Residence Permit
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Citizens of the Nordic countries
Citizens of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden) do not need a residence permit. -
Citizens of EEA countries and Switzerland
Citizens of EEA countries and Switzerland intending to stay for less than six months do not need a residence permit, but instead, those individuals shall register their residence with the National Registry, Þjóðskrá.
Further information can be found on the Icelandic Directorate of Immigration's website.
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Citizens of countries outside the EEA
Citizens of countries outside the EEA need to apply for a residence permit. Residence permits must be acquired before entering the country. It can take up to 90 days for the Directorate to issue the residence permit. Upon arrival international exchange students need to undergo a full physical examination at the beginning of their stay in the country. Further information can be found on the Icelandic Directorate of Immigration's website.
If You Need a Residence Permit:
You need to apply for a residence permit at the Directorate of Immigration. Detailed information on documents needed for the application is available at the website of the Icelandic Directorate of Immigration. The Application shall be sent to the Directorate of Immigration along with accompanying documents. The application will not be processed until the Processing Fee has been paid.
Domicile
Any person intending to stay more than three months in Iceland must be domiciled in the country. To register your domicile in Iceland you will have to go to the Statistical Bureau Iceland's National Registry (Þjóðskrá) to fill out a form and show a valid residence permit along with your passport.
The National Registry (Þjóðskrá) is located at Borgartúni 21, 105 Reykjavik.
Drivers Licence
If you already have a driver's license from another country you do not have to get an Icelandic license for the first 6 months. After this first six months you have one month in order to apply and receive an Icelandic driver's license. For more information click here.
Health Insurance
The Icelandic social security system is a residence-based system. To be insured with the State Social Security Institute, Tryggingarstofnun Ríkisins, a person must have been registered with a domicile in the National Registry for six months. Iceland is part of the European Economic Area.
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Citizens of the Nordic Countries
Nordic students are automatically insured and therefore they do not need to take any actions. -
Citizens of EU/EEA Countries
Students from EU/EEA countries should bring with them form E128. After the form has been registered with Tryggingastofnun, the State Social Security Institute, they will have access to the health system in Iceland. The European Health Insurance Card. -
Non-EU/EEA Citizens
A person who is not insured in Iceland or other EEA states can obtain medical assistance but must, of course, pay in full. Later, that person can seek reimbursement from his/her own insurance in the country of origin or from his private insurance plan.
Useful Information
