Accompanying family member in Greenland - extension

You wish to extend your permit as accompanying family member in Greenland.

Normal processing time
3 months

However, if further information is needed, the processing time can be up to
5 months

Processing fee
No fee

Can I extend my permit?

You can apply for extension of your residence permit as an accompanying family member in Greenland if your family member (the sponsor):

  • holds a valid residence permit and has a permanent address in Greenland, or
  • has extended his or her permit as an employee or a student.

You are allowed to stay in Greenland while we process your application for an extension. 

What are my rights if I am granted a permit?

What are you allowed to do with a permit as an accompanying family member in Greenland? – and what are you not allowed to do?

As a holder of a permit as an accompanying family member, you are allowed to work during your stay in Greenland.

A residence permit allows you to stay in Greenland for the period of time your permit is valid. 

You must not give up your Greenlandic address or stay abroad for a longer period of time. A violation will result in the lapse of your permit. This means that you will lose your right to stay in Greenland.

If you have been staying in Greenland legally for less than 2 years, you are allowed to stay outside of Greenland for 6 successive months. 

If you have been staying in Greenland 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 Greenland for up to 12 months.

If you need to stay abroad for an extended period of time, e.g. if you are stationed abroad for a period of time by your employer, you can apply for a dispensation to prevent your permit from lapsing.

Read more about lapse and dispensation options

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

Stays in Denmark or the Faroe Islands are considered as time abroad.

You must be able to support yourself and your family during your stay. You are not allowed to receive public benefits.

If you or your family member receive such benefits during your stay, your permit can be revoked – and you will lose the right to stay in Greenland. 

How long can I stay in Greenland?

Normally, you can extend your residence permit in Greenland for 2 years at a time.

If your sponsor has a residence permit based on something other than work, e.g. studies, you can usually extend your residence permit for 1 year at a time.

A residence permit can only be valid until 2 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 – however, this can only be done 2 months before your permit expires at the earliest. 

Read more about the passport requirements

What more do I need to know before I apply?

You can submit an application for an extension of a residence and work permit no sooner than 2 months before your permit expires, and no later than the last date your permit is valid for.

If you apply after your permit has expired, you can expect to receive a refusal.

Under the section 'How To Apply' on the right side of the screen, you have access to the relevant applications. You can choose between a digital and a printable application.

SIRI will contact you or your sponsor if we need further information to process your case.

Below you will find a step-by-step guide to submitting an application to the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI).

It is important that you have carefully read the conditions for being granted a residence permit before you begin step 1. You can do this on the tab “Need to know” on the left.

1

It is a good idea to gather the necessary documents before you start to complete the application form. You can use the check list below.

If you submit documents not written in English, German, Norwegian, Swedish or Danish, you must also submit certified translations into Danish or English.

You must submit:

2

Expect to use

30 minutes

completing the application

1 person

You complete the application form yourself.

In this step you have access to the relevant application form GL2. You can choose between a digital and a printable version.

Make sure that you have read the instructions under the tab 'Need to know', and that you have completed all the proceeding steps under this tab before you begin.

All our application forms contain careful instructions on how to complete the form and what kind of documents you must submit along with the form.

Read more about how we process your personal data

Digital application

If your are applying digitally, you must choose the digital GL2 below.

Make sure to have all of the necessary documentation at hand digitally, in order for you to attach them to the application during the process.

GL2

If you do not have MitID, you can submit the application by signing the sworn declaration by hand, which you will then attach to the application. It is important that you sign and attach our sworn declaration.

Download our sworn declaration (PDF)

You can also download the sworn declaration within the application.

Printable application

You must send us the necessary documentation along with the application.

The application in Word format can be completed on the screen, before you print it out. The application in PDF format must be completed by hand, after you have printed it out.

Download the printable form GL2 (Word format)

Download the printable form GL2 (PDF format)

3

You can find your ongoing and completed applications for 30 days from your last login.

Log in to see your applications

4

If you have used our digital application, you have already submitted the application.

If you have used the printable application instead, you can send the application directly to SIRI via our contact form, by attaching the application form and the relevant documents to the contact form.

Find SIRI's contact form

You can also submit the application in person:

  • either at SIRI's branch office in Nuuk, or
  • at the local Greenlandic police, if you are not staying in Nuuk.

See the address and the opening hours for SIRI's branch office in Nuuk

Please contact the police in order to find out where in Greenland you can submit your application outside of Nuuk.

5

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.

SIRI will contact you or your sponsor if we need further information to process your case.

Responsible Agency

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Last updated 11-05-2026 - Published by: SIRI