Iceland
Iceland visa guide: Schengen visas and residence permits
- 13 visa types
- checked 24 October 2026
How visas for Iceland work
Iceland is not in the EU but belongs to the Schengen Area, so a uniform Schengen visa issued by any Schengen state covers Iceland for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and an Icelandic Schengen visa covers the other states. Since the Visa Act No. 37/2026 took effect in May 2026, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs handles all visa work, including extensions; the Directorate of Immigration (Útlendingastofnun) deals only with residence permits and international protection.
Iceland has embassies in only a few countries. Elsewhere, short-stay visa applications are lodged at and examined by the embassy of another Schengen state that represents Iceland, such as Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland or France; the Icelandic government lists the responsible mission for each country, and many of them use VFS Global to receive applications. The visa fee is €90 (€45 for children aged 6 to 12) plus any service fee. Decisions are normally taken within 15 calendar days, or up to 45 when further checks are needed, but some missions have long backlogs.
Stays longer than 90 days need a residence permit from the Directorate of Immigration, applied for on paper with a fee paid by bank transfer before submission: ISK 70,000 for students, ISK 80,000 for work, ISK 110,000 for a spouse, ISK 120,000 for an au pair. Most applicants must show secure means of support of at least ISK 259,951 a month and Icelandic-valid health insurance of at least ISK 2,000,000. Visa-required nationals generally wait for the decision outside Iceland and then collect an entry visa (D visa) from the mission responsible for their place of residence.
Some routes have closed or narrowed. The long-term visa that let remote workers stay up to 180 days was repealed in May 2026 and replaced by a short-term residence permit for long family visits and for artists, scientists and athletes. Non-EEA nationals cannot obtain a permit to work in Iceland as self-employed persons, and there is no investor or golden visa route.
Which visa do I need?
Holiday, a visit to relatives or friends, or business meetings of up to 90 days: a Schengen C visa, if your nationality needs one, lodged at the mission that handles Icelandic visas where you live.
Longer family visit (over 90 days, up to 180 days at a time) or a stay as an artist, scientist or athlete that needs no other permit: the short-term residence permit.
Study: the student residence permit for full-time university study, exchanges or study-based internships; file by 1 May for the autumn semester.
Work: an employer in Iceland applies for a work permit and residence permit together, based on expert knowledge, a labour shortage, sport or a service or collaboration contract. Au pairs aged 18 to 25 use the au pair permit.
Joining family: a spouse, child or parent aged 67 or over of an Icelandic citizen or of a qualifying permit holder applies for family reunification. After four years on a qualifying permit, apply for permanent residence.
Visa types for Iceland
Visits and short stays
- Tourist visa Schengen short-stay visa (C visa) for tourism
Visa-required nationals need a Schengen visa to visit Iceland as tourists.
Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the whole Schengen Area. - Family and friends visit visa Schengen short-stay visa (C visa) for visiting family or friends
To visit relatives or friends living in Iceland for up to 90 days, visa-required nationals apply for a Schengen C visa at the mission that handles Icelandic visas in their country of residence, often another Schengen state’s embassy.
Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the whole Schengen Area.
Business and self-employment
- Business visa Schengen short-stay visa (C visa) for business
Business travellers who need a visa apply for a Schengen C visa at the mission that handles Icelandic visas in their country of residence, often another Schengen state’s embassy.
Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the whole Schengen Area.
Study and training
- Student visa Residence permit for students (Article 65, Foreign Nationals Act)
Foreign students admitted to full-time study at an Icelandic university, an approved exchange or a study-based internship need a student residence permit from the Directorate of Immigration.
Maximum stay: Granted for up to one year, renewable a year at a time with satisfactory study results. - Au pair visa Residence permit for au pair (Article 68, Foreign Nationals Act)
Young people aged 18 to 25 from outside the EEA can spend up to a year with an Icelandic host family as an au pair, caring for children and doing light housework for pocket money of at least ISK 15,000 a week.
Maximum stay: As long as the au pair agreement, never more than one year; renewable once for a further year.
Work
- Work visa Residence and work permit due to a shortage of labour (Article 9, Act No. 97/2002)
Jobs that do not require expert qualifications can be filled by non-EEA workers only through the shortage-of-labour permit, which the Directorate of Labour grants in exceptional cases when no one can be found in Iceland, the EEA, EFTA or the Faroe Islands.
Maximum stay: Up to one year for the first permit, or the length of a seasonal or clearly defined project; renewable for up to two years at a time. - Skilled worker visa Residence and work permit for work requiring expert knowledge (Article 8, Act No. 97/2002)
Iceland’s main skilled route is the temporary work permit for jobs requiring expert knowledge, granted by the Directorate of Labour together with a residence permit from the Directorate of Immigration.
Maximum stay: Usually one year at first, up to four years at a time, never beyond the work permit. - Working holiday visa Residence permit for Working Holiday / Youth Mobility (Article 66, Foreign Nationals Act)
Iceland’s Working Holiday / Youth Mobility permit rests on bilateral agreements with Andorra, Canada, Chile, Japan and the United Kingdom only.
Maximum stay: Up to one year.
Family
- Spouse and partner visa Residence permit for spouse or cohabiting partner (family reunification)
The spouse permit lets a married or cohabiting partner live in Iceland with an Icelandic citizen, a Nordic citizen, a permanent resident, or a holder of certain work or degree-study permits.
Maximum stay: Usually one year at a time, at most two years, and never longer than the sponsor’s own temporary permit. - Family reunification visa Residence permits for children and for parents aged 67+ (family reunification)
Besides spouses, Iceland reunites two groups: children under 18 in the custody of a parent living in Iceland, and parents aged 67 or over of an adult child in Iceland.
Maximum stay: Usually one year at a time, at most two years, and never longer than the sponsor’s temporary permit.
Residence
- Residence permit Short-term residence permit (introduced May 2026)
Since May 2026 the short-term residence permit is Iceland’s route for stays of more than 90 days that are not for settling: long visits to a close family member, or stays by artists, scientists and athletes who need no other permit.
Maximum stay: A continuous stay of up to 180 days; days in other Schengen states count as days in Iceland. - Permanent residence Permanent residence permit (Article 58, Foreign Nationals Act)
Foreign nationals who have lived in Iceland continuously for four years on a permit that counts towards settlement can apply online for permanent residence.
Maximum stay: Unlimited right of residence; the card is valid for five years.
Asylum and international protection
- Asylum and international protection International protection (asylum) in Iceland
People facing persecution, the death penalty, torture or inhuman treatment in their home country, and stateless persons, can seek international protection in Iceland.
Maximum stay: You may stay while the claim and any appeal are pending.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I apply for an Iceland visa?
At the mission listed by the Icelandic government for the country where you legally live: an Icelandic embassy or, in many countries, the embassy of another Schengen state that represents Iceland, often through a VFS Global centre.
How much is an Iceland Schengen visa?
€90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 12, plus any service fee charged by an external provider. Neither the visa fee nor the service fee is refunded if the visa is refused.
Can I visit Iceland with a Schengen visa issued by another country?
Yes. A valid uniform Schengen visa covers Iceland, as long as you respect its validity and the 90 days in 180 rule. You should still apply to the country of your main destination.
Does Iceland still have a remote work visa?
No. The long-term visa used by remote workers was repealed in May 2026. Its replacement, the short-term residence permit, covers extended family visits and artists, scientists and athletes, not remote employment.
Can I pay to speed up a visa or residence permit?
No. The Directorate of Immigration no longer offers paid expedited processing, and missions examining Schengen visas generally prioritise only urgent cases such as official meetings or serious illness of a close relative.
How much money do I need for an Iceland residence permit?
The standard minimum is ISK 259,951 a month for one person and ISK 415,922 for a married couple, shown for the whole permit period, plus private health insurance of at least ISK 2,000,000 until national cover starts.
Embassies and consulates
Last checked 24 October 2026. Each visa page lists the official sources it is based on.