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  1. Home
  2. EEA/EFTA citizens and their relatives

EEA/EFTA citizens and their relatives

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.

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.


Useful information

  • Directive on the right of EEA citizens to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States
  • Information on application process and processing time
  • Residence permits
  • Application process
    • Places issuing D-visas
  • Processing time and applications being processed
  • Long-term visa
  • Long-term visa for remote workers and their family members
  • Permanent residence permit
  • Family reunification
  • - Spouse or cohabiting partner
  • - Children
  • - Parent 67 years of age and older
  • - Parent of a child under the age of 18
  • Permits for students
    • Renewal and student enrollment
  • Permits based on work
    • Expedited processing
  • EEA/EFTA citizens and their relatives
    • EEA/EFTA member countries
  • Information for British citizens
  • Au pair
  • Legitimate and special purpose
  • Missionaries
  • Special ties to Iceland
  • Volunteers
  • Rights
  • Working holiday
  • Documentation requirements
    • FBI criminal record check
  • Permission to stay while application is being processed by the Icelandic Directorate of Immigration and during renewal of residence permit
  • Basic requirements
  • Refusal of residence permit
  • Expulsion and re-entry ban
  • Revocation of a residence permit and cancellation of the right to stay

Links

  • Ministry of Justice
  • Immigration and Asylum Appeals Board
  • New in Iceland
  • Multicultural and Information Center
  • The UN Refugee Agency
  • Icelandic Human Rights Center
  • The Directorate of Labour
  • Registers Iceland
  • The Data Protection Authority

Information

  • Directorate of Immigration
  • Residence permits
  • Visas
  • Icelandic Citizenship
  • Asylum

OPENING HOURS

Monday to Friday 9 - 14

Phone hours: 
Monday to Thursday 9 - 14
Fridays 9 - 12

+354 444 0900

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Location

Directorate of Immigration | Dalvegur 18 | 201 Kópavogur | +354 444 0900 | utl@utl.is

ID number 670269-6399 | Account number 0515-26-410424 | IBAN: IS05 0515 26 410424 670269 6399

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