How to Become an Icelandic Citizen

Applying for Residence in Iceland

Register with Registry Iceland if you are an EU/EEA citizen. As the citizen of an EU/EEA member country, you have a right to residence in Iceland, provided you are capable of supporting yourself financially. You can stay in Iceland for up to 6 months without registering if you are actively seeking employment. Once you register, visit the Directorate of Immigration's office to be photographed for your residence card. EU/EEA citizens do not have to complete any other steps to become legal residents of Iceland. This right to residence is available to anyone who is a citizen of Spain, the UK, France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, or Slovenia.

Confirm you are eligible for residence. If you intend to stay in Iceland permanently (and ultimately, become a citizen), make sure you choose a residence permit that can serve as the basis for a permanent residence permit. These types of permits include student, humanitarian, family reunification, and work requiring expert knowledge permits. All applicants must meet the basic requirements for residence, including proof of identity, proof of health insurance, a place of residence in Iceland, and the ability to support yourself financially. The specific eligibility requirements for legal residence in Iceland depend on the type of residence permit you're seeking. To evaluate the criteria for different categories, visit https://utl.is/index.php/en/residence-permits.

Complete your application for residence. Application forms are available for download from the website of the Directorate of Immigration, at https://utl.is/index.php/en/about-directorate-of-immigration/forms. You can also get a paper application from the office of the Directorate of Immigration in Reykjavík. The form requires you to provide information about your identity, citizenship, education, work experience, as well as your personal and criminal background. Answer all questions completely and honestly.

Gather documents to support your application. Most of the statements you make in your application for residence must be backed up by official documentation. A checklist of required documents accompanies each application. Don't delay in gathering these documents. Some must be certified copies, and may take longer for you to get. Documents not in English or a Scandinavian language must be translated by an authorized translator. Submit the certified translation along with the document in its original form.

Pay for your application. As of 2022, the processing fee for a residence application is 15,000 kr. Your payment must be made before you submit your application. Include your payment receipt with your application for residence. The Directorate of Immigration only accepts direct transfer to its bank account as a method of payment. Transfer funds to account number 0515-26-410424 in the Central Bank of Iceland, Íslandsbanki hf. Kopavogur, Iceland. The ID number for the Immigration Service is 670269-6399. Include your name and date of birth in the information when submitting the payment.

Submit your application for residence before you move to Iceland. Unless you are the citizen of an EU/EEA member country, you must have your residence visa before you can live in Iceland. If you are already in Iceland when you submit your application (for example, as a tourist), you may have to leave the country until your application is approved. If you are the spouse or dependent of an Icelandic citizen or permanent resident, you may remain in Iceland while your residence application is processed.

Wait for your application to be processed. It may take up to 180 days for your application to be processed by the Directorate, from the date your application is submitted with complete payment. The Directorate will notify you if any necessary documents are missing or incomplete. You can request expedited processing in writing. However, expedited processing is typically only granted for exceptional circumstances, such as a natural disaster or serious illness of a family member. If you receive a request for additional documentation, supply it by the deadline noted on the letter. Failure to supply requested documentation by this deadline will result in rejection of your application. Provided you meet the requirements for a residence permit, it will be granted. If you need a visa to enter Iceland, the visa request will be sent to the Icelandic embassy nearest you.

Go to the office of the Directorate of Immigration. Within 2 weeks of your arrival in Iceland, visit the office of the Directorate of Immigration in Reykjavík to be photographed for your residence permit. You must also provide notification of your residence in Iceland and submit to a medical examination. If you fail to make this visit within 90 days of your arrival in Iceland, your residence permit will not be issued and you may be subject to deportation. Your residence permit card will be mailed to you at the address on file within 10 days.

Renew your permit at least 4 weeks before it expires. If you plan to apply for Icelandic citizenship, you must have continuous residence in the country. If you file your renewal application at least 4 weeks before your previous permit expires, you ensure that your residence will be considered continuous. By submitting your renewal application 4 weeks before your previous permit expires, you are protected even in the event that your application is not processed in time. You may continue to stay in the country until processing is complete. Otherwise, you would have to leave the country and your renewal would be treated as a first application.

Applying for Permanent Residence

Live in Iceland for 4 years. Generally, you must live in Iceland for at least 4 years under a temporary residence permit before you can apply for permanent residence. If you are the spouse of an Icelandic citizen or permanent resident, you can apply for permanent residence after living in Iceland for 3 years. If you have a student resident permit, you only have to live in Iceland for 2 years before you can apply for permanent residence. You must meet all other qualifications for permanent residence. Your stay in Iceland must be consecutive. While short visits abroad are permitted, if you stay outside of Iceland for more than 90 days during your "stay period," it will not be considered consecutive.

Attend approved courses in Icelandic. Even though most people in Iceland speak English, if you want to become a permanent resident of the country you must take at least 150 hours of Icelandic language courses. You also have the option of studying Icelandic on your own and taking a status test to demonstrate you have a basic understanding of the language. Approved courses are available through the Mími Lifelong Learning Center. Visit the center's website for more information about the courses, or to sign up. You must attend at least 85 percent of all courses you register for to count those courses towards your required 150 hours.

Complete your application for permanent residence. The application for permanent residence requires you to provide information about your stay in Iceland and any trips you made abroad, as well as personal, educational, and financial information. A copy of the application for permanent residence is available at https://utl.is/images/Eydublod-2017/D-200-Otimabundid-dvl-EN-19.pdf, or you can pick up a paper copy at the office of the Directorate of Immigration in Reykjavík.

Gather original documents to support your application. Along with your signed application, include certified or confirmed employment contracts, tax return forms, language course certificates, and a photocopy of your passport. Your passport must be valid for at least 90 days beyond the expiration date of your current residence permit. You may also include other documents that prove you have secure financial support, including bank statements or pay stubs.

Submit your application packet to the Directorate of Immigration. Take your application in person to the desk at the office of the Directorate of Immigration in Reykjavík. Applications are also accepted at offices of district commissioners outside the Reykjavík metropolitan area. Bring a receipt for payment of your processing fee. The fees for a permanent residence application are the same as those for a temporary residence permit. You must submit your application for permanent residence at least 4 weeks before your current residence permit expires. If your residence permit expires before your permanent residence application is approved, you can remain in the country provided you submitted your application on time. Otherwise, your stay will not be considered continuous and you will have to start the whole process over.

Receive your permanent residence permit. It may take as long as 90 days for your application to be processed, provided you've completed your application and included all necessary supporting documents. If documents are missing or incomplete, the Directorate of Immigration will send you a letter requesting them. Submit the requested documents as soon as possible to avoid extended delays.

Meeting Citizenship Requirements

Live in Iceland as a legal resident for 7 years. Generally, you must maintain continuous residency for at least 7 years before you are eligible to become a citizen of Iceland. If you leave Iceland for more than 90 days, you may destroy the continuous nature of your residency and have to start over. If you are a Nordic citizen (a citizen of Denmark, Norway, or Sweden), you only need to live in Iceland for 4 years. If you are married to an Icelandic national, you only need to live in Iceland for 3 years before you can apply for citizenship. Even if you're eligible to apply for citizenship after fewer than 7 years, your residence in Iceland must be continuous.

Maintain steady employment in Iceland. To become a citizen of Iceland, you must be able to prove that you are capable of supporting yourself financially. If you have received a support grant of assistance from a local government authority in the past 3 years, you are not eligible for citizenship. Generally, a steady job demonstrates that you are capable of supporting yourself. If you are unable to work because of a disability or serious medical condition, you must be able to prove that you can rely on family members for support. If you are married to an Icelandic national who is the primary supporter for your family, you must be able to show that neither of you have received government support grants.

Stay out of debt. You must be able to demonstrate that you are financially responsible and are able to support yourself, both now and in the future. If you owe back taxes, or if you have filed for bankruptcy, you are not eligible to become a citizen of Iceland. Likewise, your application for citizenship may be refused if you have substantial debt, are over-extended in terms of financial obligations, or have missed payments on debt.

Study the Icelandic language. If you want to become a citizen of Iceland, you must be able to demonstrate that you are proficient in the national language. At least 240 hours of Icelandic study is required before you can apply for citizenship. For more information on Icelandic language courses approved by the Directorate of Immigration, visit the Mími Lifelong Learning website. In addition to the language itself, these courses also cover Icelandic government, Icelandic society, and cultural traditions.

Becoming a Citizen

Prove your identity. Along with your application for citizenship, you must include documents that provide satisfactory evidence of your identity. Typically, you will need your passport and a certified copy of your birth certificate. If your birth certificate is in a language other than English or another Nordic language, you will need a certified translation by an authorized translator along with the original copy. You may be able to provide a copy of a government-issued identity card instead of your passport.

Gather tax returns and financial documents. Along with your application for citizenship, you must provide tax returns for the last 3 years you've lived in Iceland. You also need certificates from every municipality you've lived in for the past 3 years, stating that you have not received any public grants of support. To be eligible for citizenship, you must be able to show that you make at least 180,550 kr. in a month. For couples, the 2 of you together must make at least 270,825 kr. in a month. These amounts are accurate as of 2018, but are based on the minimum wage ratio and may change. Check the website of the Directorate of Immigration for the most up-to-date numbers. Iceland will not grant citizenship if you have filed for bankruptcy within the 3 years preceding your application.

Obtain reference letters from 2 Icelandic citizens. Request letters recommending you for citizenship from Icelandic citizens in good standing. Generally, neither of these letters should be from your spouse or a member of your family. The letters will testify as to your work ethic, good character, and good reputation as a member of the community. Choose individuals, such as your supervisor at work, who are familiar with you professionally and personally.

Submit a criminal background check. Generally, you cannot become a citizen of Iceland if you have been convicted of an act that would constitute a crime under Icelandic law. There are exceptions for minor offenses, provided the requisite interval of time has passed since the completion of your sentence or payment of your fine. If an offense is repeated, the interval period no longer applies. If you commit the same crime more than once, you are not eligible for Icelandic citizenship.

Pass the Icelandic language test. Icelandic language tests are given twice a year by the Educational Institute in Reykjavík. To become a citizen, you must complete the test and present a certificate stating that you have passed the test and meet the requirements for Icelandic proficiency. For more information on the Icelandic language test for Icelandic citizenship, visit the Educational Institute website at https://mms.is/islenskuprof-vegna-rikisborgararettar. The test includes reading, writing, speech, and listening comprehension. Generally, you should be able to understand and engage in simple conversations about everyday life. The Icelandic language test also includes questions on basic customs in Icelandic society. You may qualify for an exemption from the language test if you are over the age of 65, or if you cannot take the test because of a serious mental or physical disability or condition.

Complete your application for citizenship. There are different citizenship applications, depending on the basis of your application. You can download the correct application form, along with instructions and a checklist of supporting documents, from the website of the Directorate of Immigration. You can also pick up paper copies at the office in Reykjavík. Applications for citizenship are available at https://utl.is/index.php/um-utlendingastofnun/eydhubloedh. Citizenship applications are only available in Icelandic. Along with your application, include payment of the 25,000 kr. (as of 2018) processing fee. If payment is not made within 90 days of the date your application is submitted, it will be denied.

Await approval from the immigration minister. The immigration minister makes a decision on any request for Icelandic citizenship. Processing will not begin until the Directorate of Immigration has received a complete and paid application, along with all required supporting documents. The average processing time for a citizenship application is 6 to 8 months. During processing, if you have not submitted sufficient supporting documentation, the Directorate of Immigration will send you a letter in the mail requesting the missing documents.

Apply to parliament if the minister rejects your application. If your application for citizenship was denied by the Immigration Service, you can submit it to parliament and request citizenship be granted to you by law. These applications are heard twice a year. The deadlines are March 1 (for the spring session) and October 1 (for the autumn session). When sending your application to parliament, you must pay an additional handling fee of 25,000 kr. (as of 2018). If the parliament refuses to grant citizenship, you may appeal to the Ministry of Justice.