Residence permits for parents and children who applied for international protection in Iceland before 1 August 2021

• A residence permit for parents and children, who applied for international protection in Iceland before 1 August 2021, is granted for one year.

• When the residence permit is issued, the right to services as an applicant for international protection ceases. However, the right to housing and maintenance shall be guaranteed for three months after the permit is issued.

• If the holder of the permit stays abroad for more than three consecutive months, the residence permit can be revoked. A foreign national’s residence permit is automatically revoked if his/her domicile, which was registered in Iceland, has been registered abroad for a period of three months.

Right to renewal

• The permit may be renewed for one year at a time.

  • When renewing, applicants will have to meet all the basic requirements of a residence permit. This includes the conditions of being able to prove ones identity with a valid passport and the condition of being able to support oneself financially, see details in the renewal instructions.

• Even though the residence permit has been revoked, it is possible to apply for a renewal, if this is done within the validity period of the previous residence permit and the reasons for doing so recommend it.

Right to family reunification

• The permit confers the right to family reunification for the holder's

  • spouse, and

  • children under the age of 18, if the holder has custody of them.

Right to work

• The permit holder may work without a work permit in Iceland.

Right to permanent residence

• The permit can be a basis for a permanent residence permit.

  • Please note that one of the conditions of a permanent residence permit is that you have not resided abroad for more than 90 days in total each year during the period of validity of the residence permit, counting from the date of issue of the permit.