Residence permits on grounds of legitimate and special purpose

If you meet all the requirements for a residence permit, the permit is granted and you receive a notification that the application has been approved.

If you need a visa to travel to Iceland a request for an entry visa will be sent to the relevant embassy, see information on which embassies issue such visas.

Issuing a residence permit

Before a residence permit can be issued you must

• attend a photo appointment for the residence permit card, either at the Directorate of Immigration, where you need to make an appointment, or at district commissioners outside the capital area.

  • Remember to bring a passport to confirm your identiy.

• submit a notification of residence.

• undergo a medical examination within two weeks of arrival in Iceland, if applicable.

When you have fulfilled these conditions, the residence permit is issued and a residence permit card is ordered. The production of a card normally takes 10 days. You will receive an sms when the card is ready for pick-up at the Directorate's reception in Dalvegur 18. If you would rather pick up the card at a district commissioner's office outside the capital area, please mention this when you come to have your photo taken.

The Directorate of Immigration sends a request for your legal domicile to be registered in the National Registry to Registers Iceland which allocates you a personal identification number (kennitala).

If you fail to attend a photo appointment, to notify your place of residence or undergo a medical examination within 90 days of being granted a residence permit, the permit will not be issued. This can lead to illegal stay, expulsion and re-entry ban.