Basic and youth study in the Faroe Islands
You are going to study in the Faroe Islands in a basic or youth study programme.
Questions and Answers
Who can apply for a residence permit?
If you are admitted to a basic or youth study programme in the Faroe Islands, you can be granted a permit to stay and study in the Faroe Islands.
Also if you are a citizen from a EU/EEA country and have been admitted to a basic and youth study programme in the Faroe Islands, you must apply for a residence permit.
Citizens of Nordic countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland) do not need visa or permit to reside and work in the Faroe Islands.
What are the conditions?
You must be admitted to the study programme
It is a requirement that you have been admitted to an approved basic or youth programme or to an approved educational institution in the Faroe Islands.
You must be able to support yourself
You must have sufficient funds to support yourself during your stay in the Faroe Islands.
You have sufficient funds, if your disposable amount corresponds to DKK 50,000. If you are applying for a residence permit for less than a year, you must have a disposable amount equivalent to DKK 4,200 a month for the number of months you are studying in the Faroe Islands.
As a student on a basic and youth study programme you must always document self-support. If you are going to be a pupil at Folk High School, you do not need to document self-support.
You must have certain language proficiencies
You must be able to speak and understand the language of instruction. You must be able to understand either Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, English or German with a reasonable level of proficiency.
Your educational institution and educational programme must be approved
The educational programme must be approved by a Faroese authority.
If the educational programme has not itself been approved, but the educational institution has been approved, then a valid statement from the Faroese authorities of the education's content must be attached.
Specific for high school programmes
You can only be granted a residence permit to follow 1 year of a high school programme if you meet one of the following three conditions:
- The stay is arranged by a student exchange organisation,
- you have started your high school programme in your home country and want to do 1 year of your education in the Faroe Islands, or
- you wish to start your high school programme in the Faroe Islands, and you are able to provide documentation showing that you will continue the programme in your home country.
Specific to trade school programmes
You cannot be granted a residence permit in order to follow a basic programme at a trade school.
However, you can be granted a permit in the special case where the educational stay is part of an international collaboration or exchange agreement.
If you are younger than 18 years old
If you have not yet turned 18, both of your parents must sign a declaration of consent to allow you to study in the Faroe Islands.
You must provide documentation of who your custody holders are, e.g. by submitting a copy of your birth certificate.
The school must declare that it ensures that you will have appropriate residence and study conditions in the Faroe Islands.
What are my rights, if I am granted a permit?
What are you allowed to do with a residence and work permit as a student in the Faroe Islands? – and what are you not allowed to do?
Residence and study
A residence permit allows you to reside and study in the Faroe Islands for the period of time your permit is valid.
A residence permit does not give you the right to reside in the Schengen area.
Work
As a rule, you must not work in the Faroe Islands as a student at a basic or youth study programme.
If you work without a permit, it is regarded as illegal work. If you work illegally you can receive a fine or be imprisoned and your residence permit as a student can be revoked.
In special cases, if you apply, you can be granted a work permit - for example for getting vocational experience as a part of a basic study programme.
Public benefits
You must be able to support yourself during your stay. You are not allowed to receive public benefits.
If you receive public benefits during your stay, your permit can be revoked – and you will lose the right to stay in the Faroe Islands.
How long can I stay in the Faroe Islands?
As a student at a basic or youth study programme, you can be granted a residence permit valid for no more than 1 year.
You cannot be granted a permit to complete a full high school programme.
Shorter validity because your passport expires
A residence permit can only be valid until 3 months before the expiry date of your passport.
If your passport has a shorter validity than the otherwise possible period of stay, your residence permit will be shortened. This means that the validity of your residence permit will be shorter than it could be. When you have renewed your passport, you can apply for an extension of your residence permit.
Can my family be granted a residence permit?
A residence permit as a student at a basic or youth study programme does not allow your family to come to the Faroe Islands with you.
Application form
How to fill in the application form
You can find the relevant application form (AR1) below. The application form includes information on how to complete and submit the application form.
Download the application form here:
Download a printable form (AR1) (Word format)
Download a printable form (AR1) (PDF format)
Your education institution has to complete the second part of the application.
You can complete the printable application forms on screen to a certain extent before printing. Please note that signatures on the application forms must be written by hand.
If the Immigration Office needs more information during the case process, we will contact you or your education institution.
Required documents
Required documents:
You must submit
- Copy of all pages of your passport – including all empty pages and the passport’s front and back cover.
- Documentation that you can support yourself during your stay in the Faroe Islands.
If you are going to study in a high school programme, you must also submit
- Documentation from your school that you have started a high school programme in your home country and will finish the programme in the Faroe Islands, or
- documentation that you will continue your high school programme in your home country (not applicable if your stay has been arranged by an exchange organisation).
If you are below the age of 18, you must also submit
- Declaration from your parents stating your are allowed to study in the Faroe Islands. The declaration must be signed by both your parents.
- Copy of your birth certificate.
Language
If you submit documents written other languages than Faroese, English, Danish, Norwegian or Swedish, you must also submit certified translations into Danish or English.
Submit the application
Submit the application
It is important that you have carefully read the conditions for being granted a residence permit before you apply and it is vital to the processing of your application that you include the correct documents.
How to submit the application
Normally, you must have obtained a residence permit before entering the Faroe Islands. If you submit your application after entering the Faroe Islands, the Immigration Office may reject your application. This means that you will have to return to your country of origin or residence and submit a new application.
You can submit your application at a Danish embassy or consulate general in your country of origin. When you have completed and submitted your application, it will be forwarded to the Faroese Immigration Office for processing.
If you have resided permanently in another country for longer than three months, you can also submit your application at a Danish embassy or consulate general in that country. If there is no Danish embassy or consulate general in your country of origin or residence, you may submit your application in another country. You can find additional information about Danish embassies and consulates on the website of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
We recommend that you visit the local diplomatic mission’s webpage to get more information before you submit the application. The individual diplomatic mission can have additional requirements regarding payment of additional fees, submission of additional passport photos or additional copies of the application.
Submitting directly to the Faroese Immigration Office:
You can submit your application directly to the Immigration Office by e-mail. Send a completed and signed application along with all relevant documents to the following address: info@utlendingastovan.fo.
You can also submit your application to the Faroese Immigration Office by letter. Send the completed application to the following address:
Útlendingastovan
Skálatrøð 20
Postrúm 264
FO-110 Tórshavn
Please ensure that all required documents are included.
The Immigration Office will contact you or your educational institution if further information is required in regards to the processing of the application
Receive an answer
You can see the normal case processing time to the right on this page.
When we make a decision in your case, you will receive an answer via the Danish diplomatic representation closest to you. If you have legal residence in the Faroe Islands, you will be contacted either by letter sent to the address stated in your application or asked to appear at the Immigration Office with your passport to collect your decision.