Termination of residence permit in Greenland
Even though you have been granted a residence permit in Greenland, your permit can be revoked or you can be denied an extension. In either case, you lose the right to reside in Greenland. Your permit can be revoked or you can be denied extension for a number of reasons.
The Immigration Service may revoke or refuse to extend your residence permit if the grounds on which it was granted no longer apply. Examples of this could be:
- if you were granted a residence permit on the grounds of family reunification with a spouse, and you and your spouse/partner are no longer living together
- if your spouse/partner was required to meet the housing requirement and he/she no longer has adequate housing at his/her disposal,
- if due to special circumstances, your spouse/partner was not required to meet the housing requirement, and those circumstances no longer apply, or
- if your spouse/partner was required to meet the support requirement and he/she no longer meets to the requirement or if due to special circumstances, your spouse/partner was not required to meet the support requirement, and these circumstances no longer apply.
The Immigration Service has the right to revoke or refuse to extend your residence permit if you are found to have obtained it by giving the authorities false information. This applies regardless of whether you hold a temporary or a permanent residence permit.
The Immigration Service has the right to revoke or refuse to extend your temporary residence permit if you no longer possess a valid passport or other legitimate form of travel document.
If you submit an application to extend a residence permit at a police station, you will be required to present your passport or another form of travel documentation. The authorities will not normally need to hold on to your passport. If you send your application to the Immigration Service, you must send a copy of your passport together with your application form.
If your passport or travel documents are invalid, the Immigration Service will not proceed with the case before you have had your existing passport renewed or have acquired a new passport. You will typically be given one month to do this.
The Immigration Service has the right to revoke or refuse to extend your residence permit if you have been reported as an undesirable in the Schengen Information System (SIS). The Immigration Service will take such action only if you are identified as committing a serious crime which would warrant deportation if committed in Greenland.
This applies regardless of whether you hold a temporary or permanent residence permit.
If there are extenuating circumstances, the Immigration Service may chose not revoke or refuse to extend your residence permit. The following factors will be taken into consideration:
- your connection with Greenlandic society, including the duration of your residence in Greenland
- our age, health, and other personal circumstancesyour connection to other residents of Greenland
- consequences to close family members living in Greenland
- your connection to your country of origin
- whether you could suffer physical harm if you return to your country of origin
Victims of domestic violence
The Immigration Service can choose not to revoke or deny extension of your residence permit, if you have left your spouse/partner because you are the victim of domestic violence, mistreatment or any other form of abuse. This includes serious psychological abuse.
In order for the authorities to consider making an exception in your case you must prove that domestic violence is the reason you no longer live with your spouse/partner. Additionally, an assessment must be made of how you will be affected if your residence permit is revoked or your extension is denied.
Domestic violence can be documented by presenting a police report (if the abuse has been reported to the police), statements from social workers or reports from a hospital emergency room, general practitioner or crisis centre.
You must also verify that domestic violence is the reason you no longer live with your spouse.
The Immigration Service will also determine whether extenuating circumstances apply in your situation. Such extenuating circumstances include: whether you have children living in Greenland, or whether returning to your country of origin would jeopardise your social well-being – for example, if you risk social ostracism because you left your spouse. The length of time you have lived in Greenland and how well integrated you are will also be considered.
Normally, if victims of domestic violence have lived in Greenland for two years or more before leaving their spouse, it will be possible to extend their residence permit. If you have lived in Greenland for less than two years, you will normally only be granted a waiver if there are extenuating circumstances.
If you wish, the Immigration Service can help you file a police report against your spouse/partner.
If you leave Greenland for an extended period of time, or if you no longer maintain a residence in Greenland, your residence permit can lapse.
Even if you maintain a residence in Greenland, there is a limit to how long you may be outside the country if you wish to keep your residence permit. If you do not return to Greenland within the time limit, your residence permit will automatically lapse.
What happens if my residence permit lapses?
If your residence permit lapses, you lose your right to reside in Greenland. This means that if you have been outside Greenland for an extended period of time and wish to return, you may be denied re-entry.
If your residence permit lapses and you wish to return to Greenland, you will need to apply for a new residence permit. Your new application will be processed according to current regulations. The grounds for issuing your original residence permit will not be considered.
How can my residence permit lapse?
Your residence permit will automatically lapse if you no longer maintain a residence in Greenland, even if you hold a permanent residence permit.
If you maintain a residence in Greenland, the period of time you may be outside the country before your residence permit lapses depends on how long you have lived in Greenland. If you have legally resided in Greenland for less than two years, you may be outside the country for a maximum of six months. If you have legally resided in Greenland for more than two years and qualify for permanent residence, you may leave the country for a maximum of 12 months. If you do not return to Greenland within the time limit, your residence permit will automatically lapse.
Time spent outside of Greenland due to military conscription or other types of involuntary service is not counted.
Time spent in the Faroe Islands or Denmark is seen as time spent outside Greenland.
If you have refugee status (that is, if you have a residence permit on the grounds of asylum) in Greenland, your residence permit will only lapse if you return to your country of origin, or if you have been offered protection in a third-country.
How do I keep my residence permit from lapsing?
You can apply for dispensation, that is, request that the Immigration Service to allow your residence permit to remain valid before you leave Greenland. If the 6 or 12 month validity period expires (see above) and your permit lapses while you are outside Greenland, you can apply to have your residence permit not be considered as lapsed.
You can apply for dispensation, that is, you can request that the Immigration Service permit you to stay outside of Greenland for longer than the six or 12 month limit without your residence permit lapsing. You must apply before leaving Greenland, and it must be your intention to remain outside of Greenland temporarily.
In addition, you must have a specific purpose for leaving Greenland, such as:
- work
- education
- foreign posting for a Danish/Greenlandic authority, institution, organisation or company
- foreign posting for an international institution, organisation or company headquartered in Greenland
How long is the dispensation period?
Decisions about the length of a dispensation are made on a case-by-case basis, and will depend on a number of factors, such as: why you are applying for dispensation, how long you have lived in Greenland, and your ties to Greenland. Normally, the dispensation period can be extended to a maximum of two years. You can apply for an extension of your dispensation period. Applications for extension must be made before the original dispensation period expires.
If you do not return to Greenland before the dispensation period ends, your residence permit will lapse. This means that if you wish to return to Greenland, you will need to apply for a new residence permit.
Family members
If you have been granted dispensation, it can also be applied to your spouse/cohabiting partner as well as any children under the age of 18 who are living with you. The length of your family members' dispensation will be the same as yours.
If your spouse/partner remains in Greenland, and if he/she holds a temporary residence permit on the grounds of family reunification, his/her residence permit can be revoked, as the requirement that you share the same address would no longer be met.
Requesting that your residence permit not be considered as lapsed
You can request the Immigration Service not to consider your residence permit as lapsed if you remain outside Greenland for longer than the permitted length of time.
The Immigration Service can decide that your residence permit should not be considered as lapsed if:
- it was your intention to return Denmark before the six or 12 month time limit, and
- you were prevented from returning to Greenland by unforeseen circumstances beyond your control. Such circumstances include: illness, imprisonment, war-like situations, natural disasters or problems leaving the country in which you were staying
It is important that you apply as soon as you are able to return to Greenland.
How to apply
Please remember to include all the necessary information and documentation in your application. Doing so ensures that the Immigration Service can process your application as quickly as possible.
Each application form contains a detailed description of how you should complete the form, and which documents you must attach.
Please note that form GL/BF1 is to be used when applying for dispensation before leaving Greenland. GL/BF1 is also used when applying for an extension of the dispensation period.
GL/BF2 is intended for use when requesting that the Immigration Service not consider your residence permit as lapsed even though you have remained outside Greenland for longer than the permitted length of time.
You can fill in the application form in Word format on your computer before printing it out. The application form is also available as a PDF file that can be printed out and filled in by hand.
Form to use if you want to apply for dispensation from lapsing
Form to use if you want to apply to have your residence permit not be considered as lapsed
They can also be obtained from a Danish embassy or consulate general, or at a Greenlandic police station.
Applications can be submitted to the Immigration Service or the Greenlandic police.
If you are outside Greenland, you can submit your application at a Danish embassy or consulate general in the country where you are staying. Your application will then be forwarded to the Immigration Service for processing.
If there is no Danish diplomatic mission in the country where you are staying, the Immigration Service may allow you to submit your application in another country. You can find information about Denmark’s embassies and consulates at the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
If you are outside Greenland and would like to apply for dispensation, you must apply before returning to Greenland.
Processing your application
When the Immigration Service has received your application, it will be processed along with the attached documentation and other information. The Immigration Service will also check to see if you have been reported to the Schengen Information System (SIS).
If the Immigration Service receives information that does not correspond with the information you have provided, you will be asked to explain any discrepancies before the Immigration Service issues a decision.
How do you receive the decision?
If you apply for dispensation before leaving Greenland, the Immigration Service will send its decision to your Greenlandic address. If the Immigration Service has turned down your application, this means that you may only leave Greenland for the normal period of time (six or 12 months). If you exceed this time limit, your residence permit will lapse. In this case, the ruling will include information about how to appeal the decision.
If you request that your residence permit not be considered as lapsed, and the Immigration Service rules in your favour, the decision will be sent to your address in Greenland or another country or to your attorney.
If your application is turned down and you are in Greenland, the Immigration Service will send the decision to your address or to your attorney.
If you are outside Greenland, the Immigration Service will send the decision to the embassy or consulate general where you submitted your application. The decision will then either be sent you or you will be asked to pick it up in person. If the Immigration Service turns down your application, you cannot return to Greenland and will have to apply for a new residence permit. If this is the case, the decision will include information about how to appeal.