EEA/EFTA citizens
A citizen of an EEA/EFTA member state may stay and work in Iceland without a permit for up to three months from his/her arrival in Iceland, or stay up to six months if he/she is seeking employment.
If the individual plans to reside longer in Iceland, he/she shall register his right to residency with Registers Iceland. Residency in another Nordic country is not deducted from the residency period.
Further information for Nordic nationals
Further information for EEA/EFTA citizens
Residence of immediate family members of EEA/EFTA citizens
Immediate family members of citizens of EEA/EFTA member states, who are citizens of countries outside of the EEA/EFTA, may reside in Iceland if their residence is based on the rights of a citizen of an EEA/EFTA member state residing in Iceland.
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).
A residence card must be applied for at the Directorate of Immigration. The validity of the card is five years from the date of issue, or the same as the EEA/EFTA citizen.
Documents to be submitted with an application for a residence card for relatives of EEA/EFTA citizens
- 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 the page with the applicant’s signature.
- 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 stamp 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 a residence card for 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.
Documents that may be submitted
- Power of attorney in original, witnessed by two adult witnesses. Note. A power of attorney needs not be submitted unless the applicant wants someone else to receive information about the processing of the application by the Directorate.
It is the applicant‘s responsibility to submit the documents on the checklist. If all the required documents are not submitted with the application, this could result in delays in processing the application or in a denial. The Directorate of Immigration may request additional documents in some cases.
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.