Nordic Passport Union facts for kids
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| Type | Free movement and open borders area |
|---|---|
| Established | 1952 (open borders) 1954 (free movement) |
| Members | |
| Area | 1,259,974 km2 |
| Population | ~27 million (2016) |
The Nordic Passport Union is an agreement between five countries in Northern Europe: Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland. It lets people from these countries travel and live in any other Nordic country without needing a passport or special permission. This means they have "open borders" for each other's citizens.
Since March 25, 2001, all five Nordic countries are also part of the Schengen Area. The Schengen Area is a much larger group of European countries that also have open borders.
Contents
What the Nordic Passport Union Does
The main idea of the Nordic Passport Union is to make it easy for people to move freely. Citizens of Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland do not legally need a passport or ID card to enter or live in another Nordic country. This makes travel and moving for work or study much simpler.
Why You Might Still Need an ID
Even though you don't legally need an ID to cross borders, having one is still very useful. Many businesses and services might ask for proof of who you are. For example, you might need an ID for:
- Taking a train or flying.
- Buying things that have age limits, like alcohol.
- Using services meant for people who live there, like banking.
- Picking up packages from the post office.
- Dealing with government offices.
Often, a local ID like a driver's license or a bank ID card is accepted. However, there have been "temporary" border checks since 2015. These checks are still in place today.
Special Areas and Rules
Some areas connected to the Nordic countries have different rules.
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are part of the Nordic Passport Union. This means people from Nordic countries can travel there easily. However, the Faroe Islands are not part of the Schengen Area.
Greenland
Greenland is also not part of the Schengen Area. It is also not part of the Nordic Passport Union. However, Greenland still has open borders with all Nordic countries. This means Nordic citizens can enter, live, and work in Greenland without needing a passport or special permits.
Svalbard
Svalbard is a unique place. It is not part of the Nordic Passport Union or the Schengen Area. Because of the Svalbard Treaty, Nordic citizens can live and work there without needing special permits. However, to enter Svalbard, you do need valid travel documents. This could be a passport or a national ID card from a country in the European Union or EFTA. Before April 30, 2022, Norwegian citizens could use other documents like a Norwegian driving license.
People from Svalbard and Greenland are citizens of Norway and Denmark, respectively. This means they can live in any other Nordic country without special permission.
Helping Citizens Abroad
If you are a citizen of a Nordic country and you are traveling in another part of the world, you can get help from any Nordic country's embassy or consulate. This is stated in the Helsinki Treaty. For example, if Sweden does not have an embassy in a certain country, a Norwegian or Finnish embassy can help Swedish citizens.
See also
- Benelux
- Common Travel Area
- Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement
