Let’s hope you’ll find it good !

Recently, my official statute in Denmark has literally exploded !

I get a residence permit, a flat, a numeric identity on the danish government system (NemID) and I began danish courses and became for a day the star of the local archery club !

The residence permit

I have asked for a residence permit quite a long time ago and received around ten days later. Actually, the residence permit is only a prerequisite to the real important thing : the CPR !

The CPR

The CPR is the danish social security registry. Every danish citizen is registered in it, as well as official residents in Denmark.
Every citizen get his identification number by this way, which is named CPR after the registry.
Almost every service is connected to the CPR :
Tax, bank, phone number, flat rental, official danish courses, health care. It’s also almost a prerequisite to have a job ! Without a CPR, almost nothing is possible !

Actually, I had a CPR in the past, when going to VIAUC/Horsens. When I applied for a CPR in Aarhus, I said it and the officials said me that it will be the same. And when I received my residence permit, the CPR number was written on it ! Miracle !

When searching for a flat, I could give the number and luckily, I get a great flat in Viby. I had the key on the 11th of october, almost two month after entering Denmark. Quite good isn’t it ?

But just the day before having the keys, tired not to have my yellow card (danish health insurance card, which is the support of the CPR) I get to the international service center to ask whether they can say me when I will get it. I was said it is sent since few days. You don’t know where that small piece of plastic go through, but anyway, you can’t work it !

But the officials also said to me to create a NemID.

The NemID

The NemID is an authentication solution along with the CPR which allows you to register on many public website, but not only !

The administrator gave me a little card with plenty of codes, each time I get to a website asking for authentication using it, it prints a number and ask for the corresponding code on my NemID card. Entering it authenticate me. I can access many services using this system : health insurance services, tax services, change of address…

The administrator said me that I could now open a bank account quite easily and to make all the necessary changes when I am home. “Play with !”

When you get your NemID.

The bank account

With a great confidence, I went to the next Nordea office, where I asked several times to open a bank account, and every time they said it was not possible without my yellow card.

It was the same ! I get out of the bank so furious and thought I would open an account on the first bank which would agree, even if I should round the city ! I had a list of banks which were OK according to my local fellows, so I walked a hundred metres with my bike and enter Merkur, which is a cooperative bank, involved in financing wind and solar projects, close to my values so !

There,in just five minutes, I explain my case, and a bank worker said politely to me that he could obviously open a bank account with my residence permit (which contains the CPR number) and my passport. Fuck you Nordea ! He even said me that a CPR number was not mandatory, but he prefer to have, better for him.

The guy explains me all the documents I had to sign (commercial agreement, open an account…). And, miracle, no papers ! I just had to return home, download this documents and say on the website that I agree to them using my CPR number and NemID. Great ! As you see, it’s quite a great improving of my life !

I will talk to you about the archery club and the danish courses later.