Skip to main content

Please be advised that the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Travel Advice is now available at Ireland.ie/travel. Travel Advice on this webpage is no longer being updated. To ensure you receive the latest Travel Advice for Greenland, please see Ireland.ie.

Greenland

If you’re travelling to Greenland, our travel advice and updates give you practical tips and useful information.

Security Status

  • Normal precautions
  • High degree of caution
  • Avoid non-essential travel
  • Do not travel
  • Overview
  • Safety and Security
  • Local Laws and Customs
  • Health
  • Additional Information
  • Embassy Contact

Overview

Overview

Security status

Normal precautions

General Travel Advice

Greenland is not in the EU or party to the Schengen Agreement.

Irish citizens need a valid passport to enter Greenland. We recommend your passport be valid for three months past your intended departure date.

Irish citizens are permitted to travel to Greenland without a visa.

Visitors to Greenland are advised to follow the guidance of national and local authorities and stay fully informed of what's going on by monitoring local news and social media.

Practical information on visiting Greenland is available here: Visit Greenland.

Citizens can also follow the Embassy of Ireland in Denmark on social media (Twitter @IrishEmbDenmark and Facebook) to ensure access to relevant updates and alerts.

Emergency Assistance

Greenland is the world’s largest island, and the vast majority of the country is unpopulated. The weather in Greenland is extreme.

Citizens travelling in Greenland, should make themselves aware of the risks and follow the advice of local authorities at all times. If travelling outside of populated areas of Greenland, please be aware that search and rescue response is extremely limited and likely to be coming from many hundreds of kilometres away, so could take days to arrive.

In the event of an emergency, the Greenland Police can be contacted by calling 701448.

As there is no Irish Embassy or Consulate in Greenland, and given the distances involved, the assistance we can provide in an emergency situation is limited. However, if there is an emergency, or citizens need help or advice, please contact our Embassy in Copenhagen on +45 3547 3200 or our Consular Assistance Unit at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin on +353 1 408 2000.

Our tips for Safe Travels:

  • Get comprehensive travel and health insurance that covers all planned activities, especially any adventure activities.
  • Register your details with us so that we can contact you quickly if there’s an unforeseen crisis like a natural disaster or a family emergency.
  • Follow us on twitter @dfatravelwise for the latest travel updates.
  • Read our ‘Know Before You Go’ guide.

Safety and Security

Safety and Security

The political situation in Greenland is stable, and in general there are no significant security concerns. The crime rate is low, but isolated incidents of violence or gun crime can happen.

Visitors are advised to stay informed of what’s going on by monitoring local media and staying in contact with their hotel or tour operator.

Irish citizens are advised to use reputable tour operators when travelling in Greenland. Do not use unlicensed operators, for example offering boat tours, as this will put you at serious risk if anything goes wrong. The capacity for search and rescue is extremely limited and visitors may be billed for the cost of any rescue.

Further details about how to travel safely in Greenland here: How to travel safely in Greenland.

Local Laws and Customs

Local Laws and Customs

Remember, the local laws apply to visitors and it is advised to follow them.

Be sensitive to local customs, traditions and practices as certain behaviour may be seen as improper, hostile or even illegal.

Health

Health

Visitors who become ill while travelling in Greenland, can be treated in the local health system. However, outside of the major cities, healthcare will be more limited, and in the event of serious illness or injury, it is likely that evacuation to Iceland or Denmark for treatment is required.

Visitors should ensure to travel with sufficient supplies of any required medications as it may not be possible to purchase these locally. Visitors should be aware that, due to changing weather conditions, flights can be cancelled and it may necessary to remain in Greenland longer than planned.

As Greenland is not part of the EU, the European Health Insurance Card does not provide coverage there.

Additional Information

Additional Information

Travel Insurance

The Department cannot pay for emergency medical repatriation, repatriation of remains, or expenses as a result of a personal emergency while you are abroad. Citizens are advised to purchase an appropriate travel insurance policy, where these costs will be covered, provided the terms and conditions have not been broken.

Buying comprehensive travel insurance can save visitors a lot of money if something goes wrong. It will also ensure that they get required medical attention when needed. Hospital bills can quickly run into thousands of Euro, and a medical evacuation can cost thousands more.

Not all policies are the same, and the cheapest one might be cheap for a reason. Irish citizens are advised that to make sure their policy covers all the activities planned for their trip. Insurance Ireland recommend a policy that provides a minimum medical cover of €1 million.

Emergency expenses

Your policy should cover:

  • All medical care abroad, including evacuation by air ambulance, or other emergency procedures, and any other costs associated with an unexpected longer stay.
  • Your entire trip, from departure to return. Consider an annual multi-trip policy if you’re making more than one trip in the year.   
  • 24-hour emergency service and assistance.
  • Personal liability cover (in case you’re sued for causing injury or damaging property).
  • Lost and stolen possessions.
  • Cancellation and curtailment.
  • Any extra activities you intend to do that are excluded from standard policies (e.g. water sport activities such as jet skiing or other extreme sports).

Exclusions: Visitors should be aware that most insurance policies will not cover drink or drug-related incidents.

Currency

The currency in Greenland is the Danish krone. Cash is used for payment less frequently than in Ireland, although ATMs are easy to find. Credit and debit cards are commonly used for payments, although foreign cards can attract a surcharge. 

Embassy contact

Embassy Contact

Please note that, if you require assistance in the case of emergency while the Embassy is closed, citizens can contact the main Embassy number, +45 3547 3200, and leave a message on the Duty Officer mailbox.

This mailbox is monitored regularly.

Embassy of Ireland
Østbanegade 21
2100 Copenhagen
Denmark

Tel: +45 3547 3200

Contact us