International Protection through Family Reunification - Spouse

The couple married before the spouse who is a refugee in Iceland applied for international protection in Iceland. Both parties were 18 years or older when they married. Both parties attended the wedding.

Both parties were 18 years or older when cohabitation started. Cohabitation had lasted for one year or more before the parties became separated.

The spouse in Iceland must either have a residence permit as a refugee on grounds of international protection or subsidiary protection

If a spouse in Iceland has a residence permit on grounds of subsidiary protection, his/her permit must have been renewed once before family reunification with the person concerned can be applied for. An exemption may be granted from this condition.

Original or a certified copy of an original marriage certificate.

The original document must be legally authenticated with an apostille certification or chain authentication.

Original or a certified copy of the applicant's original marital status certificate. The document may not be older than six months when the application is submitted.

Other documents confirming that you and your spouse have cohabited for at least one year.

The Directorate of Immigration may reject an application for a residence permit for a spouse if there is serious grounds for believing that the sole purpose of the union is to obtain a residence permit.

A residence permit based on international protection as a refugee's spouse is granted for three years at most, but never longer than the permit of the person on whom the right is based.

Individuals granted international protection as a refugee's spouse receive the same rights and obligations as the refugee they are reunited with in Iceland.

You can work in Iceland without a work permit.

You can apply for a permanent residence permit after you have held a residence permit on grounds of international protection for four years.

If a marriage or cohabitation ends, a residence permit on grounds of special ties to Iceland may be granted provided the applicant is able to show that social or cultural circumstances will make it difficult to return to his/her home country.