Residence permit based on special ties to Iceland

• A residence permit on grounds of special ties to Iceland can be granted for up to one year.

• 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 up to one year at a time, if the conditions of the permit are still fulfilled.

• Even though the residence permit has been revoked, it is possible to apply for a renewal, if this is done within the validity period of the previous residence permit and the reasons for doing so recommend it.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

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

  • parents 67 years or older

  • spouse, if the holder has worked or studied in Iceland in legal stay for four years.

Right to work

• The residence permit entails the right to work in Iceland without a work permit.

Right to permanent residence

• The permit may be the 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.