Danish CV decision guide
Should you put a photo on your CV in Denmark?
A photo is common, but it is not a universal requirement. The strongest choice depends on the employer's instruction, its recruitment process, and what you are comfortable sharing.
Workindenmark recommends a professional picture. SDU calls photos very normal in Denmark. International House Odense labels the photo optional. We treat this as a documented convention with room for candidate choice, not as a national rule.
01 · Source comparison
Why the advice appears contradictory
Danish career services describe cultural practice from different angles. Read together, the sources show that a photo is familiar to Danish recruiters while still leaving room for a no-photo application.
Recommends a professional picture for a CV aimed at a Danish employer.
Strong cultural recommendationDescribes a photo as very normal in Denmark.
Documented normLists the CV photo as optional.
Candidate choiceFollow the employer's instruction, then make a deliberate choice.
Editorial conclusion02 · Photo quality
If you include one, make it current and natural
SDU and International House Odense recommend a clear, recent image that resembles how you would normally appear at work or study. A calm background, natural expression, and employer-appropriate clothing are safer choices than a highly posed picture.
Passport photos, party pictures, dating-profile images, heavy filters, cropped group photos, and pictures that no longer resemble you.
A current head-and-shoulders image with a calm background, clear face, natural expression, and clothing suitable for the workplace.
A photo does not demonstrate personality, competence, or cultural fit. It is a presentation choice.
03 · Personal details
Use relevance and privacy to decide what belongs
Contact essentials
- Name
- Professional email
- Phone number
- City and country
- Current LinkedIn link, if useful
Optional context
- Photo
- Age or date of birth
- Nationality
- Relocation context
- Accurate work-authorisation statement
- Languages and proficiency
- Genuine interests
Unnecessary identifiers
- CPR number
- Passport or identity number
- Bank information
- Health information
- Religion or political affiliation
- Detailed information about relatives
Customary is not the same as necessary
Workindenmark describes age, marital status, children, and interests as normal additions, while also saying that candidates may choose whether to include them. SDU advises applicants to consider what such details communicate.
04 · International applicants
Nationality is not the same as work authorisation
If work authorisation is relevant, use a precise statement that you can verify. Do not expect a recruiter to infer your legal status from nationality, university, address, or time in Denmark. For permit questions, use the responsible Danish authority rather than a CV template.
Privacy test: Before adding an optional detail, ask whether it is accurate, relevant, useful to the employer, and something you are comfortable sharing.
Common questions
Short answers before you submit
Is a photo required on a CV in Denmark?
No universal requirement was identified. A photo is common and Workindenmark recommends one, while International House Odense describes it as optional. Follow the employer's instructions first.
Can I apply in Denmark without a CV photo?
Yes. Omitting a photo is a valid choice, particularly when the employer requests no photo, uses a global recruitment process, or you prefer not to share one.
What kind of photo should I use?
Use a recent, clear, natural photo with a calm background and clothing suitable for a normal day in the target workplace.
Should I include my age or date of birth?
Some Danish guidance describes age as common, but it remains an optional personal detail rather than evidence that you can do the job.
Should I include my CPR number?
No. Do not put a CPR number on a general CV. Provide sensitive identifiers only through a legitimate secure process when they are genuinely required.
Source ledger
What this guide relies on
- Workindenmark: how Danish companies recruitOfficial guidance. Updated 25 March 2026.
- SDU: information to include in your CVUniversity career guidance. Updated 27 July 2024.
- International House Odense: how to apply for a jobMunicipal international guidance. Updated 4 August 2026.
- Workindenmark: personal details in your CVOfficial guidance. Updated 12 March 2026.
- European Commission: personal-data processing principlesPrimary source for the data-minimisation principle.