Iceland Visa Information
Learn4good provides general information on study, travel, work visa and business visa requirements and the addresses of embassies worldwide. You should contact your local embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date information or visa forms.
Who requires a visa?
Citizens of the following Countries do not require a visa to enter Iceland:
All countries and territories that are members of the Schengen acquis, of the EU or of EFTA. Positive visa list of countries (also known as White Schengen List) from whose citizens no visa is required to enter the territory of the EU member states for a period of maximum 90 days.
Albania*****, Andorra***, Antigua and Barbuda , Argentina, Austria*, Australia (including the Cocoas Islands, Norfolk Island, Christmas Island)**, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium*, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina*****, Brazil***, Brunei, Bulgaria*, Canada**, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus*, Czech Republic*, Denmark*, El Salvador, Estonia*, Finland*, France*(including French Guyana, French Polynesia, Guadeloupe, Martinique, New Caledonia, Réunion, St Pierre and Miquelon), Germany, Greece*, Guatemala, Honduras***, Hungary*, Iceland**, Ireland*, Israel**, Italy*, Japan**, Korea (South)**, Latvia*, Liechtenstein**, Lithuania*, Luxembourg*, Macao, Macedonia*****, Malaysia, Malta*, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco***, Montenegro*****, Netherlands*, New Zealand (including the Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau)**, Nicaragua, Norway*, Panama, Paraguay, Poland*, Portugal*, Romania*, Saint Christopher and Nevis, San Marino***, Serbia******, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovak Republic*, Slovenia*, Spain* (including Spanish territories in North Africa with Ceuta and Melilla), Sweden*, Switzerland**, Taiwan, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (including the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and Bermuda)*****, United States of America (including Virgin Islands of the United States, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico)**, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela. Without a visa, however, citizens of the above countries may not stay longer than three months every half-year or take up gainful employment requiring a work permit. Excepted are the following.
* Citizens of European Union member states.
** If required, citizens of member states of the European Economic Area and some other countries may obtain a residence and/or work permit after entry.
*** Provided that they do not intend to enter into employment, citizens of Honduras, Monaco, San Marino may obtain any residence permit required after entry.
***** British Nationals (Overseas) with corresponding BN(O) passports are also exempt from the visa requirement.
*****The visa waiver applies only to holders of biometric passports.
******The visa waiver applies only to holders of biometric passports (excluding holders of Serbian passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate (in Serbian: Koordinaciona uprava)
In addition, holders of diplomatic passports, official passports or service passports issued by Turkey are exempt from the obligation of obtaining a visa. Holders of diplomatic passports and service passports issued by South Africa and Diplomatic and official passports issued by Pakistan are exempt from the obligation of obtaining a visa. Holders of diplomatic passports issued by Russia are exempt.
What documents will be required?
For the consideration of a visa application, the following documents must be presented:
- a completed application for visa and 2 photographs;
- an approved, valid travel document, in practice a passport. The passport must remain valid for at least 3 months after the intended journey has ended;
- documents showing the purpose of and the preconditions for the intended stay (e.g. an invitation, which is not, however, a condition for issuing a visa);
- sufficient funds for subsistence, considering the duration of the intended stay and a return journey to the country of departure or a possible continuation of the journey to a third country, or a document proving that the applicant can lawfully acquire such sufficient funds (e.g. cash, a credit card, tickets, a commitment of the inviter to bear the costs for the applicant’s stay, and similar evidence may be needed).
Time required to issue visa
2 days to 8 weeks, depending on nationality and resident status. Certain nationals must apply in person (contact Consulate or Consular section at Embassy for further details).
Tourist Visas:
Applicants must meet the following criteria in order to be granted a visa:
- Fulfill the conditions for a visa according to the Schengen acquis.
- Have a valid passport, or other valid and recognized travel document. Validity shall be at least three months beyond the period of the visa being applied for.
- The applicant must have permission to travel back to his home country or another country, valid at least three months beyond the validity of the visa.
- Not be subject to any reason for denial of entry or expulsion according to Sections 18 or 20 of the Act on Foreigners no. 96/2002.
- Not be considered to be a threat to public policy, internal security or public health as defined in Article 2(19) of the Schengen Borders Code or to the international relations of any of the Member States, in particular where no alert has been issued in Member States’ national databases for the purpose of refusing entry on the same grounds.
- Possess sufficient means of subsistence both for the duration of the intended stay and for the return to his country of origin or residence, or for the transit to a third country into which he is certain to be admitted, or be in a position to acquire such means lawfully.
- The applicant must leave Iceland/the Schengen-area when his visa expires. If the Directorate deems that the applicant might stay beyond than the validity period of the visa, a visa may be refused.
Applicants for a uniform visa shall prove that they are in possession of adequate and valid travel medical insurance to cover any expenses which might arise in connection with repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical attention and/or emergency hospital treatment or death, during their stay(s) on the territory of the Member States.
When lodging an application, the applicant shall:
- present a signed application form
- present a travel document
- present a passport size photograph
- allow the collection of his fingerprints, where applicable
- pay the visa fee
- provide supporting documents:
- documentation indicating the purpose of the journey, e.g. confirmation of the booking of an organised trip or any other appropriate document indicating the envisaged travel plans,
- documentation proving means of substenance (bank statement),
- documentation allowing for the assessment of the applicant‘s intention to leave the territory of the member states.
Other types of visas:
A C-Visa is a tourist/business visa and is usually not issued for longer than 90 days and the main purpose is a short visit. A foreigner applies for a C-Visa himself in the respective embassy.
A D-Visa is issued when a foreigner has been granted approval on his application for a residence permit in Iceland. This means that after the arrival of the foreigner in Iceland, on fulfilling certain obligations, the foreigner will be issued a residence permit. When the Directorate has decided to grant a residence permit, the Directorate sends a request for a D-Visa, which the foreigner then receives at the respective embassy.
Where you can apply for a visa
Embassies and Consulates issuing visas on behalf of Iceland. Except for the Embassies in Beijing and Moscow, Icelandic embassies and consulates do not issue visas. If you intend to apply for a visa for travel to Iceland in one of the following countries, you should contact an embassy or consulate in the respective country. Please note that many embassies use service providers for receiving applications. Applications are submitted at Visa Application centers, but visas are issued by the embassies. Information is on the website of the applicable embassy. In most cases the embassies and consulates are authorised to issue visas without consulting the Directorate, but if they have questions, e.g. on the authenticity or purpose of travel of the applicant, the applications are forwarded to the Directorate, which will then decide on the granting of a visa. If all required documentation is supplied and it is deemed that no further documentation is required, the processing time for a visa is approximately 2 weeks.
Visa appeal procedure:
The applicant may appeal a decision to the Ministry of the Interior. An appeal shall be sent to the Icelandic Directorate of Immigration, Skógarhlíð 6, 105 Reykjavík, within 15 days of receiving the decision. If the reference person would like to appeal on behalf of the applicant, he must have a written authorization from the applicant.*
Embassy contact information:
Please contact the nearest Iceland embassy for information on what documentation you may require to enter Iceland. Icelandic Embassies Worldwide.
Disclaimer: The contents of these pages are provided as an information guide only, in good faith. The use of this website is at the viewer/user's sole risk. While every effort is made in presenting up-to-date and accurate information, no responsibility or liability is accepted by the owners to this website for any errors, omissions, outdated or misleading information on these pages or any site to which these pages connect or are linked.
Source & Copyright: The source of the above visa and immigration information and copyright owner/s is the:
- Ministry Of Foreign Affairs - URL: www.mfa.is
- The Directorate of Immigration - URL: www.utl.is
The viewer/user of this web page should use the above information as a guideline only, and should always contact the above sources or the user's own government representatives for the most up-to-date information at that moment in time, before making a final decision to travel to that country or destination.