What applications are being processed?
Processing time of applications for residence permits
What applications are being processed?
When an application is being processed this means that a case worker is checking whether the applicant meets the requirements for the permit applied for. If the application is insufficient or if further documentation is required, the Directorate will contact the applicant or his agent. In some cases the Directorate gathers documents in addition to those submitted by the applicant him-/herself, such as documents from the Police and/or Tax authorities. Because of this some time can pass until the applicant will be contacted by the Directorate.
Applications submitted and payed for in the month displayed in the table below are now being processed. Applications submitted later than in the month displayed are waiting to be processed.
Last updated 16 September 2021.
Application type |
Applications for first permits |
Applications for renewals |
|
Family members of Icelandic and EEA citizens |
May 2021 |
August 2021 |
|
Work permits |
July 2021 |
August 2021 |
|
Family members of work permit holders |
May 2021 | August 2021 |
|
Residence permits for an au-pair |
June 2021 |
|
|
Permanent residence permits |
May 2021 |
- |
|
Family members of permanent residence permit holders |
May 2021 | July 2021 |
|
Icelandic citizenship |
January 2021 |
- |
If your application is not yet being processed, no information regarding the application can be provided by telephone or email.
Students
Applications for residence permits for students, which are submitted with all required supporting documents within the deadline, will be processed before the school semester starts. The deadlines for submitting applications are June 1st for the fall semester and November 1st for the spring semester each year.
Processing time of applications for residence permits
A first time applicant should be aware that it can take a couple of months for a residence permit to be granted.
The majority of first time applications is processed within six months and the largest part of renewals within three months, see status in table above. However, it can sometimes take longer to evaluate whether an applicant fulfills the permit requirements.
The processing time might be longer if:
- the application has not been properly filled out,
- further documentation is required,
- the applicant needs to be interviewed or
- the applicant has requested exemptions from conditions for the residence permit.
If the application has not been processed within the timeframe, it is not necessary to contact the Directorate.
The Directorate will contact the applicant or his agent if the application is insufficient or if further documentation is required.