Greenland

Visa types: Residence and work permit — issued by SIRI on the approval of the Government of Greenland · The Health Agreement — for healthcare professionals in the Greenlandic healthcare system · Fast-Track — for employees of companies approved by the Government of Greenland · Sideline employment permit — for holders of an existing work permit · Residence permit as an intern · Au pair residence permit · Residence permit for higher education · Residence permit for PhD study · Residence permit for basic and youth study · Residence permit as an accompanying family member · Family reunification — spouse, child, parent over 60, another close relation · Residence permit on the grounds of previous Danish citizenship or Danish or Greenlandic descent · Residence permit for a religious worker and their family · Permanent residence permit

Greenland is a separate area of residence: a residence permit in Denmark does not give the right to stay in Greenland, and the other way round, while time spent in Denmark and on the Faroe Islands counts as time spent ABROAD. Greenland is not part of the European Union, so freedom of movement does not extend to it and citizens of EU and EEA countries and of Switzerland must obtain a permit like everyone else; they are, however, exempt from the visa requirement. Citizens of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden need neither a visa nor a permit, and may enter even without a passport. The law is Ordinance No 184 of 14 February 2025 on the application of the Aliens Act in Greenland. Permits based on work and study are handled by SIRI, the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration, while family reunification applications are decided by the Danish Immigration Service. There is NO processing fee for any of the grounds for which the agency publishes a fact box. A residence permit is only valid until two months before the passport expires: a short passport shortens the permit.

Permanent residence after

7 years

Absence limits: Staying outside Greenland for longer than allowed makes the residence permit lapse. Those who have lived in Greenland legally for less than two years may stay outside it for six successive months; those who have lived there for more than two years, if their permit can be made permanent, or who already hold a permanent permit, may stay away for up to twelve months. Time spent in Denmark and on the Faroe Islands counts as time abroad, while conscript military service and required community service do not. For an extended absence — a posting abroad by the employer, for example — a dispensation can be applied for.

Document certification

consular legalisation

The country does not accept apostilles: documents go through consular legalisation in three steps — ministry of justice, foreign ministry, consulate.

Limit

no limit

Bread, 500 g

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Milk, 1 l

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Eggs, 12

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Chicken breast, 1 kg

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Cheese, 1 kg

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Rice, 1 kg

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Potatoes, 1 kg

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Apples, 1 kg

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Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 l

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Total

—

The same set for every country, so the comparison is fair.

Life expectancy

70,3 years2024

Homicides

5,4 per 100k2016 · data lags behind

Air pollution, PM2.5

1,6 µg/m³2023

Access to clean water

100 %2024

Governance

Political stability

high · 1,2

Control of corruption

high · 1,5

Rule of law

high · 1,6

Government effectiveness

high · 1,4

World Bank estimates on a −2.5 to +2.5 scale, higher is better.

Each value carries the year it refers to. “Data lags behind” means this country's figure was collected noticeably earlier than the rest. Natural hazards use one 0–10 scale and are meant to be compared against each other.

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