Criminal Record Guide: Working Holiday Denmark

Manuel Moreira
Feb 20
2 min read

Redacción Volare | February 20, 2026

This guide clarifies the need to present criminal records for applicants from Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea. Following a high-rigor verification of SIRI (WH1) manuals and VFS Global requirements, here is the definitive technical information.

1. Is the physical criminal record document mandatory?

No. For the Working Holiday visa (WH1) process, SIRI does not require attaching a criminal record certificate in the mandatory document checklist.

Technical Verification: The official WH1 form for applicants (printed or online) does not list this certificate as a necessary attachment for approval.
Sworn Declaration (The Key): Instead of the document, the WH1 form includes a section where the applicant signs a sworn declaration stating they have not committed serious crimes. Denmark bases its decision on the good faith of this signature and internal European Union data cross-referencing.

2. Rigor regarding the Argentine Case

Conflicting information often circulates, but the administrative facts for Argentina are as follows:

VFS Buenos Aires: When attending the biometrics appointment at VFS Global Argentina, staff only verify what SIRI requires in its official checklist. The RNR (Registro Nacional de Reincidencia) certificate is not part of that list.
Blog Myths: Many sites mention it as "mandatory" by mistake, but it is not a requirement for your visa approval.

3. Comparison by Nationality

The "Declaration vs. Document" criterion is uniform for all countries with an active agreement:

Country	Upload physical certificate to SIRI?	Signature of sworn declaration?
Argentina	No	Yes
Australia	No	Yes
Canada	No	Yes
Chile	No	Yes
Japan	No	Yes
New Zealand	No	Yes
South Korea	No	Yes

4. When is it actually necessary to obtain it?

Although the immigration office does not request it for the visa, there are specific situations:

Positive Declaration: If you check "Yes" regarding criminal history on the form, SIRI will request the document (apostilled and translated) to evaluate your case.
Danish Labor Market: Once in Denmark, if you look for employment in education, childcare, or security, the employer will request the certificate from your home country. In this case, you will need the document apostilled and translated into English.

5. Rigor Tips

Cost Savings: Do not spend money on requesting, apostilling, and translating criminal records solely for the visa application; it is an unnecessary expense.
Honesty: Denmark has access to Interpol and Europol databases. A false declaration leads to immediate rejection and a ban on entering the country.