Self-sufficient individuals
The application processing time can be up to 10 working days after all necessary documents have been submitted.
You can reside in Iceland on the basis of sufficient funds if
- You are an EEA/EFTA citizen.
- You have enough money (sufficient funds) to support yourself or,
- Another person, like a family member can support you.
You must be financially independent.
When we process your application we assess specifically and individually whether you have sufficient funds to be self-supporting. Your funds will always be sufficient if you have funds equal to or over the minimum financial support criteria in the municipality where you live.
- A single individual must normally have at least 247.572 kr. monthly subsistence.
- A married couple must normally have at least 396.115 kr. combined monthly subsistence.
- A descendant over the age of 18 residing with parents must normally have 123.786. kr. monthly subsistence.
- An individual over the age of 18 staying with a relative who financially supports them, the relative must normally have 456.136 kr. monthly subsistence.
- Note: The standard may vary depending on relevancy. Registers Iceland can take personal circumstances of applicants into account.
You must submit documentation that you can support yourself and any family members for at least 12 months or during the length of your stay in Iceland if your stay is shorter than 12 months.
However, you must continue to be self-supporting during your entire stay.
Registers Iceland may, at a later date, ask you to submit documentation that you still have sufficient funds.
You must have comprehensive private health insurance until you have had your legal domicile registered in Iceland for 6 months. A six month period of registered legal domicile in Iceland is the requirement to gain access to the public health insurance scheme in Iceland.
It is each persons own responsibility to know and verify the conditions of their insurance, i.e. what the insurance covers.
If you are receiving a pension from another EEA/EFTA country, you may be entitled to an S1 insurance certificate from the country you receive the pension. You can contact the relevant health insurance institution of that country to see if you are eligible to be issued an S1 certificate.
If you have an S1 certificate, you must present it to Registers Iceland and it must also be presented to the Health Insurance Administration (Sjúkratryggingar Íslands) for it to take effect. Registers Iceland can also forward the certificate to Sjúkratryggingar Íslands.
Note: Abuse of rights or fraud may result in the revocation of a person‘s right to reside in Iceland.
As an EEA/EFTA citizen you have the right to reside and work in Iceland with or without registering for up to three months.
In Iceland, an ID number (kennitala) is necessary in many situations, for example to open a bank account.
You can bring your family to Iceland. They must also register using the application form.
After 5 years in Iceland, you may be entitled to a permanent right of residence, if you meet the requirements.
If you plan to stay in Iceland for less than 3 months, you do not meet the requirements for domicile registration in Iceland and you should apply for a system ID, see more here. However, if you are seeking employment, you can remain in Iceland for up to 6 months before applying for a legal domicile registration.
If you plan on being in Iceland for longer than 3 months, you need to apply for a legal domicile in Iceland. You can stay in Iceland as long as you meet the requirements for legal domicile registration in Iceland.
If you have grounds for residence as a self-supporting person and you can no longer support yourself, you can reside in Iceland as long as you meet the requirements for registration based on one of the other residence categories :
- As an employee
- As a self-employed person
- As a student
- As a family member
- As a posted worker
If you are leaving Iceland because you no longer have the funds to support yourself, you must notify us that you are leaving and submit a notification of moving from Iceland using form A-251.
Individuals can stay abroad for up to 6 months on a yearly basis without registering their domicile out of Iceland.
Please note that you do not need to register out of Iceland for a stay abroad for more than 6 months if any of the following conditions apply:
- Longer absence on one or more occasions for compulsory military service.
- A single absence of a maximum of 12 consecutive months for urgent reasons, such as pregnancy and child birth, serious illness, study or vocational training or work to which the person concerned is sent to in another EEA/EFTA country or third country.
If you leave Iceland for more than 6 months and the above mentioned reasons don't apply, you are required to register your legal domicile out of Iceland here. For more information regarding moving from Iceland, see here.
If you have registered out of Iceland, but have returned, you will need to re-apply for legal domicile registration within 3 months, using form A-271.
If you have acquired permanent residence, you will not lose it unless you leave Iceland for a period exceeding two consecutive years.
Please note that it is not permitted to have a legal domicile registration in two countries at the same time according to pgr. 1 of art. 2 of the law of legal domicile no. 80/2018.
You can apply using application A-271 or click on the application form on the right.
With your application, you must always submit a valid passport or ID card along with the required documents to demonstrate that you meet the requirements for legal domicile registration.
How can I document sufficient funds?
You can document that you have sufficient funds by showing, for example:
- A bank statement (showing the name, date, currency and amount of the account). The statement must not be older than 2 weeks old, when submitted.
- Documentation of other funds, if applicable, e.g. pension funds from your home country, unemployment benefits, salary from abroad, income deriving from investment etc.
- Documentation of scholarships, if applicable.
- If you are supported financially by someone else, you can, for example, submit:
- A copy of your supporter's/sponsor's photo ID (e.g. passport or ID-card).
- Declaration of financial support, signed by your supporter/sponsor.
It is optional to submit the following documents with the application :
- Birth certificate
- Marital status certificate. Applicants are encouraged to submit their marital status certificate because marital status may affect an individual's rights and their children (if relevant)
Upon arrival in Iceland, applicants must visit a registration office and present the original copies of the following documents
- Passport or legal travel document
- Birth certificate and/or marital status certificate, if they were submitted in the application process.
All documents must be in Icelandic or English. In cases where documents are in another language, a certified translation is required along with the original document.