Due to the high number of inquiries reaching the Directorate of Immigration every day we would like to draw attention to the following information.

Travel restrictions to Iceland

Foreign nationals, other than EU/EEA, EFTA or UK nationals, are generally not allowed to enter Iceland. Foreign nationals with a valid residence permit in Iceland or any other EU/EEA or EFTA state and family members of Icelandic or EU/EFTA nationals are exempted. Further information on exemptions from travel restrictions to Iceland.

If you think you or members of your family may be exempted from the Schengen travel restrictions, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Stranded in Iceland

Foreign nationals situated in Iceland, who are unable to return to their home countries due to travel restrictions, quarantine or isolation, are allowed to stay in Iceland without a residence permit or visa until 10 August 2020. Further information on the right to stay without a residence permit.

Travelling to Iceland

Updated and detailed information about travelling to Iceland can be found on the official information portal, along with FAQs.

Further questions regarding your trip, may be sent through www.covid.is/contactus, but due to the number of inquiries, it may take a few days to respond.

Foreign nationals situated in Iceland, who are unable to return to their home countries due to travel restrictions, quarantine or isolation, are allowed to stay in Iceland without a residence permit or visa until 10 August 2020.

An earlier permission, added to the Regulation on foreigners with a temporary provision in the beginning of April, has thereby been extended.

To whom does the temporary provision apply?

The provision applies to foreigners who stayed in Iceland before the introduction of travel restrictions on 20 March 2020, on the basis of:

• a residence permit, which has now expired or expires before he/she can leave the country,
• a visa, which has now expired or expires before he/she can leave the country,
• being visa exempt, but will have stayed longer than 90 days in the Schengen Area before he/she can leave the country.

Please note that the provision only applies to those who are unable to return to their home countries due to travel restrictions, quarantine or isolation.

To whom does the temporary provision not apply?

The provision does not apply to foreigners who were in illegal stay before 20 March 2020 and does not prevent an expulsion on that or other basis in accordance with the provisions of the Foreigners Act.

Please note that the fact that there are no direct flights to your home country, high travel costs or other inconveniences of travelling now are not grounds for being allowed to stay in Iceland without a residence permit or visa.

Do I need to ask for a permission to stay longer in Iceland?

No, you do not need to ask for a permission to stay longer in the country. The provision gives those who it applies to an automatic right to stay longer in the country without a residence permit or a visa.

How long can I stay?

Foreigners in this situation are asked to leave the country as soon as travel restrictions, quarantine or isolation do not prevent them from returning home or by 10 August 2020 at the latest.

The residence permit team is now busy processing applications for residence permits for students for the next school year.

How long will it take to process your application?

The Directorate tries to process all applications before the beginning of the semester but we can only guarantee for the timely processing of applications submitted with all required supporting documents before July 1st.

Please note that the Directorate of Immigration does not accept applications electronically. Applications must be mailed to our postal address or delivered to a drop box in the Directorate’s lobby (from 8 to 16 on week-days).

You can check which applications are already being processed on our web's processing time page. If you submitted your application later than the date displayed, your application is not being processed yet.

Contacting the Directorate per E-Mail or telephone to check the status of your application will not accelerate the processing of your application. We will contact you if documents are missing and when the permit has been granted. 

What can you do to accelerate the processing of your application?

• Make sure you submit all the necessary supporting documents with your application, a list of the required supporting documents is available here. 

• Make sure the supporting documents you submit meet the Directorate’s documentation requirements. 

In particular, make sure the criminal record certificate you submit was issued by the highest authority competent to issue such certificates in the respective country. The certificate must state that the information in the certificate stems from national databases, not only databases in certain areas (for example, in certain regions or states of a country). For students from the US this means that an FBI criminal record certificate is required, students from Canada must submit an RCMP certificate and students from Thailand must submit a certificate issued by the Royal Thai Police

• Make sure your means of support is satisfactory and that you submit sufficient documentation on your secure means of support. 

Iceland's borders have remained open to citizens of other EU/EEA and EFTA states throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, under the condition that passengers quarantine for 14 days from their day of arrival. As of June 15, passengers, who are allowed to travel to Iceland, can choose to be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival.

Travel restrictions to the Schengen Area 

Iceland continues to implement the travel restrictions imposed for the Schengen Area.  

Foreigners, who are neither EU/EEA nor EFTA nationals, continue not to be allowed to enter Iceland unless they can demonstrate that their travel is essential.

The travel restrictions do not apply to:

• EU/EEA, EFTA and UK nationals
• Individuals with a valid residence permit in Iceland or any of the Schengen member states, 
• Family members of Icelandic or other EU/EFTA citizens, in particular spouses, cohabiting partners, direct descendants and dependent direct relatives in the ascending line.
  
  

Information for travellers allowed to travel to Iceland

As of June 15, passengers authorized to travel to Iceland can choose to be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival or to go into quarantine for two weeks, according to a government announcement. At this time, test results from other countries will not be accepted for exemption of quarantine.

• Passengers are required to fill out a preregistration form before departure to Iceland.
• Testing will be available at Keflavik airport and in Seydisfjordur (for passengers arriving on the Smyril Line).
• As of 1 July, passengers will be charged ISK 11 000 for a single test.
• Following the test, passengers can travel onward to their registered address (provided in their pre-registration form).
• Passengers can expect to receive their test results within 24 hours.
• Those who test positive will be offered to undergo further tests to determine whether they have an active infection. In the case of an active infection, the passenger must self-isolate.
• Children born in 2005 and later will be exempt from quarantine and screening requirements.
• Passengers are encouraged to download and use the COVID-19 app Rakning C-19.

Please note that persons, who are unable or unwilling to comply with the rules laid down for quarantine, isolation and COVID-19 testing at the border, may be refused entry into Iceland as they may be considered as threatening to public health.

All further information for travellers is available on covid.is and in the Chief Epidemiologist‘s Information for travellers to Iceland after 15 June 2020.