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 resides 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.
Residence of immediate family members
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. A residency card must be applied for at the Directorate.
The validity of the card is five years from the date of issue, or the same as the residency of the EEA/EFTA citizen.
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).
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
- Rights associated with residence permits
Documents to be submitted:
Information on documentation is on the checklist.
- Checklist for relatives of citizens of EEA/EFTA states. Print the checklist and check when gathering documents. Please include the completed list with the application.
- Registration form, original, completed and signed by the applicant.
- Copy of passport (does not need to be confirmed). The copy should be of the main page and the page with the applicant’s signature.
- Confirmation of family ties as applicable (for example: marriage certificate, birth certificate, death certificate, custody document, divorce document). The document must be a confirmed copy of the original. The document must be confirmed by apostille stamp or double authentication if issued abroad, see here. The copy must be stamped by the competent authority that is authorized to do so.
- Support must be secure for the residence period, see here.
- Medical insurance. Applicants must submit a confirmation of insurance that is valid for at least six months, minimum coverage ISK 2,000,000, from an insurance company that is licensed to operate in Iceland, see here.
- Housing certificate or rental agreement, unless the relative in Iceland owns the property.
Further documentation that may be submitted:
- Power of attorney, 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.