According to law, all international students must register in Iceland or apply for a student permit depending on citizenship. EU/EEA/EFTA citizens must register in Iceland according to the duration of stay.

Registering in Iceland for EEA/EFTA citizens

Citizens of EEA/EFTA countries who are studying in Iceland for more than six months must register their legal residence in Iceland. All persons who register a legal domicile in Iceland for the first time are listed in the National Registry and allocated a personal ID number – the Kennitala which is a unique, ten-digit number.

Students can start their application process before they arrive in Iceland by filling out an online application form (A-271).

Supporting documents to accompany the application are a copy/photo of a passport or legal travel document with at least 6 months remaining of its term of validity, a confirmation of school admission, a confirmation of health insurance (travel insurance is not sufficient), and documents confirming ability to provide means of support for at least three months (note that it must be clear who owns the means on the documents submitted and the document should not be older than two weeks).

More information can be found on the website of Registers Iceland.

When students arrive, they have to go to the offices of Registers Iceland or the nearest registration office (you can do so in Ísafjörður) and present their passport and the other documents. Processing of the registration at Registers Iceland may take a couple of weeks.

Registering in Iceland for Nordic citizens

Citizens of Nordic countries who are studying in Iceland for more than six months must register their legal residence in Iceland. They must come to the office of Registers Iceland or the nearest police office and register their arrival to Iceland within 7 days of arriving in the country. Bring a passport or other valid travel document.

The Nordic agreement on public registration between Denmark (including Greenland and the Åland Islands), Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden applies to those who move to Iceland from other Nordic countries. The agreement stipulates that people can only register one legal domicile in the Nordic countries. When a legal domicile is registered in Iceland, Registers Iceland notifies the departure country of the registration in Iceland, and then the person is registered as having moved to Iceland in the national registry of the relevant country.

More information can be found on the website of Register Iceland.

Change of address

All changes to housing arrangements must be notified to Registers Iceland.

Further information on change of address at Registers Iceland - Moving within Iceland.

Leaving Iceland

Before leaving Iceland students must notify Registers Iceland. Students who have an Icekey (Íslykill) can file form A-251 online. Students who are unable to do this online must go to Registers Iceland and file the form in person.

All students who have received income in Iceland, including salaries, grants, or other forms of remuneration, must file a tax return to the Directorate of Internal Revenue (RSK) annually and no later than one week before leaving the country. See further information or contact the RSK directly for more detailed information.