International protection, rights and application procedure

The Directorate of Immigration may decide to give an application for international protection prioritised processing when:

• there is a strong likelihood that the application will be approved,

• the applicant's circumstances call for faster processing, for example if the applicant is an unaccompanied child or a person in need of special protection or assistance,

• the application appears to be manifestly unfounded, for example if the applicant comes from a country considered safe or can be returned to a country where they are not at risk of persecution or inhuman treatment,

• the applicant provides inconsistent or insufficient information about their circumstances,

• the applicant's conduct or information in the case file indicates that they may pose a danger to themselves or others,

• a new application is submitted after a previous application has been rejected or withdrawn,

• the application is submitted following a decision on expulsion.

What does prioritised processing involve?

When an application is given prioritised processing, the applicant is invited to an interview where they can explain their circumstances and the reasons for seeking protection. If the interview or further examination reveals any doubt as to whether the case should be handled under prioritised processing, it will be transferred to the regular procedure for substantive examination.

Iceland participates in the Asylum and Migration Management Regulation (AMMR) together with the Member States of the European Union, as well as Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

The AMMR regulation entered into force on 12 June 2026, replacing the Dublin III Regulation. It sets out the rules for determining which participating State is responsible for examining an application for international protection.

The purpose of the Regulation is to ensure that each application for international protection is examined by only one participating State. This provides a clear framework for determining which State is responsible for processing the application.

How is the responsible State determined?

When a person applies for international protection in Iceland, the Directorate of Immigration assesses whether Iceland or another participating State is responsible for examining the application under the AMMR.

In making this assessment, the Directorate considers a number of factors, including whether:

• the applicant is an unaccompanied child;

• the applicant has close family members in another participating State who may make that State responsible;

• the applicant holds a valid residence permit or visa issued by another participating State;

• the applicant holds a diploma, qualification or other educational credential issued by an educational institution in another participating State;

• the applicant entered the territory of another participating State irregularly; or

• the applicant has previously applied for international protection in another participating State.

If no other participating State is found to be responsible, Iceland will examine the application on its merits.

How is the assessment carried out?

When a person applies for international protection, or is apprehended after an irregular border crossing, their biometric data are recorded in the European Eurodac database. During the examination of the application, the database is consulted to obtain information that may be relevant in determining which participating State is responsible for examining the application.

If information in Eurodac indicates that another participating State may be responsible, the matter is examined further in accordance with the AMMR.

What happens if another participating State is responsible?

If another participating State is responsible for examining the application, the application will generally not be examined on its merits in Iceland. Instead, the applicant will be transferred to the State responsible for examining the application.

Before a decision is made, the applicant is given an opportunity to present information that may be relevant to determining which participating State is responsible.

A decision by the Directorate of Immigration to transfer an applicant to another participating State may be appealed to the Immigration and Asylum Appeals Board in accordance with the Foreign Nationals Act.

What happens if Iceland is responsible?

If Iceland is responsible for examining the application, the Directorate of Immigration will examine the application on its merits in Iceland. The Directorate will then assess whether the applicant qualifies for international protection in Iceland.

You can read more on AMMR in the information brochure What you need to know about the Asylum and Migration Management Regulation.

If Iceland is responsible for examining an application for international protection under the Asylum and Migration Management Regulation, the Directorate of Immigration will examine the application on its merits. The purpose of this examination is to determine whether the applicant qualifies for protection in Iceland.

The assessment is based on the applicant's account, the evidence they submit, and information about conditions in their country of origin. In some cases, additional information may be required, such as an age assessment or language and country-of-origin analysis.

• If the applicant meets the relevant requirements, they will be granted refugee status or subsidiary protection, together with a residence permit in Iceland.

• If the applicant does not qualify for international protection, the Directorate will assess whether they are eligible for a residence permit on humanitarian grounds.

• If the applicant does not meet the requirements for either international protection or a residence permit on humanitarian grounds, the application will be refused. The decision may be appealed to the Immigration and Asylum Appeals Board.