Renewal of a residence permit for refugees is applied for with a digital application online. It is necessary to have an electronic ID to fill out the application, see electronic certificate registration sites.
Note that this application is not for those who have received collective protection in Iceland after fleeing from Ukraine, see information on the extension of such permits.
The application does not need to be completed in one session; you can pause the filling out and continue at your convenience within the next 60 days.
Processing fee
The fee for an application for renewal of a residence permit is 16.000 ISK
You must pay the fee in the last step of the online application procedure for the application to be submitted. Do not pay for an online application with a bank transfer.
The processing fee is not refunded if the applicant cancels the application.
Application process
You must apply for a residence permit renewal before the expiry of your current permit. Please do not submit a renewal application with more than two months remaining on your current permit.
Conditions for continued subsidiary protection
A residence permit on grounds of subsidiary protection may only be renewed if the conditions for subsidiary protection are still fulfilled.
This means that upon processing an application for renewal, the Directorate of Immigration must make a new assessment of the general situation in your home country and assess whether you still qualify for subsidiary protection.
If the requirements for subsidiary protection are still fulfilled, your permit will be renewed. If the Directorate of Immigration considers that the requirements are no longer fulfilled, your subsidiary protection will be revoked and the application for renewal of a residence permit based on subsidiary protection will be rejected.
The revocation of your subsidiary protection will affect the rights of your family members to stay in Iceland, if they have a residence permit based on family reunification with you.
You can appeal a decision to revoke your subsidiary protection to the Immigration and Asylum Appeals Board.
Application for renewal refused
If your application for renewal is rejected, you will have the opportunity to apply for a residence permit in Iceland on another basis. If you meet the conditions of the permit you apply for, you will be granted permission to stay in Iceland.
If you do not apply for an alternative residence permit, or if you do not meet the requirements of the permit you apply for, you must leave the country. A person in such a situation is usually granted a 15-day period to leave the country voluntarily. If you do not leave within the granted period, the case is referred to the police for enforcement and you will usually not be allowed to enter the Schengen area for the next two years.
Application for renewal approved
If an application for renewal is accepted, you must attend a photo appointment for a new residence permit card either at the Directorate of Immigration’s reception or at a District Commissioner's office outside the capital area. Remember to bring your passport to prove your identity.
The production of a new residence card normally takes 10 days. You will receive a text message 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.
Service provider
Directorate of Immigration