Iceland's long-stay visa is gone. The 180-day permit that replaced it is much narrower
A new law ended Iceland's long-term visas in May 2026, the remote work one included. What's left for stays past 90 days covers close family visits and working artists, scientists and athletes.
If you were counting on six months in Iceland, check which group you fit before you book anything. Here's who can still stay past 90 days, what it costs, and the routes that lead to living there for real.
What changed
Why the long-term visa disappeared
Iceland's Visa Act No. 37/2026 took effect in May 2026 and repealed Article 20 of the Foreign Nationals Act, the article behind long-term visas. That covered the general long-stay visa and the remote work visa, which asked for ISK 1,000,000 a month in foreign income. Neither is open to new applicants.
Visas themselves moved to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Anything past 90 days now goes to the Directorate of Immigration as a residence permit.
Already holding a long-term visa? The law keeps decisions made before the repeal valid, so your current stay stands.
The short-term residence permit in four numbers
180 days
Longest continuous stay
then you head home
ISK 12,200
Processing fee
about $100 (2026)
6 months
Longest wait for a decision
per the Directorate
1 per year
How often you can get one
none in the past 12 months
Eligibility
Who the permit fits, and who it leaves out
It's for stays over 90 days that don't fit Iceland's regular permit categories, by people who don't plan to settle. The Directorate names two groups.
Close family on a long visit
A spouse, parent, child or sibling making an extended visit. Picture a parent spending a winter near a grown child's family. Applicants under 18 apply alongside a parent or guardian.
Artists, scientists and athletes
When the stay doesn't call for another type of residence permit.
Who's left out
Remote workers, retirees without family there, and anyone hoping to test-drive a move. Working in the Icelandic job market can get the permit revoked, and the time never counts toward permanent residence.
Six months is a tax line and a healthcare line
Spend six months or more in Iceland in a 12-month period and you're fully tax liable there, counted from the day you arrived. A 180-day stay sits right at that edge, so count your days and talk to a tax pro. The permit can't create legal domicile, and public health insurance only starts six months after you register residence, so bring your own health and accident coverage.
The process
How to apply
Before you go
Americans don't need a visa for short visits, so you can file from home or during a visa-free stay. From late 2026 you'll also need ETIAS approval before flying to Europe, and your passport has to be valid three months past your Schengen departure date.
What to send
Pay the ISK 12,200 fee, then send the paper application by mail or drop box to the Directorate of Immigration, Dalvegur 18, 201 Kópavogur.
Here's the catch
Filing in Iceland doesn't stop the clock. You still have to leave before your 90 visa-free Schengen days run out, and a decision can take up to six months. File from the U.S. well ahead of your trip. The permit also can't extend a stay you've already started, and it's refused if officials think you won't leave when it ends.
- Fee payment receipt
- Passport photo and a copy of your passport
- Documents confirming why you're coming
- Proof you can support yourself
- Health and accident insurance
- A return ticket or funds to get home
Routes that lead to living in Iceland
Expert work permit
For jobs that need expert knowledge. It's one of the permits that counts toward permanent residence after four years.
Student permit
Counts toward permanent residence, with restrictions. A degree program is the most common way in without a job offer.
Family reunification
Separate permits for spouses and children of people living in Iceland. These count toward permanent residence too.
Parents 67 and older
Iceland has a dedicated residence permit for parents 67 and up joining family there.
This page is dated on purpose
The Directorate of Immigration has said more detail on short-term permits will follow. Everything here reflects the law and official pages as of September 2026, so check the Directorate's site before you file.
Help with the insurance piece
Hunter Schultz
Healthcare Coach
A healthcare coach who helps you map out care and coverage for time abroad, including stays too short for a country's public system.
ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
Global health insurance for people spending long stretches outside the U.S.
Iceland long-stay questions
Does Iceland still have a long-stay visa?
No. Iceland repealed its long-term visa, including the remote work version, when Visa Act No. 37/2026 took effect in May 2026. Stays over 90 days that don't fit a regular permit category now need a short-term residence permit from the Directorate of Immigration.
Does a short-term residence permit count toward permanent residence in Iceland?
No. Time on it can't be the basis for permanent residence and can't create legal domicile. Permanent residence takes four years on a qualifying permit, such as an expert work or family reunification permit.
Who qualifies for Iceland's short-term residence permit?
A spouse, parent, child or sibling making an extended visit, or an artist, scientist or athlete whose stay doesn't need another permit. You must be 18 or older unless applying with a parent or guardian, must not plan to settle, and can't have had one in the past 12 months.
Can I work remotely from Iceland for six months?
Not on a dedicated visa anymore. Iceland's remote work visa was a type of long-term visa, and that category was repealed in May 2026. The short-term residence permit that replaced it is for close family visits and for artists, scientists and athletes, so remote work alone isn't a qualifying reason.
How long does Iceland take to decide a short-term residence permit?
Up to six months. Americans can file while visiting Iceland but still have to leave before their 90 visa-free Schengen days end, so it's safer to apply from the U.S. well before the trip.
Can Iceland's short-term residence permit be renewed or extended?
No. It's granted for up to 180 days and only once in any 12-month period, and you can't use it to extend a stay that's already underway.
How long can Americans stay in Iceland without a visa?
Up to 90 days for tourism or business, counted across the Schengen Area. Staying longer needs a residence permit. From late 2026, Americans also need ETIAS travel approval before flying to Europe.
How much does Iceland's short-term residence permit cost?
The processing fee is ISK 12,200, about $100 as of September 2026. You also need health and accident insurance, proof you can support yourself, and a return ticket or funds to get home.
Find the country that fits how you want to live
Take the free Expatsi Test and compare Iceland with other countries on cost, healthcare, climate and safety.
Why not you?