Lapse of your permit – The Faroe Islands

You plan to stay outside of the Faroe Islands or you have already stayed outside of the Faroe Islands for an extended period of time, and you wish to know about the rules that can cause your permit to lapse.

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As of September 1, 2024, the Faroese authorities have taken over the responsibility of processing applications for residence and work permits in the Faroe Islands from SIRI and the Danish Immigration Service. In the future, you will have to apply for a residence and work permit via Útlendingastovan's website.

If you have submitted an application to SIRI before September 1, 2024 for a residence permit in the Faroe Islands, SIRI will process your case. If you have any questions about your pending case or additional information, new documents or comments, please contact SIRI.

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What does it mean if my permit lapses?

If you give up your Faroese address or stay outside of the Faroe Islands for an extended period of time, your residence permit can lapse. This means that your residence permit will no longer be valid and that you will lose your right to stay on the Faroe Islands.

If your permit lapses, you must start over again by submitting a new application for a residence permit on the Faroe Islands. Your new application will be processed according to the rules in force at the time of application. Consequently, it is of no importance how and why you initially were granted your residence permit. 

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What can cause my residence permit to lapse?

Your residence permit lapses automatically if you give up your address on the Faroe Islands, e.g. if you sell or discontinue your residence on the Faroe Islands and leave the country.  

This also applies if you hold a permanent residence permit on the Faroe Islands.

If you plan to leave the Faroe Islands for an extended period of time without giving up your address, you should take notice of the rules for when your residence permit lapses.

If you have been staying on the Faroe Islands legally for less than 2 years, you are allowed to stay outside of the Faroe Islands for 6 successive months. 

If you have been staying on the Faroe Islands legally for more than 2 years and you hold a residence permit that can be made permanent, or if you already hold a permanent residence permit, you are allowed to stay outside of the Faroe Islands for up to 12 months.

Not returning within the period relevant to you will automatically cause your residence permit to lapse. This applies even though you keep your address on the Faroe Islands.  

Staying abroad while serving in the military as a conscript or performing required community service will not be considered time living outside of the Faroe Islands.
Stays in Denmark or Greenland are considered as time abroad.

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How can I prevent that my residence permit lapses?

If you plan to leave the Faroe Islands for a longer period of time than what you are allowed to, you can apply for a dispensation to prevent your permit from lapsing. 

If you have already exceeded the limit on how long time you are allowed to stay abroad, you can apply for that your residence permit should not be considered as lapsed.

 

To apply for a dispensation that enables you to stay outside of the Faroe Islands for a longer period of time than what you are allowed to, you must submit your application before you leave the Faroe Islands. Subsequently, the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) will decide on whether you can be allowed to stay outside of the Faroe Islands for the desired period without it causing your residence permit to lapse.

You can only be granted a dispensation, if you intend to resume your residence on the Faroe Islands after your stay abroad and if you continue to meet the conditions for your residence permit at the time you intend to return to the Faroe Islands.

If you meet the basic requirements, it is also a requirement that your stay outside of the Faroe Islands is temporary, and it must have a well-founded purpose, such as:

  • Work
  • Education
  • Stationing for a Danish/Faroese authority, institution, organisation or company based on the Faroe Islands,
  • Stationing for an international institution, organisation or company based on the Faroe Islands

The duration of your dispensation period depends on why you are applying for a dispensation, how long time you have been living on the Faroe Islands and your ties to the Faroe Islands. Normally, you cannot be granted a dispensation for more than a maximum of 3 years. However, you can apply for an extension of your dispensation period before your initial dispensation period ends.

If you do not return to the Faroe Islands before your dispensation period ends, your residence permit will lapse automatically. You will have to submit a new application for a residence permit if you want to continue to stay on the Faroe Islands.

If you are granted a dispensation to prevent your permit from lapsing, the dispensation can also apply to your spouse, cohabiting partner or children living at home under the age of 18.

Family members must submit their own application for a dispensation.

You can read more about how to apply for a dispensation to prevent your permit from lapsing on the “How to apply” tab on the top of this page.

If you have already left the Faroe Islands and exceeded the limit on how long time you are allowed to stay abroad, you can apply for that your residence permit should not be considered as lapsed.
For example, the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration can decide not to consider your permit as lapsed if

  • - your intention was to return to the Faroe Islands within the time limit, but you were prevented from returning by unforeseen circumstances, such as illness, imprisonment, war-like situations, natural disasters or problems leaving the country in which you were staying.

It is important that you apply as fast as possible, i.e. as soon as you can return to the Faroe Islands. 

You can read more about how to apply for a dispensation to prevent your permit from lapsing on the “How to apply” tab on the top of this page.

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As of September 1, 2024, the Faroese authorities have taken over the responsibility of processing applications for residence and work permits in the Faroe Islands from SIRI and the Danish Immigration Service. In the future, you will have to apply for a residence and work permit via Útlendingastovan's website.

If you have submitted an application to SIRI before September 1, 2024 for a residence permit in the Faroe Islands, SIRI will process your case. If you have any questions about your pending case or additional information, new documents or comments, please contact SIRI.

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Last updated 01-09-2024 - Published by: SIRI