Children's domicile and its effects

If parents do not live together and have shared custody, it is necessary to decide which of the parents the child is domiciled.

Children of Icelandic origin cannot have two domiciles.

For example, when parents decide to have joint custody after divorce or after separation, or when parents decide to make a contract to have joint custody, they have to make a decision to leave. The principle of custody is that the marriage is continued after divorce or separation.

A parent with one foresight is registered with a legal residence of a child, unless they decide otherwise.

Influence of the registration of a child

Dictionary of words

When parents have shared custody, a child with a domicile is registered with one of them. There is talk of:

• The parent whose domicile is registered with

• a poor-passion parent who is not domiciled with a child registered with him

Record effect

It is considered that the child usually has permanent residence with the parent where he is domiciled. The Icelandic legislation is closely linked to the registration of a legal residence with a parent and it is important to present these rules well before the legal agreement is concluded. The registering of a legal household has the following effects:

• The pension is paid to a legal parent.

• A Icelandic legal parent can request a special contribution to the living from a passing parent.

• Children's benefit is generally paid to the parent with whom the child is domiciled at the end of the year.

• The Icelandic legal parent has the power to make decisive decisions about the child's daily life, such as the choice of preschool, elementary school, day care, health care and recreation. However, parents who take care of the child should always seek to consult on the child's subject.

• The Icelandic legal parent may decide to transfer his domicile within the country, and thus the legal authority of the child, without obtaining the consent of the resident parent.

• The child has the right to service from the municipality where it is domiciled, e.g. preschool, elementary school and social services.

• The Icelandic public support or entitlement to service or assistance may depend on the domicile of the child.

The agreement of both parents with shared custody is needed for a child to go abroad.

Convenience of the legal residence of a child

As part of the divorce process or separation process, parents have a contract for custody, co-habitation and domicile during a meeting with the county attorney's legal counsel. It is normal to have older children on the advice of the parents when making such decisions.

The parental contracts for custody or domicile can be temporary, but not for less than six months.

If no agreement is reached, the county may offer parents or other advice. It is possible to settle the registration of a domicile by court if parents cannot reach agreement.

Parents will get a copy of the contract or send it to their mailbox on my pages in Iceland. The Icelandic National Register of Iceland is sent to the county council of Iceland, which changes the registered domicile of the child accordingly.