Foreign nationals from a country outside of the EEA and/or EFTA, who plan to stay in Iceland for more than three (3) months, must have a valid residence permit.
Residence permits are granted on grounds of Articles 72 of Act no. 80/2016 on Foreigners.
A residence permit is granted an individual who is 67 years of age or older if the relevant person has an adult child in Iceland and the plan is to move to Iceland. The requirement is that the child of the parent in question is Icelandic or Nordic citizen, or a foreign citizen, holding a permanent residence permit or a temporary residence permit on grounds of work requiring professional expertise, for athletes, on grounds of marriage or cohabitation, international protection, humanitarian views or special ties to Iceland.
You might have the right to a residence permit as a parent if all of the following requirements are met, as well as others
- You are 67 years of age or older, and have an adult child in Iceland,
- have a child who lives in Iceland and is an Icelandic or Scandinavian citizen, or a foreign citizen holding a permanent residence permit or a foreign citizen staying in Iceland on grounds of a residence permit as stated above,
- can prove that you are able to provide for yourself during your stay,
- you have a valid insurance with an Icelandic insurance company (in the field Insurance Companies) or a foreign insurance company authorized to operate in Iceland (in the field Foreign Insurance Companies),
- have not served a criminal sentence abroad over the last five (5) years or been sentenced by a court of law for more than three (3) months imprisonment, according to Icelandic law,
- your family member has not been sentenced by a court of law or been subject to public safety measures over the last five (5) years (unless an exemption applies),
- have a passport whose validity is at least 90 days beyond the estimated period of validity of a residence permit and
- a consent exists by a family member in Iceland for issuance of a permit.
You may not
- begin working until a work permit has been granted,
- work for another employer than the one on which the work permit is granted, and
- stay in another country longer than three (3) months in every 12-month period of the residence permit period; otherwise the residence permit may be cancelled or revoked.
An application for a residence and work permit and supporting documents shall be submitted to the Directorate of Immigration or at the offices of the district commissioners outside of the Reykjavík Metropolitan Area.
An applicant who does not need a visa may stay in Iceland when submitting an application and while it is being processed, provided the stay in the Schengen Area does not exceed 90 days in the 180 day period. An applicant who needs a visa may not stay in Iceland when applying for the permit and while it is being processed. Such an application will be refused.
If an applicant does not fulfill these requirements and the requirements discussed below, the application for a residence permit will be refused and the applicant must leave Iceland. An applicant who does not leave the country may be subject to expulsion or a re-entry ban. A re-entry ban for Iceland is also a re-entry ban into the Schengen Area for a specific period of time or for a minimum of two (2) years.
If an applicant does not fulfill these requirements and the requirements discussed below the application for a residence permit will be denied and the applicant must leave Iceland. An applicant who does not leave the country may be subject to expulsion or a re-entry-ban. A re-entry ban for Iceland is also a re-entry ban to the Schengen Area for a specific period of time or for two (2) years as a minimum.
The applicant is responsible for applying for renewal of his/her residence permit at least four (4) weeks before the validity of the permit expires. If this is done the applicant is permitted to stay in Iceland while the application for renewal is being processed by the Directorate of Immigration. If a renewal of a residence permit is not applied for before the period of validity expires the application will be handled as if this were a first permit, not renewal. An application received after the period of validity of the previous permit has expired will be denied if the applicant does not have a permission to stay in Iceland while the application is being processed.
See further the application process and permission to stay.
Further information on residence permits for a parent 67 years of age or older
The rights attached to the permit
Application for first permit
Renewal
The rights attached to the residence permit are as follows
- An applicant who does not need a visa may stay in Iceland when submitting an application and while it is being processed, provided the stay in the Schengen Area does not exceed 90 days in the past 180 day period. If the stay exceeds this period, processing of the application will be stopped until the applicant has left Iceland and has presented a departure boarding card to prove it. An applicant who needs a visa may not stay in Iceland when applying for the permit and while it is being processed. An application by an applicant who does not have the aforementioned permit to stay will be refused.
- Other applicants must apply for a work permit if they intend to work in Iceland and may not begin working until a residence and work permit has been granted.
- A residence permit may be renewed for two (2) years as a maximum, provided the requirements for the permit are still met, however, the permit may never be valid longer than the permit of the person on which the applicant bases his/her right
- The residence permit entails a right to family reunification with the applicant’s spouse or cohabiting partner after at least one (1) year of cohabitation if the holder of the residence permit has worked or studied in Iceland in lawful stay over the last four (4) years before the application is submitted.
- The residence permit may be a basis of a permanent residence permit.
- Individual, if the his/her stay has been continuous and legal in Iceland for seven (7), may have the right to Icelandic citizenship provided certain other requirements are met.
Application for a first permit
An applicant who does not need a visa may stay in Iceland when submitting an application and while it is being processed, provided the stay in the Schengen Area does not exceed 90 days in the past 180 day period. An applicant who needs a visa may also stay in Iceland when applying for the permit and while it is being processed, provided his/her visa is valid. If the stay exceeds this period processing the application will be stopped until the applicant has left Iceland and has presented a departure boarding card to prove it. An application by an applicant who does not have the aforementioned permit to stay will be denied.
The application shall be accompanied by all the same documents as required by the Directorate of Immigration to confirm that the requirements for a residence permit are met.
Documents to be submitted
- Payment receipt (if the application has been paid for at a bank). The name of the person for whom payment is being made must be clearly stated. List the name of the applicant, his/her date of birth as a reference.
- Application for a residence permit. (Please download and save on computer before filling out). In original format, carefully filled out and signed by the applicant. (It is important that the applicant states his/her place of stay in Iceland. If the address is not stated when the application is made the applicant must notify his/her place of stay within two (2) weeks from the applicant’s date of arrival in Iceland (for example when being photographed).
- Passport photo (35 mm x 45 mm).
- Photocopy of passport. The period of validity must be at least 90 days beyond the period of validity of the residence permit. This must include photocopies of the passport’s personal information page and the page containing the applicant’s signature.
- Confirmed original of a foreign criminal record certificate. The criminal record certification must not be older than six (6) months. A criminal record certificate must be presented from all the countries where the applicant has lived over the last five (5) years. (The criminal record certificate shall be issued by the highest appropriate authority in every country, i.e. the authority authorized to issue such a certificate). Note there is a requirement for apostille confirmation or double sealing.
- Confirmed copy or original translation by an authorized translator of the criminal record certificate. Applies only if the foreign certificates are in other languages than English or the Nordic languages. Note there is a requirement of confirmation of translation if the translator is not an authorized translator in Iceland, i.e. apostille or double sealing.
- Health Insurance. The applicant shall submit a certificate of insurance from an Icelandic insurance company (see insurance companies) or a foreign insurance company authorized to operate in Iceland (see foreign insurance companies) The insurance shall be valid for six (6) months from the date of the applicant being registered in Registers Iceland and the coverage shall be at least IKR 2000,000. Registration in Registers Iceland is usuallly valid from the day the applicant‘s photo is taken at either the Directorate of Immigration or at a District Commissioner‘s office for a residence permit card, given that the applicant has stayed in Iceland from that date.
- Documents on support, confirming secure means of sufficient financial support during the period of stay. If an applicant is unable to demonstrate independent means of support, the applicant’s child may submit data showing secure means of support for the applicant.
- Birth certificate of the applicants child. Confirmed copy of the original birth certificate of the applicants child that is residing in Iceland. Note there is a requirement for apostille confirmation or double sealing, if the certificate is issued abroad. The copy must be stamped by the competent authority that is authorized to do so.
- Confirmed copy or the original translation by an authorized translator of the birth cerfiticate. Applies only if the foreign certificates are in other languages than English or the Nordic languages. Note there is a requirement of confirmation of translation if the translator is not an authorized translator in Iceland, i.e. apostille or double sealing.
Documents that may be submitted
- Application for work permit on grounds of family reunification and an employment contract, (if applicable). An application for a work permit and an employment contract must be submitted in original format and signed by both the applicant and the employer.
- Power of Attorney signed by two (2) witnesses. The Power of Attorney does not have to be submitted unless the applicant wants someone other than him/her to receive information about the processing of the application by the Directorate of Immigration.
The applicant is responsible for submitting the necessary supporting documents with his/her application. If satisfactory documents with the application are not received by the Directorate of Immigration, this may result in delays in processing the application or in the application being denied. The Directorate of Immigration may request additional information when special circumstances recommend it.
If the applicant meets all requirements of a residence permit, the residence permit will be granted and the applicant will be sent a notification of the granting of the permit. The residence permit will not be issued, however, until the applicant has come to be photographed at the offices of the Directorate of Immigration or at offices of district commissioners outside of the Reykjavík Metropolitan Area, reported his place of residence to the Directorate and undergone medical examination. The applicant should come to be photographed within one (1) week from his/her arrival in Iceland and must report his/her place of residence (for example, when photographed). Please note that the applicant must present a valid passport when photographed for identification.. Furthermore, the applicant must undergo medical examination within two (2) weeks from arrival in Iceland. The Directorate of Immigration will not issue a residence permit if the applicant does not meet the requirements stated above. This could lead to illegal stay and expulsion.
Renewal
A residence permit may be renewed if the requirements of the permit are met. A renewal of a residence permit must be applied for at least four (4) weeks before the permit’s period of validity expires. If this is done the applicant is permitted to stay in Iceland while the application for renewal is being processed by the Directorate of Immigration. If a renewal of the residence permit is not applied for before the period of validity expires, the application will be processed as if this were an application for a first permit, not a renewal. An application that is received after the period of validity of the older permit has expired will be refused if the applicant does not have a permission to stay in Iceland while the application is being processed.
The applicant must appear in person upon the renewal of his/her residence permit, either at the reception area of the Directorate of Immigration or at offices of district commissioners outside of the Reykjavík Metropolitan Area. The applicant will be photographed and must submit a sample of his/her signature. The applicant should bring his/her passport along.
Documents to be submitted
- Application for a residence permit. (Please download and save on computer before filling out). In original format, carefully filled out and signed by the applicant.
- Photocopy of the passport. The period of validity must be at least 90 days in excess of the period of validity of the residence permit. This must include photocopies of the passport’s personal information page and the page containing the applicant’s signature.
- Documents on support, confirming secure means of sufficient financial support during the period of stay. If an applicant is unable to demonstrate independent means of support, the applicant’s child may submit data showing secure means of support for the applicant.
Documents that may be submitted
- Application for work permit on grounds of family reunification and an employment contract , (if applicable). An application for a work permit and an employment contract must be submitted in original format and signed by both the applicant and the employer.
- Power of Attorney signed by two (2) witnesses. The Power of Attorney does not have to be submitted unless the applicant wants someone other than him/her to receive information about the processing of the application by the Directorate of Immigration.
The applicant is responsible for submitting the necessary supporting documents with his/her application. If satisfactory documents with the application are not received by the Directorate of Immigration, this may result in delays in processing the application or in the application being denied. The Directorate of Immigration may request additional information when special circumstances recommend it.