The primary source for statistical information on statelessness and nationality in Denmark is the Danish Central Office of Civil Registration (CPR).48 A CPR number shall be assigned to any person who is CPR-registered in Denmark, either on grounds of birth in Denmark or entry from abroad.49 A child born in Denmark is CPR-registered on the ground of “birth” if the mother is registered as a resident. If this is not the case, the child may be registered on the ground of “entry,” but only if the child fulfils the criteria for registration based on immigration. The criteria for such registration follow from part 5 of the Act on the CPR. Normally, to be eligible for registration, a foreigner (adult or child) must have a residence permit, an entry clearance in accordance with the Aliens Act or regulations issued in pursuance thereof, or a confirmation from the Danish Immigration Service that he or she is exempt from a residence permit or entry clearance pursuant to the Aliens Act.50 Sources of data presented in this chapter are from Statistics Denmark, the Danish Immigration Service, and the Danish National Police. Statistics Denmark provides statistical information about population figures in Denmark, including data on stateless persons. However, Statistics Denmark receives its population figures from the CPR,51 which, as explained above, primarily registers persons with a right of residence. Importantly, stateless persons without a right of residence are not captured by the CPR data, nor are asylum-seekers. Consequently, the number of stateless persons reported by Statistics Denmark is lower than the number of stateless persons actually in Denmark. Data provided by the Danish Immigration Service’s yearly Statistical Overview on migration and asylum is also presented. This Overview includes categories of stateless persons not registered in the CPR system, such as asylum-seekers.52 One division of the Danish Immigration Service, the so-called Country of Origin Information Division, works explicitly on collecting background information in a database on conditions in countries of origin of asylum-seekers, which serves as a basis for decisions in asylum cases. Since late 2011, after DIHR entered into a cooperative arrangement with the Danish Immigration Service on registration of statelessness, the Country of Origin Information Division of the Danish Immigration Service has also collected background information for the use of the identification of statelessness.53 The Country of Origin Information Division was tasked with collecting background information on statelessness in different countries because it is the division charged with collecting background information on conditions in asylum-seekers’ countries of origin.54 16 48 Since 1924, the name, address, marital status, place of birth, nationality and other basic information, are systematically registered for every person with past or present residence in Denmark or Greenland. In 1968, the centralized Civil Registration System (the CPR system) was created as the single civil register covering the whole country. See the CPR, ‘Udviklingen på CPR-området i de seneste 20-25 år frem til 2009’, April 2009, available at: https://cpr.dk/media/165161/4396.pdf. The basis for this registration is found in the Act on the CPR (consolidated Act of 2 June 2017) which aims to ensure that every person with residence in Denmark can be identified by a unique identification number (the CPR-number). This number also serves as identifier for the CPR when operating as a supplier of basic personal information to public authorities, such as Statistic Denmark, or to private individuals. See Section 1 of Consolidation Act No. 5 of 9 January 2013 (with amendments), available at: https://www.retsinformation.dk/forms/r0710.aspx?id=144955. An English version of the Act is available at: https://cpr.dk/media/163624/lovbekendtg_relse_eng_12070213.pdf. 49 Ibid, Section 3. 50 Asylum-seekers are not registered in the CPR system, but acquire a substitute registration number. As a rule, registration can only take place if the stay in Denmark is to last more than three months and if the person in question has a residence or fixed place of abode in Denmark. 51 According to Statistics Denmark, ‘Quality Declaration for Immigrants and Descendants 1 January 2014’, available at: https://bit.ly/2WZSh9I 52 The Danish Immigration Service, ‘Tal og Fakta på Udlændingeområdet 2016’ (Danish version at https://bit.ly/3hE5mx5. For a shorter English version, see ‘Statistical Overview: Migration and Asylum 2015’ at https://bit.ly/2DafWx3. 53 The database contains information on the countries’ nationality law, specific provisions on loss, change, renunciation and reacquisition of nationality, registration practice, rules and practice concerning access to passports, ID- and civil status documents, security and human rights situations, property and pension rights, discrimination, repression and gender inequality. 54 This task of the Country of Origin Information Division is not legally formalized in any law or decree. Responsibilities are assigned geographically to the staff of the Country of Origin Information Division, so staff members work as regional experts. They continually process information obtained from an extensive selection of reports, newsletters, journals and newspapers. A great deal of information is also retrieved via the internet. In addition, information is collected through national and international networks, including researchers and others with specialized knowledge of the regions. Further information is obtained via the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UN organizations (notably UNHCR), and other relevant sources. See information on obtaining information about countries of origin on New to Denmark, available at: https://bit.ly/2OYVIc7. Furthermore, the regional experts of the Country of Origin Information Division may also travel abroad to examine problems on statelessness. Mapping Statelessness in Denmark