Faroe Is.
Facilities:
Medical
Crew:
Repatriation
General Information for Faroe Islands
Geo-political:
Capital City: Torshavn. 62° 00.00′ N, 006° 46.00′ W
Nationality: (noun) Faroese (singular and plural), (adjective) Faroese.
Population: 51,628 (July 2020).
Communications:
International Direct Dial Code: 298.
Number of Internal Airports: 1 (2020).
Major Languages Spoken: Faroese 93.8% (derived from Old Norse), Danish 3.2% and others 3%.
Economy:
Currency: 1 Danish Krone (DKK) of 100 Oere.
Exchange Rates:
(as of November 2020)
USD 1.00 = DKK 6.40
DKK 1.00 = USD 0.16
Exchange rates under licence from
XE.com
Main Industries: Fishing, fish processing, tourism, small ship repair, refurbishment and handicrafts.
Agricultural Products: Milk, potatoes, vegetables, sheep, salmon, herring, mackerel and fish.
Imports: Goods for household consumption, machinery, transport equipment, fuels, raw materials,
semi-manufactures and cars.
Exports: Fish and fish products (97%).
Commodities: Products: Imports 4,555 bbl/d.
Environment:
Territorial Sea: 12 n.m.
Continental Shelf: Continental Shelf: 200 n.m. Exclusive Fishing Zone: 200 n.m.
Coastline Extent: 1,117 km.
Climate: Mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy.
Natural Resources: Fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and possible gas.
Terrain: Rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast.
MEDICAL:
Citizens of the Nordic countries and Great Britain are covered under their respective
public health plans while in the Faroe Islands. Residents of other countries need
to acquire their own traveller’s health insurance before travelling to the Faroe Islands.
Should you need assistance, dial 112 for any type of emergency. First aid is provided
at the hospitals in Torshavn, Klaksvik and Tvoroyri.
General Practitioners can also be contacted for non-emergency consultations over the
telephone, usually between 0800 and 0900 hours. If you need urgent medical treatment
outside the GP opening hours, which is between 1600 and 0800, you should call the
emergency medical service T: 1870.
Emergency dental service is also available in Torshavn and the clinic is open Saturdays,
Sundays and bank holidays from 1000 to 1100. To make an appointment, T: +298 314544.
HOLIDAYS:
New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labour Day, Ascension Day, Whit Monday,
Christmas Day and second Christmas Day.
WEATHER/TIDES:
Despite the islands’ northern latitude location, summers are cool with an average
temperature of 13°C, and winters are mild, with an average temperature of 3°C. This
climate, classed as Maritime Subarctic according to the Koppen climate classification,
is influenced by the strong warming influence of the Atlantic Ocean, which produces
the North Atlantic Current.
Summer days bring long hours of sunlight (19 hours, 45 minutes on the longest day,
June 21). In contrast, days during the winter can be as short as five hours.
The islands are generally windy, cloudy, and cool throughout the year. Variations
in altitude, ocean currents, topography, and wind mean the climate differs greatly,
even though distances between locations are small. This makes for unpredictable and
highly changeable weather. It is not uncommon for one location to experience rain,
the next snow, and a third location sun.
TELEPHONES:
Two GSM service providers operate in the Faroe Islands: Foroya Tele (Faroese Telecom)
and Nema. Together they cover most of the islands. They also have roaming agreements
with other countries so that visitors can easily use their mobile phones while in
the Faroe Islands. Foroya Tele and Hey sell pre-paid GSM phone cards and offer GSM/GPRS
service. Prepaid telephone cards can be purchased in phone shops, kiosks, petrol stations,
post offices, hotels, Regional Information Centres and at the information desk at
Vagar Airport.
Nearly all the islands receive an excellent broadband connection, with 3G and 4G networks
fully functioning across the whole country. Internet terminals offering wireless broadband
can be found in Regional Information Centres, public libraries, hotel lobbies, and
some cafes.
BANKS:
Most places on the mainland accept credit cards, including the more remote islands;
therefore, it is recommended not to bring foreign cash as it can be quite difficult
to exchange it for local currency. If you plan on having cash at hand, it is best
to use the official bank ATM machines around the country to ensure you have the correct
currency.
There are two currencies of equal value in the Faroe Islands: the Faroese krona and
the Danish krone. While the Faroese government prints its own bank notes, only Danish
coins are used. Danish notes are equally acceptable as Faroese notes throughout the
country.
There may be a few places in the major towns that accept foreign currency, but this
is more likely the exception than the rule, and, unsurprisingly, the exchange rate
is rarely favourable. Exchange rates for the Faroese (Danish) krona as of August 2022
are roughly: DKK 100 = EUR13.4 / GBP11.4 / USD13.6.
Most shops, restaurants, petrol stations, hotels, and taxis accept credit cards, mainly
Visa, but other credit cards, such as MasterCard, Eurocard, Maestro and JCB are also
accepted in large stores, shopping centres and restaurants. Most places do not accept
American Express.
It is possible to withdraw money with Visa, Visa-Dankort, Eurocard, MasterCard, Maestro
and JCB from the many ATMs around the country. The ATMs are often found next to bank
branches and can be used outside the banks’ normal opening hours. Banks are normally
open Monday to Friday from 0930 to 1600 hours. Banks in smaller villages might have
different and shorter opening hours. Banks are closed on all public holidays.
CUSTOMS:
You may import duty and tax-free goods, provided that:
- the goods are for personal use only and not for selling or other purpose of business
- you bring the goods in your own personal luggage, in order that you, upon request, readily can show them to the customs authorities when going through Customs.
These goods can be imported duty and tax-free, provided that the traveller is 18 years
old:
1 litre of spirits over 22% vol. alc. up to 60% vol. alc., 1 litre of
fortified wine etc. up to 22% vol.alc. and 2 litres of beer.
or
1 litre of spirits over 22% vol. alc. up to 60% vol. alc., 2.25 litres of
table wine and 2 litres of beer.
or
4.5 litres of table wine and 2 litres of beer
or
10 litres of beer
or
200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco.
In addition, anyone may import duty and tax-free:
- 50 grams of perfume
- 250 ml eau de toilette
- 3 kg chocolate products
- 10 litres of soda.
You may import other types of goods without paying duty and tax, providing the total
value of these goods does not exceed DKK2,500; if the total value exceeds DKK2,500,
duty and tax must be paid of the total value.
Goods consisting of multiple parts that form a whole, operate together or are normally
sold together, where the total value is determined to exceed DKK2,500 are liable to
duty and tax. Nor can they be imported in parts, e.g. multiple times or by multiple
persons, despite the value of each part being less than DKK2,500.
REPATRIATION:
The Faroe Islands are tied to the Danish immigration policy; however, there are some
differences in working, residing, and visiting the Faroe Islands compared to Denmark:
- If you come from a Nordic country are not obliged to hold a passport for entry to the Faroe Islands but will need a photo identity document. You may stay indefinitely in the Faroe Islands without any further permits.
- If you come from an EU country and Schengen country, you do not need a visa or other permit to visit the Faroe Islands. You may enter with a passport, or, for visits, a national ID card (that includes a photo) from one of the countries listed. This only applies to citizens of the listed countries. It is not sufficient to be a foreign resident; you must be a citizen. Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
- Visitors from countries outside the EU and Schengen area must usually hold a passport valid for at least three months beyond the planned stay in the Faroe Islands. Depending on the nationality, a visa may also be required. The nationalities requiring a visa for entering the Faroe Islands is the same as for Denmark and can be seen at www.nyidanmark.dk
The Faroe Islands are not part of the Schengen Area. Consequently, people cannot enter
the Faroe Islands based on their Schengen visas or Danish visa. When a visa is applied
for at the Danish Embassy, it must be specifically for the Faroe Islands. The conditions
for obtaining a visa for the Faroe Islands are similar to the conditions for obtaining
a visa for Denmark.
A visa for Denmark does not give the holder the right to enter the Faroe Islands unless
it is stated in the visa, just as a visa for the Faroe Islands does not give the holder
the right to enter Denmark if it is not stated in the visa.
Visa is required for entering the Faroe Islands regardless of whether the person has
a residence permit in Denmark. Correspondingly, a visa is required when entering Denmark,
even though the person has a residence permit in the Faroe Islands.
Visas are applied for at the Royal Danish Embassy or Consulate in your country of
residence.
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