When an expedition permit is required

An expedition permit under Executive Order No. 138 of 8 February 2010 from the Government of Greenland is required for expeditions and organised travel activities in the following regulated areas:

The Inland Ice Sheet and its glaciers

These rules apply to travel on the Greenland Ice Sheet and its outlet glaciers outside the boundaries of the Northeast Greenland National Park.

For all travel within the National Park, a separate permit is always required (see section National Park – North and East Greenland below).

• A permit is always required if travelling more than 1 km from the ice edge (baseline), regardless of duration.
• Within 1 km of the ice edge, a permit is not required if the stay is less than 24 hours.
• If the stay within 1 km exceeds 24 hours, a permit must be obtained.

National Park in North and East Greenland

A permit is always required for all travel and activities within the Northeast Greenland National Park, whether on land or within its 3-nautical-mile territorial waters — regardless of duration.

For detailed information on the park’s geographical extent and borders, please refer to “Overview Greenland North-East National Park”.

East and Southeast Greenland (ice-free areas)

• Ice-free land area in East and Southeast Greenland between Lindenow Fjord and the southern border of the National Park in North and East Greenland. See areas exempt from permit requirements in East and Southeast Greenland.

• A permit is required for land stays lasting more than 24 hours.

• Sea voyages in these areas do not require a permit.

Ice-free land areas: North and Northwest Greenland

• Ice-free land area in Northwest Greenland north of 78° N and outside the National Park in North and East Greenland. (In practical terms, this includes all ice-free terrain stretching from the southern part of Kane Basin (approx. 79.13534 N, –67.24193 W) to the northwestern border of the National Park in North and East Greenland, including the Petermann Glacier area (approx. 81.010203 N, –61.976558 W).

• A permit is required for land stays lasting more than 24 hours.

• Sea voyages in these areas do not require a permit.

Sea voyages – when a permit is not required

Outside the National Park’s 3 nautical mile zone:

No permit is required for any sea voyage, regardless of duration.
A permit is only required if travellers go on land in a regulated area for more than 24 hours.

Areas exempt from permit requirements

You do not need a permit to travel in:
• The area north of Qaanaaq (between 78°–79° N, west of 66° W)

• The area around Ittoqqortoormiit, extending west to 29° W and south to 70° N

• Within 150 km of Tasiilaq

Additionally, short land stays of less than 24 hours in other regulated areas (or within 1 km of the ice edge) do not require a permit — except within the National Park, where a permit is always required regardless of duration.