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ReadFor generalinformation guidance on movinggetting ora retiringCOVID-19 abroadvaccine as a UK national in Iceland see our coronavirus travel advice.

To

Stay stay up to date:date

You should:

• sign up for email alerts on living in Iceland

• follow the British Embassy Reykjavík on Facebook and Twitter

You can also:

• read about the EEA EFTA Separation Agreement

Visas and residency

If you were livinglegally resident in Iceland before 1 January 2021

Some partsyour ofrights thisto guidecontinue onlyliving applyin ifIceland youare wereprotected livingby inthe EEA EFTA Separation Agreement.

Registers Iceland sincecan beforeissue 1a Januaryletter 2021.confirming Thesethat you are indicatedcovered withby sub-headings.

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Visas

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Ifis youonly wereavailable legallyto residentpeople inwho Icelandneed beforeadditional 1help Januaryto 2021secure yourtheir rights tounder continuethe Separation Agreement. They may include pensioners, disabled people, people living in Icelandremote areareas protectedor bypeople thewho EEAhave EFTAmobility Separationdifficulties. Agreement.Support available includes:

Registers

• answering Icelandquestions canabout issueresidence aapplications, lettersuch (C-122)as confirmingthe thatdocuments you areneed coveredand byhow the Separationapplication Agreement.process Thisworks
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If you, or someone you fromknow, theare Europeanhaving Traveldifficulty Informationcompleting andresidence Authorisationpaperwork Systemor (ETIAS)have andany visaquestions, requirements.

Readcontact the DirectorateAire ofCentre:

• visit Immigration’sthe guidanceAIRE onCentre residencywebsite.

• email: eurobrits@airecentre.org

Moving to Iceland

Check the entry requirements for Iceland. If you plan to stay in Iceland for more than 3 months you must apply for a residence permit at the Directorate of Immigration.

Passports and travel

CoronavirusIf travelyou restrictionswere legally resident in Iceland before 1 January 2021, the Icelandic Authorities advise that you should carry a letter from Registers Iceland as well as your passport when you travel. The letter is available in electronic form online, or by appointment, from Registers Iceland for 2700 ISK.

If you cannot show evidence of your status under the Separation Agreement, you may affectbe travelasked additional questions at the border to enter the Schengen area, and fromyour passport may be stamped on entry and exit. This will not affect your rights in Iceland.

Passports

Check your passport is valid for travel before you book your trip. You can apply for or renew your British passport infrom Iceland.Iceland.

CheckYou themust travelhave adviceat forleast Iceland6 formonths passportleft validityon requirements.

Alwaysan carryadult youror child passport whento travellingtravel withinto most countries in Europe (not including Ireland). This requirement does not apply if you are entering or transiting to Iceland, and you are in scope of the SchengenEEA area.EFTA Separation Agreement.

If you haverenewed citizenshipyour ofcurrent anpassport EUbefore /the EFTAprevious country,one inexpired, additionextra months may have been added to its expiry date. Any extra months on your Britishpassport citizenship,over you10 shouldyears entermay andnot leavecount Icelandtowards usingthe 6 months needed.

Renew your EUpassport /before EFTAbooking your travel if you do not have enough time left on your passport.

IfAs youa staynon-EEA innational, Icelanddifferent withborder anchecks Icelandicapply residencewhen permittravelling to other EU or longSchengen stayarea visa,countries. thisYou timemay doeshave notto countuse towardsseparate yourlanes 90-dayfrom visa-freeEU, limitEEA forand theSwiss Schengencitizens area.when queueing. You may also need to show a return or onward ticket

Entry requirements

IfYou youcan visittravel to other Schengen area countries outsidefor Iceland,up maketo sure90 youdays doin notany exceed180-day theperiod visa-freewithout a visa for purposes such as tourism.

To stay for longer than 90 days in any 180-day period.period, Youto arework responsibleor forstudy, countingor howfor longbusiness travel, you staymust undermeet the Schengenentry visarequirements waiver,set andout by the country you mustare complytravelling withto. itsThis conditions.could mean applying for a visa or work permit.

Periods of time authorised by a visa or permit will not count towards your 90-day visa-free limit.

Different rules apply to EU countries that are not part of the Schengen area. area. Check each country’s travel advice page for information on entry requirements.

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IfOnce youyou’re areresident askedin toIceland showfor your6 passportmonths, at border control, you mustautomatically proactivelybecome showa eithermember yourof residencethe permitIceland cardsocial orinsurance C-122system.

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  UK

Healthcare

Read our guidance on healthcareusing an S1 form in Iceland andto makeensure sure you are correctly registered for your circumstances.healthcare.

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

If you are leavingresident thein UKIceland, withyou medicinemust thatnot containsuse ayour controlledUK-issued drug,EHIC check:for healthcare in Iceland.

• Icelandic

  If Medicinesyou Agencywere guidanceliving in Iceland before you1 travel

• NaTHNaCJanuary guidance2021, onyou travellingmay withbe medicines

Youeligible shouldfor alsoa readnew ourUK-issued guidanceEHIC on:if you’re:

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• foreigna travelUK insurance
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• a intofrontier theworker UKwith a registered S1

Working in Iceland

IfApply younow arefor planninga tonew moveUK toEHIC.

An IcelandEHIC andis work,not youa mayreplacement needfor acomprehensive worktravel permit.insurance.

For Readmore theinformation Directorateread ofour Immigration’s guidance on workinghealthcare inwhen Icelandtravelling asin aEurope foreign national and howadvice toon getforeign atravel work permitinsurance.

You Theshould Directorate of Labour also hasread guidance on exemptionsfinding forEnglish-speaking short-termdoctors projectsin Iceland.

ToYou applymust forcheck ayour jobprescriptions youare maylegal needin toIceland. provideYou can bring personal prescription medicine for 100 days without a UKcustoms policedeclaration, certificate.

Readalthough ourIcelandic guidancecustoms onofficials workingmay orask providingfor servicesa formal doctor’s note.

Working in Iceland.

If you were livinglegally resident in Iceland before 1 January 2021

You2021, you have the right to workwork, underas thelong UKas –you EEAremain EFTAlegally Separation Agreement.resident.

If you liveare inplanning Icelandto andcome wereto regularlyIceland commuting to work inyou anothermay EUneed ora EFTAwork countrypermit. beforeRead 1the JanuaryDirectorate 2021,of readImmigration’s our guidance foron frontierhow workers.

Professional qualifications

You may need to get youra professionalwork qualificationpermit recognisedand ifthe youDirectorate wantof toLabour’s workguidance inon aexemptions professionfor thatshort-term is regulated in Iceland.projects.

ReadSome guidancejobs on:

• recognitionmay ofrequire professionala qualifications
• howUK tocriminal getrecords yourcheck, qualificationknown recognisedas ina Iceland

Police Certificate check.

Frontier workers

If you werelive living in Iceland beforeand 1were Januaryregularly 2021

Ifcommuting theto relevantwork regulator in Icelandanother officiallyEU recognisedor yourEFTA professionalcountry qualification before 1 January 2021, or you startedwill theneed recognitiona processpermit byto thisshow date, make sure you understandare thea termsfrontier of your decision. You should get advice from the regulator.worker.

StudyingMoney inand Icelandtax

IfYou youwill planbe toissued studya intax Iceland,card when you mustregister meetwith allRegisters Residence permit requirementsIceland.

Contact theand relevantobtain highera educationnational provideridentification in Iceland to check what fees you may have to pay.number.

Read guidance on healthcare for students in Iceland.

Money and tax

The UK has a double taxation agreement with Iceland to ensure people do not pay tax on the same income in both countries. Ask the relevant tax authority your questions about double taxation relief.

YouExisting willdouble betaxation issuedarrangements afor taxUK cardnationals andliving ain national identification number when you register with Registers Iceland.

You shouldhave getnot professional advice on paying tax in Iceland. Find an English-speaking lawyer in Iceland.changed.

Read the guidance on:

• tax if you leave the UK to live abroad
• tax on your UK income if you live abroad
• tax in Iceland
• paying income tax in Iceland by the European Union

Read the Icelandic government’s guidance on taxtaxes andin customsIceland . Check the Icelandic Directorate of Internal Revenue.

National Insurance

Find out if you need to pay National Insurance in the UK or social security contributions in Iceland.

UK Banking

Whether UK banks can provide services to customers living in the EEA dependsis ona matter of local lawslaw and regulation. Your bank or finance provider should contact you if they need to make any changes to your product or the way they provide it. If you have any concerns about whether you might be affected, contact your provider or seek independent financial advice.

Read the Money and Pension Service’sService MoneyHelper guidance on banking, insurance and financial services changes for more information on cross-border banking.

Pensions

Read our guidance on entitlement to UK benefits and pensions while you are living in Iceland.

IfYou you are moving or retiring abroad, you must tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax.

Readtax State Pension guidance if you have lived in Australia, Canada or New Zealand and you are claimingmoving or waitingretiring to claim your UK State Pension.abroad.

If you retire in Iceland, you can claim:

• your UK State Pension or new UK State Pension. Contact the International Pension centreCentre to claim.

claim
• pensions if you’ve worked in other EU countries

• your Icelandic pension if you’ve worked in Iceland

Read the Money and Pension Service’sService MoneyHelper guidance on pension and retirement changes for more information on cross-border pensions.

Life certificates for UK State Pensions

If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you mustneed to respond as soon as possible. Your payments may be suspended if you do not.don’t.

Benefits

Read our guidance on entitlement to UK benefits and pensions while you are living in Iceland.

IfYou you are moving or retiring abroad, you must tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pensionpensions and tax.tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.

Check which UK benefits you can claim while abroad and how to claim them.

Many income-related benefits such as Pensionpension Creditcredit and Housinghousing Benefitbenefit cannot be paid to you if you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks.

You can request proof from HMRC of the time you’ve worked in the UK and your UK National Insurance record.

Icelandic benefits

You may be eligible to claim some Icelandic social security benefits. Read the IcelandicEuropean government’sCommission’s guidance on Icelandic social security benefits.

Accommodation

You andcan buyingrequest property

Read:

• ourproof guidanceof onthe buyingtime ayou’ve propertyworked abroad.
• Icelandicin rulesthe UK onfrom foreignHMRC nationals’if propertyyou rights

are asked for this.

Driving in Iceland

Read the guidance on:

• driving licence renewal and exchange
• what you need to drive abroad
• road travel in Iceland

Driving in the UK with an Icelandic licence

You can use your Icelandic licence in the UK for short visits, or exchange it for a UK licence without taking a test. We will update these pages if there are any changes to the rules, as soon as information is available.

Bringing a UK-registered vehicle to Iceland

Read our guidance on taking a vehicle out of the UK.

Read the guidance on importing and registering vehicles in Iceland

Voting

If you have been living in Iceland for more than 5 years you can vote in municipal elections.

Read information from Registers Iceland.

You may be able to vote in some UK elections. You can:

• check if you are able to vote
• register as an overseas voter if you would like to vote

If you have been domiciled or resident in Iceland for more than 5 years you can vote in municipal elections. Read information from Registers Iceland.

Births, deaths,deaths marriage and civilgetting partnershipsmarried

If your child is born in Iceland, you will need to register the birth abroad.

If someone dies in Iceland you can read our guidance on:can:

• read our guidance on what to do after someone dies abroad

• findingfind a list of English-speaking funeral directors in Iceland

• read bereavement information for Iceland

Find out how you can get married or get a civil partnership abroad.

You may also need:

• to find English-speaking lawyers in Iceland

• English-speaking translators and interpreters in Iceland

• notary and documentary services for Iceland

Pets

Strict conditions apply to the importation of pets to Iceland. For information, see the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority’s website.

Emergencies

You can dial the European emergency number 112 in Iceland for the police, ambulance or fire brigade, or dial:

• 444-1000 for a police station
• 570-5900 for search and rescue
• 550-0300 for the Sjálfsbjörg (self-help) association for people with disabilities
• 543-2000 for Landspítali Hospital ER (emergency room)
• 1770 for out of hours health care services

For cases of child abduction read guidance on international parental child abduction112.

If youyou’re are the victim of crime, have been arrested, or are affected by a crisis abroad, contact the British Embassy in Reykjavik.

ReturningAccommodation toand thebuying UKproperty

CheckRead theour COVID-19guidance travelon guidancebuying fora enteringproperty abroad.

Returning to the UK. .

Tell the Icelandic and UK authorities if you are returning to the UK permanently.

You must tell the authorities that you are leaving Iceland.

To move your pension to the UK, contact the International Pension Centre.

Read the guidance on returning to the UK permanently which includes information on, amongst other things, bringingtax, family members, tax and access to services.

Ifservices you return to the UK permanently and meetbringing thefamily ordinarily resident test, you’ll be able to access NHS care without charge.members.

Useful information

Disclaimer

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