MOVING TO THE

This section contains an overview with general information about residence permits in the Faroe Islands, registration at the municipality, as well as information about bringing your personal belongings to the islands, about housing and municipal services. THIS CHAPTER INCLUDES

Family Reunification...... 12

Work Permit...... 12

i THE IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES...... 13 Extension...... 14

Can I bring my family members to the Faroe Islands?...... 14

How do I register? ...... 14

Can I bring my personal belongings? ...... 14

Housing...... 15

Municipal services...... 16

i OVERVIEW OF THE MUNICIPALITIES...... 17 FAMILY REUNIFICATION WORK PERMIT

Provided that certain requirements Non-Nordic citizens who wish to work in Both you and your employer/sponsor are met, family reunification is usually the Faroe Islands must apply for a work must provide adequate information granted to: permit, which is processed by the Danish including a job offer and signed contract Agency for International Recruitment between the employer and the employee. • Spouses and cohabiting partners and Integration in consultation with the Depending on the category you apply in, • Children under the age of 18 Faroese Immigration Office. your employer/sponsor may also need to A family reunification permit entitles For EU citizens there is a special EU- certify other job conditions. the holder to live and work in the Faroe scheme in place for easier access to The conditions for you to live and work Islands for one year. You must renew work permits that only applies when are based on your employment contract your permit no later than one month unemployment in the Faroe Islands with the employer. If the conditions before your residence permit expires. is below a certain level – below 3.5 change for you or your employer, please Extension is granted if you continue to per cent in general and within the check with the Danish immigration meet the requirements. The requirements construction industry, for ordinary authorities about the next steps you and conditions differ slightly between the skilled-labour in a specific trade, should take. categories under Family Reunification, unemployment must be lower than 6%. so please check what requirements and For more information regarding this Regarding extension of a permit, you conditions apply to you. scheme, please visit the websites www. must submit your application for an extension no later than one month After three years, you can apply for nyidanmark.dk or www.utlendingastovan. before your residence permit expires. a permanent residence permit. A fo. Your employer must also confirm permanent residence permit is not Generally, work permit applicants are the continued job offer, as well as unconditional. If granted, your residence classed as: provide certification from the Faroese duration is permanent until you no longer • Employee unemployment insurance agency meet the conditions stipulated in your • Student confirming that the employer sought to permit. • Au pair hire labour if you have held the work • Intern permit for less than two years. • Researcher If you have held a work permit as an • Athlete employee for seven consecutive years on • Professional/ Semi-professional trainer the same grounds, you might meet the • Religious Worker requirements for a permanent residence It is the applicant and the employer who permit. begin the application process together.

12 THE IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES IN AND THE FAROE ISLANDS

DENMARK FAROE ISLANDS

STYRELSEN FOR INTERNATIONAL REKRUTTERING OG INTEGRATION

DANISH AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DANISH RECRUITMENT AND FAROESE POLICE STATIONS IN IMMIGRATION SERVICE INTEGRATION IMMIGRATION OFFICE THE FAROES

Processes cases in the Faroe Procecces cases in the Faroe Works as an advisory service in Accept applications for residence Islands related to: Islands related to: regards to local Faroese issues for permit, extension of a residence • Visa the Danish immigration authorities. permit, re-entry permit, visa, • Work permits • Family reunification permits including extension of a visa. • Students (all levels) Guides and provides foreign • Permanent residence permits nationals in the Faroe Islands The police in the Faroe Islands • Asylum with general information also issues re-entry permits and Provides information and guidance, Provides information and guidance, regarding permits. The Office also laissez-passes on behalf of the e.g. on a pending case - by phone e.g. on a pending case - by phone coordinates activities promoting Danish Immigration Service. and email. and email. integration and diversity in the Faroes.

l www.newtodenmark.dk l www.newtodenmark.dk l www.immigration.fo l www.politi.fo A +45 3536 6600 A +45 7214 2000 A +298 357979 A +298 351448

REMINDER All letters from the Danish immigration authority Danish. It is important to understand the terms written in period of time you are allowed to be outside of the Faroe serve as legal proof of your residency. They also contain the letter. Islands if you wish to continue to reside in the Faroe important information about the conditions you must fulfil Please remember to renew your permit before it expires or Islands. Please contact the Danish immigration authorities or follow. Please do not throw them away! you may be expulsed from the Faroe Islands. for more information. All letters from the Danish immigration authority are in When you are traveling overseas, please be aware of the

13 CAN I BRING MY PERSONAL HOW AND WHERE BELONGINGS TO EXTENSION DO I REGISTER? THE FAROES?

According to the website of the If you are granted a permit, you must Bringing your personal belongings Danish immigration authorities, www. register at the local municipality where (furniture, household appliances etc.) to newtodenmark.dk, you must submit your you will live – follow the instructions the Faroe Islands is permitted and exempt application for an extension no later than stated in the letter from the immigration from tax and import duty, as long as the one month before your residence permit authority. belongings have been your possession for expires – always make sure to check with at least six months in your home country. the authorities regarding this matter so P-tal – The Faroese Personal Identifica- Please note that there are certain items tion Number you apply on time. such as tobacco and alcohol that you Once you are granted a permit to reside cannot declare as personal belongings. in the Faroe Islands and you have Please check with the TAKS customs registered at your local municipality, you office for specific details on what items will be issued a personal identification are tax-exempt. number known as a p-tal. You will be CAN I BRING MY FAMILY automatically registered in the National Special note about bringing a vehicle: MEMBERS TO THE Register, Landsfólkayvirlitið, which is You are allowed to import one motor FAROE ISLANDS? essential for both tax and social security. vehicle as removal goods exempt from tax and duty. The vehicle must be intended Your spouse or cohabiting partner can Once you have a p-tal, you will be able solely for your own personal use. If the apply for a residence permit as an to open a bank account and subscribe to vehicle changes owner within 1 year after accompanying family member if they wish phone- and internet services. the day of import, it will be subject to tax to live with you in the Faroe Islands. If and duty according to the general import you have children under the age of 18, rules. A vehicle imported as removal they can be included in your spouse’s or goods must be registered with the cohabiting partner’s application. Faroese Vehicle Administration, Akstovan, within the first two weeks after arriving in the Faroe Islands. The registration fee is a combination of a value based tax and a carbon dioxide tax.

14 HOUSING

Finding a home and settling in rent. The deposit is returned when the and its main task is to provide, build and You can choose between buying or tenant moves out in full, provided that run rental properties. As a member of renting a place to live in. The purchase the apartment of house is in the same Bústaðir you can sign up to waiting lists of a house or an apartment is usually condition as when the tenant moved in. for rental apartments. handled by a real estate agent. Property In the Faroe Islands, the Faroese Tenancy For more information you can contact for sale is often advertised in the Act provides that a standard contract Bústaðir at www.bustadir.fo, tel. newspapers or on one of the estates specifying the rent and conditions for the 401000. agents’ websites. tenancy must be drafted and signed by Buying a home When you are looking for a rental the landlord and the tenant. The notice There is no law preventing non-Danish/ property some landlords prefer to period to vacate a rented flat is 3 months Faroese nationals purchasing property in respond to advertisements placed by if the apartment is part of the landlord’s the Faroe Islands. If you wish to buy a potential tenants. Therefore, it may be a home and 5 months if the landlord does home, you must make sure that you have good idea to publish an advertisement not live in the same house. The contract the required funds. Most people start by specifying your particular rental needs must contain written terms detailing rent, talking to their banking adviser, before or on websites and in the yellow pages of deposit, notice period to vacate, utility at the same time as they start looking for newspapers. bills, and any particulars relevant to both a house or apartment. parties. The Faroese Property Rental Holders of family reunification Appeal Board, Leigunevndin, handles The purchase price of a house/ permits must take notice of the complaints about tenancy matters. apartment is determined through people requirement regarding adequate housing. Further information: Faroese Property bidding for a property. Remember that Renting a home Rental Appeal Board: www.leigunevndin. the transaction is binding when the When renting a house or an apartment fo (ENG.). seller accepts your offer. You must you should be prepared to pay a deposit. therefore never make an offer before More information about the Property In some circumstances, the landlord you are certain that you can finance the Rental Appeal Board is available at may also require you to pay rent in purchase. A real estate agent usually www.leigunevndin.fo, tel. 358000. advance. Unlike purchasing a house or handles such processes. Bústaðir is the name of the Faroese an apartment, you will not need an initial Before buying a house, it is advisable to housing association. It currently has 104 capital to rent. A deposit is an amount thoroughly investigate the condition of rental properties around the islands and the tenant pays as security for rent owed the house – preferably with a reputable is working to enlarge its pool of rental or damage to the housing property. The builder or carpenter – and that you check properties. Bústaðir is a public agency amount should not exceed three months’ for any liens/mortgages on the house that

15 MUNICIPAL SERVICES

may not be fully disclosed. Each municipality offers a range of grey bags will be collected. One roll of The agency in charge of mandatory services such as elderly care, school the grey waste bags is handed out to registration of properties is the transport, funeral services, fire each household (four individuals) twice Environment Agency, Umhvørvisstovan, department, water and sanitation. Please a year. In the grey bag you should only www.us.fo check the available services with your put general waste that does not require The main real estate agencies are: Skyn, municipality. recycling or separation. Items such as www.skyn.fo and Inni, www.inni.fo. glass, electronics, or light bulbs must be Waste Disposal and Recycling Services separated. Other waste bags marked for Insurance Waste disposal schemes in the Faroe sorting paper (or a waste-bin for paper) Homeowner’s insurance covers damage Islands differ slightly across the country and hazardous waste, are handed out to your house that cannot be attributed but are regulated by the same legislation. to households that are registered for to wear and tear or inadequate IRF, Interkommunali waste collection – either by IRF or the maintenance. In addition, the insurance Renovatiónsfelagsskapurin, is an agency Municipality of Tórshavn. usually covers any compensation you that is owned jointly by several may be held liable for in case of damage The bag stand must be placed close to municipalities. IRF collects waste and to another person or their belongings the road, maximum 20 meters from the operates other household and commercial (liability insurance). You may add optional road. And it should be easy to collect the waste services in these municipalities – insurance features that are available from waste. e.g. recycling centres. the insurance company. Household-waste, the grey bag, is The Municipality of Tórshavn has its Typically insurance companies offer collected once a week. Other bags own waste collect service and recycling separate insurances packages, one are collected as needed or at certain centre. covering your house as a homeowner, intervals. The paper-recycling bin another for the contents of your home If you have any questions concerning is collected once every 6 weeks in (damage to your belongings in case of waste disposal or need any further Tórshavn. fire, water damage, burglary), as well as information you should call IRF, tel. If your waste is not collected or if car insurance and other forms of cover. 414243, www.irf.fo. If you live in the you have no waste bags, you should Remember that for any insurance policy Municipality of Tórshavn, you can call contact your local municipality or IRF, it is always the terms and conditions that tel. 302010 or visit www.torshavn.fo. tel. 414243, for further details and decide what the insurance covers. For households IRF issues a grey information. Read more about banking and insurance waste bag, which is only to be used for services in the section Transport and household rubbish and only these specific Services. 16 NORÐOYGGJAR VIÐAREIÐIS KOMMUNA OVERVIEW OF FUGLOYAR KOMMUNA KUNOYAR K. THE MUNICIPALITIES SUNDA KOMMUNA EIÐIS K. HVANNASUNDS KOMMUNA FUGLAFJARÐAR KOMMUNA SUNDA KOMMUNA KLAKSVÍKAR KOMMUNA K. EYSTUR K. VÁGAR RUNAVÍKAR KOMMUNA VÁGAR KVÍVÍKAR K. SJÓVAR KOMMUNA

VÁGA KOMMUNA NES K. SØRVÁGS KOMMUNA

TÓRSHAVNAR KOMMUNA

SKOPUNAR SANDS KOMMUNA KOMMUNA SKÁLAVÍKAR KOMMUNA HÚSAVÍKAR K.

SKÚVOYAR KOMMUNA

HVALBIAR KOMMUNA SUÐUROY TVØROYAR KOMMUNA FÁMJINS HOVS KOMMUNA KOMMUNA PORKERIS KOMMUNA VÁGS KOMMUNA SUMBIAR KOMMUNA

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