EEA/EFTA citizens
Citizens of EEA/EFTA member states may stay and work in Iceland without a registration for up to three months from arrival, or up to six months if seeking employment.
If they wish to reside longer than three months in Iceland, they shall register with Registers Iceland.
Family members of EEA/EFTA citizens
Immediate family members of citizens of EEA/EFTA member states, who are themselves non-EEA/EFTA citizens, may reside in Iceland if their residence is based on the rights of an EEA/EFTA citizen residing in Iceland.
If they wish to reside longer than three months in Iceland, they must apply for a residence card to the Directorate of Immigration.
Immediate family members of EEA/EFTA citizens are
- Spouse or cohabiting partner.
- Descendants, i.e. children or grandchildren of the EEA/EFTA citizen or his/her spouse, who are under the age of 21 or are dependants.
- Dependent direct relatives in the ascending line and those of the spouse or cohabiting partner (parents/grandparents).
Only spouses and decendants under the age of 21 have the right to reside in Iceland as family members of EEA/EFTA citizens who reside in Iceland as students.
A residence card is valid for five years from the date of issue, or as long as the EEA/EFTA citizen's right to reside if shorter than five years.
The card expires if the holder stays outside the country for more than six months a year, unless there are special reasons.
After five years of continuous legal residence in Iceland, family members of EEA/EFTA citizens acquire a permanent right to reside in Iceland.
Application for a residence card for family members of EEA/EFTA citizens
Applications can only be submitted in paper form, either by regular mail to the Directorate of Immigration or delivered to the drop box in the Directorate’s lobby in Dalvegur 18, 201 Kópavogur. Applications can also be submitted at the offices of District Commissioners outside the capital area.
Please note that there is no fee for a first application. For the registration of a permanent right of residence there is a 4500 ISK fee.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to submit satisfactory documents with the application. Failure to submit satisfactory documents may result in delays of the procedure or in the application being rejected.
Documents to be submitted
- Registration form. In original, completed and signed by the applicant.
- Copy of passport (does not need to be confirmed). The copy should be of the personal information page and signature page.
- Confirmation of family ties as applicable (i.e. marriage certificate, marriage status certificate, birth certificate, death certificate, custody document, divorce document).
- The document must be confirmed by apostille or double authentication if issued abroad. The document must be an original or a confirmed copy of the original. See information on the format of supporting documents.
- The document must be confirmed by apostille or double authentication if issued abroad. The document must be an original or a confirmed copy of the original. See information on the format of supporting documents.
Additional documents to be submitted with an application for dependent descendants and direct relatives
When applying for dependent descendants, 21 years and older, or dependent direct relatives, in the ascending line, of an EEA/EFTA citizen or his spouse, the following documents must be submitted:
- Documents confirming that the EEA/EFTA citizen can provide for his/her or his/her spouse's decendant or direct relative, i.e. with an employment contract or payslips.
- Documents confirming that the decendant / direct relative already has been provided for by the the EEA/EFTA citizen.
Application confirmation
An applicant for a residence card as a family member of an EEA/EFTA citizen can ask for a confirmation of the application by contacting the Directorate of Immigration.
Right of EEA/EFTA citizens' family members to permanent residence
Family members of EEA/EFTA citizens, who are themselves non-EEA/EFTA citizens but have resided in Iceland with an EEA/EFTA citizen, acquire the right to permanent residence after five years of continuous legal residence in Iceland.
The following is not deemed an interruption of continuous residence:
- Residence abroad for a period totalling less than six months per year,
- residence abroad due to military service or
- a residence in one instance of a maximum of one year for exigent reasons, such as pregnancy, childbirth, serious illness, study or training, or work abroad for which the person concerned has been seconded.
Under exceptional circumstances the family member of an EEA/EFTA citizen may acquire the right to permanent residence, despite not having continuous residence for five years. This may apply if the EEA/EFTA citizen, from whom he/she derives the right to residence, has him-/herself acquired the right to permanent residence within five years, Art. 87 (3) of the Foreign Nationals Act or on the death of the EEA/EFTA citizen, Art. 87 (6).
The right to permanent residence is cancelled if the person concerned resides outside of Iceland for a continuous period of over two years.
Documents to be submitted
- Registration form. In original, completed and signed by the applicant.
- Copy of passport (does not need to be confirmed). The copy should be of the personal information page and signature page.