Residence permit for Working Holiday / Youth Mobility

Applicants must demonstrate that they have secure means of support in Iceland for three months after the issuance of a residence permit. To have secure means of support means that you are able to financially support yourself independently.

The Directorate of Immigration may obtain tax returns and documents from tax authorities in confirmation of this.

Amount

The minimum amount required as secure means of support is:

• 239.895 ISK for individuals per month.

The amount corresponds to the basic amount of financial assistance from the City of Reykjavík, see rules on financial assistance (in Icelandic). The amounts are based on income before taxation.

Duration

Means of support must be secure for three months after the issuance of a residence permit.

The following is not considered secure means of support

• Payments in the form of social assistance, by the state or municipality (other than housing compensation (húsnæðisbætur)). If an applicant has received such compensation and is unable to demonstrate satisfactory support through other means, a residence permit will be rejected. 

• Alimony payments and child allowance, since their purpose is to support a child.

• Support by a third party.

• Assets other than bank-account balances (for example real estate) and dividend from companies, interest or other payments that cannot be reliably expected to be available for payment.

• Cash is not considered as satisfactory confirmation of support.

An insurance certificate must be submitted, confirming that the applicant has taken out (purchased) a health insurance

• that is valid in Iceland,

• for at least six months from the date of the registration of the applicant's legal domicile in Iceland,

• with a minimum coverage of ISK 2,000,000.

Six months after registering your legal domicile with Registers Iceland you will be automatically covered by the national health insurance.

When applying for a residence permit no matters may exist that could cause the applicant being denied entry or stay in Iceland.

This means that you may not have

• during the past five years, served a prison sentence abroad or been sentenced there to punishment for conduct which under Icelandic law would be subject to imprisonment of longer than three months

• been sentenced for a punishable offence in Iceland, or to be subject to security measures for conduct liable to imprisonment, for longer than three months or have been sentenced to imprisonment more than once in the past three years

• You are 18 to 30 years old when the application is submitted, including both years.

• The purpose of your stay is to experience the culture and general way of life in Iceland.

• You have not previously been granted a Working Holiday permit in Iceland.

• You are 18 to 30 years old when the application is submitted, including both years.

• You live in your home country.

• The purpose of your stay is to experience the culture and general way of life in Iceland.

• You have not previously been granted a Working Holiday permit in Iceland.

• You are 18 to 26 years old when the application is submitted.

• You live in your home country.

• The purpose of your stay is to experience the culture and general way of life in Iceland.

• You have not previously been granted a Working Holiday permit in Iceland.

• You do not intend to take up residence in Iceland.

• You are 18 to 30 years old when the application is submitted, including both years.

• You live in your home country.

• The purpose of your stay is to experience the culture and general way of life in Iceland.

• You have not previously been granted a Working Holiday permit in Iceland.

• You may not engage as a professional in employment for which you are not qualified or as a professional sportsperson, including as a coach.