Visas, Currency and Insurance

Check entry requirements for your own circumstances

Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, but that fact alone does not establish which documents you need. Entry requirements can depend on your nationality, residence status, reason for travelling, length of stay and route. We therefore do not provide a general list of visa-free nationalities or fixed visa requirements. Rules can change, and the conditions applying to one traveller may not apply to another.

Check the current requirements with the relevant authorities well before departure. Use official sources and make sure the information explicitly covers travel to Greenland. If the wording is unclear, ask the relevant authority, embassy or consulate for written clarification. This is particularly important if you travel on a temporary passport or another travel document, or if your residence permit was issued by a country other than your country of nationality.

Confirm how long your travel document must remain valid, whether it needs blank pages and whether separate requirements apply to children. Do not rely on an old forum answer, a travel blog or information from a previous journey. What matters is the official rule in force on your actual travel date.

Greenland is outside the EU and the Schengen Area

Although Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, it lies outside both the European Union and the Schengen Area. Immigration to Greenland is a Danish, not a Greenlandic, competency, but the rules are not identical to those for the rest of Schengen. A Schengen visa for Denmark or any other Schengen country is not automatically valid for entry to Greenland (or the Faroe Islands). If you need a visa, it must be explicitly valid for Greenland; ask the Danish mission where you apply how this is confirmed on your visa.

Citizens of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan and Australia are, as a rule, exempt from a Greenland visa as well as a Schengen one, because Greenland applies the same short-stay exemption as Schengen. Nordic citizens (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) can enter, settle and work in Greenland without a visa or residence permit, though a handful of occupations still require a municipal work permit even for Nordic citizens. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens can enter visa-free for stays of up to around 90 days, but must carry a passport — a national ID card is not sufficient for entry to Greenland, other than ID cards issued by the Nordic countries.

If your route passes through Copenhagen or Keflavík, you effectively clear two separate border regimes: Schengen's entry conditions for the transit leg through Denmark or Iceland, and then Greenland's own conditions for the final leg. Both involve passport control. Check your own nationality's current status with the Danish Immigration Service (nyidanmark.dk) — the authority responsible for entry to Greenland — well before booking.

Check every country on your route

Entry planning should cover more than Greenland. Your itinerary may pass through another country, and its transit requirements may differ from those at your final destination. The rules may also depend on whether you stay in the transit area, need to collect and recheck your luggage, or have an overnight stop.

Review the requirements for every country on the complete itinerary, including both the outward and return journeys. The routes may not be identical. If your flight connections change after booking, check the requirements again. A document that is sufficient for your stay in Greenland may not satisfy the rules of a transit country.

We also recommend making sure the name on each flight ticket and reservation matches the name in your travel document. If you are uncertain about spelling, multiple surnames or a recent name change, clarify it with the airline and the relevant authorities before departure. Do not leave this until you reach the airport, where options for correcting a reservation may be limited.

Organise your documents before departure

Once you know what is required, keep the relevant documents together in an organised form. Depending on your circumstances, these may include your travel document, any required permission, insurance details, tickets, booking confirmations and contact information for your accommodation. The documents you actually need will depend on your trip and personal situation.

We normally recommend keeping both a digital copy and a copy that you can access without an internet connection. Do not store every copy with the originals. A copy will not normally replace a valid original document at border control, but it can make it easier to find document numbers and contact the appropriate organisations if something is lost.

Review everything again shortly before departure. Check for changes to flight times, transit routing and official entry requirements. When several people are travelling together, assess each person separately. This includes children and travellers who live in the same country but hold different nationalities.

Currency in Greenland

The currency used in Greenland is the Danish krone, abbreviated DKK. Use DKK when planning your budget for accommodation, meals, transport and activities. Our article about prices in Greenland covers observed price levels in DKK, EUR and USD, with source and date, for exactly these items. Always use the operator’s current price when preparing your own budget.

If your bank account or payment card uses another currency, your bank or card issuer may convert the transaction. The exchange rate and any fees depend on your agreement with them, so check these before leaving home. We cannot give a single conversion rate that will remain accurate throughout the planning period, and the rate displayed when you make a booking may not be the rate applied when the payment is processed.

It is usually clearer to maintain your travel budget in DKK, even if you also convert the total into your home currency. This allows you to compare prices without switching repeatedly between different exchange rates. Bear in mind that a reserved amount and the final amount charged can appear differently on your account, depending on how your bank processes the payment.

Paying by card and carrying cash

Card acceptance can vary according to the size of the town or settlement you visit. Greenland consists of small, dispersed communities, so we do not recommend relying on a single form of payment. In smaller towns and settlements, it may be sensible to carry a modest reserve in Danish kroner.

The appropriate amount of cash depends on the length and structure of your trip. Ask your accommodation or activity operator which payment methods they accept rather than assuming that every business accepts the same cards. If payment is due before arrival, confirm both the deadline and the payment method in advance.

Where possible, bring more than one payment card and keep them in separate places. Check their expiry dates, any transaction limits and your bank’s conditions for using them in Greenland. You should also know how to contact your card issuer securely if a card is blocked or lost.

We do not recommend carrying large amounts of cash. A cash reserve is intended for smaller purchases or situations in which your usual card payment is unavailable. Base the amount on the specific places in your itinerary rather than applying one general rule to all of Greenland.

Build a practical travel budget

A useful budget includes more than flights and accommodation. Allow for local transport, meals, activities, any equipment you may need and a reserve for changes during the journey. If your itinerary covers several towns, list each section separately. This makes it easier to see which costs have already been paid and which will be settled locally.

Read the conditions attached to every reservation. Check when payment will be taken, which currency the price is quoted in, and what happens if you change or cancel the booking. Do not assume that every reservation has the same amendment terms. If one part of your trip depends on reaching a particular connection, understand the consequences of missing it.

A financial reserve is particularly relevant on an itinerary involving several transport stages. This does not mean planning on the assumption that something will go wrong. It means being able to cover an additional meal, local transport or a necessary overnight stay while you establish whether another party is responsible for the expense.

Travel insurance for Greenland

We recommend considering travel insurance suited to an Arctic country with long distances and small, dispersed communities. The risks are not the same as those of a standard city break. If you become ill or are injured far from the assistance you need, transport from a remote location can become a significant part of the situation.

Do not rely only on brief references to illness and accidents in a product summary. Read the full policy terms and ask the insurer directly if any part of the coverage is unclear. Confirm that Greenland falls within the policy’s geographical area and whether necessary medical transport or evacuation from a remote location is included. We do not suggest particular coverage amounts because needs, terms and prices vary between travellers and policies.

Check how the insurance treats cancellation, an interrupted trip, lost luggage and delayed transport. These are separate events and may be handled differently under the policy. Coverage of one expense does not automatically mean that all related expenses are covered.

If you already have insurance through a payment card, household policy or membership, do not assume it applies to this trip. Check who is insured, how long the journey may last, whether it must be paid for with a particular card and which activities are included. Ask for written confirmation if your plans fall outside an ordinary holiday.

Outdoor activities and policy exclusions

Travel insurance may distinguish between an ordinary holiday and specific outdoor activities. If you plan to take boat tours, go on longer hikes, travel by dog sled or join other outdoor activities, describe them precisely to the insurer. Broad phrases such as “active holiday” may be interpreted in different ways.

By law, dog sledding is restricted to West Greenland north of the Arctic Circle, plus East Greenland. This restriction is known as the dog line. Dog sledding does not exist in Nuuk, Qaqortoq or anywhere in South Greenland. If it is part of your itinerary, check whether your policy covers both the activity and any transport required following an incident. The dog-sledding season runs from January to April, but coverage must still be confirmed for the specific tour you book.

Ask whether the insurer requires particular safety equipment, an organised tour or an approved guide. We cannot state one general rule because insurance conditions vary. The important point is that the activity you have actually booked matches the coverage you have actually purchased.

If you are bringing expensive camera equipment, outdoor equipment or other personal items, review the baggage conditions. Look for exclusions and documentation requirements. Purchase records and equipment identification are easier to organise at home than after an item has been lost.

Delays, itinerary changes and additional costs

Greenland has an Arctic climate, and travel between dispersed towns can involve several transport stages. Read how your policy handles delays and changes. In particular, ask which expenses may be covered, when coverage begins and what documentation the insurer requires.

It is important to distinguish between assistance provided by an airline or another transport company and expenses that may be covered by travel insurance. If a departure changes, contact the relevant transport company first and retain the information it gives you. Before paying substantial alternative costs, find out whether prior approval is required from the transport company or insurer.

Allow a reasonable margin if you have separate tickets or reservations that depend on one another. A short connection may look efficient in an itinerary, but the consequences of a delay can differ according to how the tickets were purchased. Review the terms before paying and make sure you know whom to contact if the route changes.

If you need to make an insurance claim

Save your policy number and emergency contact details somewhere accessible without an internet connection. You may also share the details with a travelling companion, while continuing to store personal documents securely. If you need assistance, follow the insurer’s instructions and contact it as early as possible.

Keep receipts, delay notices, amended tickets and other relevant records. Note the time of each conversation, along with the name or case number of the person you speak to. Requirements vary, so ask the insurer exactly what it needs for a possible claim.

In the event of illness or injury, obtaining necessary help comes first. Once circumstances allow, contact the insurer’s emergency service and clarify the next steps. Do not assume that every expense will automatically be reimbursed later. Some insurers may require contact or approval while the situation is ongoing.

Our final pre-departure check

As the trip approaches, we recommend one last review. Check the current official entry requirements for your nationality, residence status and complete transit route. Confirm that your travel document meets the applicable conditions and that the names on all reservations match it.

Then review your payment arrangements. Danish kroner are used in Greenland, but card fees and currency conversion depend on your bank. Bring at least two ways to pay and consider a small cash reserve, particularly if you are visiting smaller towns or settlements. Confirm accepted payment methods directly with the places where you have booked accommodation or activities.

Finally, read the insurance terms in the context of your actual itinerary rather than a general idea of a holiday. Check geographical coverage, planned activities, medical transport, cancellation, delays and baggage. Store documents and contact details so that you can reach them during the journey.

Rules and policy terms can change between booking and departure. Use this page as a practical framework, not as a substitute for official entry information, your bank’s conditions or the written terms issued by your insurer.