IcelandVisits and short stays

Iceland visa for visiting family and friends

Schengen short-stay visa (C visa) for visiting family or friends

In short

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. The host’s invitation and proof of kinship are central to the file. Visits longer than 90 days need the short-term residence permit instead.

checked 24 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the whole Schengen Area.
Validity
Single or multiple entry. Multiple-entry visas run from 6 months to 5 years and are rarely issued on a first application.
Fee
€90Standard Schengen fee published by the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs; €45 for children aged 6 to 12. An external service provider adds its own service fee. Not refunded after a refusal.
Processing time
Normally within 15 calendar days, up to 45 if further checks are needed. Appointment waits and backlogs vary by mission.
Work
No. Visitors may not work in Iceland, paid or unpaid.
Family
Each traveller, including each child, needs a separate application and their own passport.
Where to apply
The mission that handles Icelandic Schengen visas in the country where you legally live: an Icelandic embassy or the embassy of a Schengen state representing Iceland, often through an external service provider.

Who uses this visa

It suits parents visiting a son or daughter working in Iceland, relatives attending a wedding or birth, and friends staying with a host. The trip must be a genuine visit with a clear end date, and Iceland must be the main destination. Family members of EEA/EFTA citizens exercising free movement have their applications handled under EU rules.

The invitation and the host’s papers

Iceland’s list asks for a letter of invitation from the host (the reference person) and, for relatives, documents proving the family relationship, such as a civil registry extract translated into English. Funding can come from your own bank statements or from a guarantee by the host supported by the host’s payslips or bank statements. A copy of the host’s passport or Icelandic residence card helps the embassy confirm their status.

Required documents

Identity

  • Passport issued within the last 10 years, valid at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen Area, with at least two blank pages

Travel

  • Return or round-trip flight reservation

Money

  • Recent bank statements showing enough money for the stay and the return journey

Family

  • Invitation letter from the host in Iceland with name, address, relationship and dates
  • Proof of the family relationship, such as a civil registry extract with an English translation

Insurance

  • Travel medical insurance valid in all Schengen states for the whole trip, minimum cover €30,000

Other

  • Completed and signed application form and one photo of 35 x 45 mm taken within the last 6 months

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Identity

  • Copy of the host’s passport or Icelandic residence permit card

Money

  • Host’s guarantee with the host’s payslips or bank statements, if the host pays

Where and how to apply

Book an appointment at the mission that handles Icelandic visas in your country of residence or at its service provider, complete the application as instructed, and bring it signed with your documents. Biometrics are taken when you lodge the file. You may apply up to 6 months before the trip; files arriving at the embassy less than 15 days before departure can be rejected as inadmissible.

  1. Ask your host for a dated, signed invitation and copies of their identity or residence documents.
  2. Collect proof of kinship and have documents not in English translated into English.
  3. Find the mission that handles Icelandic visas in your country of residence and book an appointment.
  4. Lodge the file, pay the €90 fee and any service fee, and give biometrics.
  5. Wait for the decision and collect the passport where you applied.
  6. Travel with the invitation, insurance and return ticket in your hand luggage.

Processing and multiple-entry visas

The usual target is 15 calendar days, extended to 45 when extra checks are needed, though some missions have backlogs. Iceland lists family members of third-country nationals living legally in Schengen among those who may qualify for multiple-entry visas of 6 months to 5 years, mainly after earlier visas have been used correctly.

Staying longer than planned

A visa issued for fewer than 90 days can be extended by emailing visa@utn.is when force majeure, humanitarian reasons or serious personal reasons prevent departure, for example if the relative you are visiting falls seriously ill. Serious personal reasons cost €30 if approved. For planned visits beyond 90 days, apply in advance for the short-term residence permit (ISK 12,200).

Refusals

The visa fee and any service fee are not refunded after a refusal. If another Schengen state’s embassy decided on Iceland’s behalf, the appeal follows that state’s rules and the guidance in the refusal letter. A host who wants to appeal for you needs your written authorisation.

Frequently asked questions

Does my host in Iceland have to use an official invitation form?

Iceland’s list asks for a letter of invitation from the host; it does not prescribe an Icelandic form. Check the checklist of the mission handling your application for any template it prefers.

Can I stay with my child in Iceland for six months?

Not on a visa. A visa allows 90 days in 180; for a longer visit to a close family member, apply for the short-term residence permit, which allows up to 180 days at a time.

Can my host pay for my trip?

Yes. A guarantee from the host, backed by the host’s payslips or bank statements, is accepted as proof of financial means.

Do children need their own application?

Yes. Each child needs a separate application and passport; the fee is €45 for children aged 6 to 12, and children under 12 do not give fingerprints.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Iceland

Visits and short stays

  • Tourist visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the whole Schengen Area.

Business and self-employment

  • Business visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the whole Schengen Area.

Study and training

  • Student visa Maximum stay: Granted for up to one year, renewable a year at a time with satisfactory study results.
  • Au pair visa Maximum stay: As long as the au pair agreement, never more than one year; renewable once for a further year.

Work

  • Work visa 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 Maximum stay: Usually one year at first, up to four years at a time, never beyond the work permit.
  • Working holiday visa Maximum stay: Up to one year.

Family

  • Spouse and partner visa 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 Maximum stay: Usually one year at a time, at most two years, and never longer than the sponsor’s temporary permit.

Residence

  • Residence permit Maximum stay: A continuous stay of up to 180 days; days in other Schengen states count as days in Iceland.
  • Permanent residence Maximum stay: Unlimited right of residence; the card is valid for five years.

Protection

Iceland visa guide