International Protection Application

If the applicant meets the relevant requirements, they will be granted refugee status or subsidiary protection, together with a residence permit in Iceland.

Persons who are subject to persecution in their home country or face the risk of capital punishment, torture or inhumane or degrading treatment or penalty have the right to international protection as refugees in Iceland.

Stateless persons are entitled to international protection on grounds of statelessness.

Anyone who wants to apply for international protection in Iceland must be present in Iceland, either at the country's border or within it. The application must be submitted in person. It does not need to be in a specific format, and it is sufficient for the applicant to state their request verbally. You can apply for protection with the police at Keflavík Airport upon arrival in the country. Individuals who are already in the country can apply for protection at the reception centre for applicants for international protection at Egilsgata 3 in Reykjavík. It is open during daytime working hours. Individuals located outside the capital area can apply for protection at the nearest police station. Applications for international protection sent to Iceland from individuals who are abroad will not be processed.

their biometric data are recorded in the European Eurodac database.

Instead, the applicant will be transferred to the State responsible for examining the application.

If you are a national of a safe country of origin where you can obtain protection from the authorities, your application for international protection will normally be processed under an accelerated procedure.

When an application is given prioritised processing, the applicant is invited to an interview where they can explain their circumstances and the reasons for seeking protection.

When a person applies for international protection in Iceland, the Directorate of Immigration assesses whether Iceland or another participating State is responsible for examining the application under the AMMR.

A decision by the Directorate of Immigration to transfer an applicant to another participating State may be appealed to the Immigration and Asylum Appeals Board in accordance with the Foreign Nationals Act.