Nordic Countries

The five countries in the Nordic region are the Finland, Iceland, Greenland, Faroe Islands and the Aland Islands.

Finland:

Home to Nokia, Finland is a highly industrialized country with raising economy. The country has a competitive manufacturing sector mostly in the areas of metals, engineering, telecommunications and electronic industries. Tourism is also among the highest contributor to the country’s economy. Natural beauty and easy to settle Finnish society makes it a perfect destination for foreigners.
Languages: Finnish (Suomi), English
Capital: Helsinki

Iceland:

Confident business atmosphere and well maintained infrastructure has made many companies to open their offices here. Expanding economy and stable job market has attracted many foreigners to settle in this country for better life.
Languages: Icelandic, English
Capital: Reykjavik

Greenland:

Country of inland ice and icebergs, Greenland is an autonomous country under Denmark Kingdom. Tourism is the backbone of the economy of Greenland. This is a must visit place for tourists to enjoy the beautiful and pristine nature.
Languages: Kalaallisut, Danish, English
Capital: Nuuk, formerly Godthab

Faroe Islands

18 islands of the Faroe Islands are built with volcanic rocks and have a maritime climate. The whole island is self governed and comes under the King¬dom of Denmark. Fishing and tourism are the main contributors to Faroe’s economy.
Languages: Faroese, Danish, English
Capital: TORSHAVN

Aland Islands

Located in between Stockholm and Helsinki, Aland Islands comes under Finland government. Economy of the island is supported mainly by trade, tourism and shipping.
Language: Swedish, English
Capital: Mariehamn

Places to Visit in Nordic Region

Helsinki, Finland:

Covered with greeneries, Helsinki is the capital city of Finland. People in Finland have privilege of plenty of outdoor activities and a range of forest area just outside of city. Located near to Baltic Sea, Finland’s architecture, customs, cuisine, street, cuisine and designs are influenced by the history of Swedish and Russian rule.

Suomenlinna, Finland:

Recognized as UNESCO World inheritance site, Suomenlinna is a beautiful place covered by sea with six islands. This place has few museums and a vast sea shore to attract the maximum number of tourists.

Reykjavík & the Blue Lagoon, Iceland:

Cafes, pubs and clubs are found in abundant number in this beautiful city of Iceland. Rows of wood built houses can be found across the city. Beautiful architecture and design of buildings and public spaces make the capital city a must place to visit.

Geothermal pool is the main attraction of Iceland and is continuously fed by heated and warm sea water from the nearby geo-thermal plant. Steamy environment with a mud bath will definitely give you the pleasure of a lifetime.

Glacial Trek, Iceland:

If you are adventure traveler and an Arctic explorer, you are definitely going to enjoy the walk through the Glacier Trek. Stunning nature and white snow covered paths are going to give you a memorable experience of a lifetime.

Nuuk, Greenland:

Surrounded by fjords, Nuuk has a number of whales and is the only city where you can find people of diverse backgrounds. You will come across fishermen, hunters, executives, IT professionals, artists etc. Sea gales, dog sledges, great terrains are some of thing to elish when you are visiting Nuuk.

National Park, Greenland:

Largest national park in World, Greenland National Park covers 972,000 sq. kms. i:e it is equivalent to combined size of France and Spain. Explore the unlimited options of Arctic wild life, Northern lights, Arctic sun and Dog driven sledges.

Klaksvik, Faroe Islands:

Located on the island of Bordoy, Klaksvik is a small with lot of greeneries, forest area and sea coasts. Whales, nature and peaceful environment make it a must visit for silence lovers. Fishing is the main occupation and is the main factor to decide the economy.

Vestmanna Bird Cliffs, Faroe Islands:

Boat tour to Vestmanna Birdcliffs and Grottos is once in a lifetime experience. Cruise through jingling sounds, and sail very near to almost 2,000 feet high vertical cliffs. Birds like puffins, guillemots, fulmars and kittiwakes migrate and take shelter in these cliffs every summer.

Mariehamn, Aland Islands:

The Castle of Kastelholm, Torggaten, Pommern Museum Ship, The Russian Fortress of Bomarsund and Kastelholm are some of the must visit places in Mariehamn, Aland Islands. It is the capital city of Aland Islands and gets 1.5 million tourists every year. This beautiful small town is known for its Linden trees.

The Archipelago, Aland Islands:

The archipelago islands are a sight to watch. Kumlinge church in the islands will catch your attention. Hermes at Enklinge with plenty of old ancient artifacts and building will leave you wanting for more.

Visa Requirement for Finland & Iceland:

Finland is covered under Schengen area and the Schengen Visa is valid in Finland for any non-EU citizen. The visitor needs to have a valid passport. Refer Schengen Visas section for more details.

Residence Permit for Finland & Iceland:

Finland and Iceland permits for residence in the following cases
• family tie
• study
• work
• Finnish descent
• return migration,
• humanitarian and
• for other exceptional reasons

Visa for Faroe Islands & Greenland:

Visa guidelines for Faroe Islands and Greenland are same as Denmark. Some exceptional rules are:
• Nordic country citizens are free to stay, study and do job in the Faroe Islands
• Except the nationals of Nordic countries, all EU citizens require a residence and work permit
• All non EU nationals’ need a work and residence permit prior to their appointment in Faroe Islands.

Travel Identification:

Valid passport is required for every foreigner except for Nordic nationals and EU citizens. A person with a valid Denmark residence and work permit cannot enter the Faroe Islands without a proper valid visa.

Residence permit

Few conditions for getting a residence permit:
• Necessary monetary funds to sustain throughout the stay and for return should be available.
• Validation of the passports should be valid for a minimum of 2 months longer than the time applied for.
• Faroe Islands doesn’t accept valid Residence permit for Denmark.
• Residence permit cannot be considered as a work permit.

Work Permit

Person applying for work permit should not start working for the company before getting a visa.
Conditions for work permit are:
• Valid residence permit.
• Employer statement announcing that the applicant is promised work.

Visa for Aland Islands:

Visa requirements for Aland Islands are same as applicable for Finland.
Nordic country nationals and countries covered under Schengen agreement can visit Aland Islands without a passport but need a valid identity card.