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Iceland · Other & special

Residence Permit Based on Special Ties to Iceland

18 facts quoted from the official source

For an adult who does not qualify under another residence category and, exceptionally, has sufficiently strong personal, social, cultural or caregiving ties to Iceland.

Route type
Other & special
Can bring
children, parents
from the official record
Requirements
4
each quoted below
Who qualifies

Who this route is for

Every item below is the government’s own wording, quoted from the official source. Whether you personally qualify depends on your full profile.

4 requirements quoted from the official source.

The conditions that decide it
  • Age MinThe applicant must be at least eighteen.
  • Health Insurance Coverage Isk MinInitial Iceland-valid health insurance must provide at least ISK 2,000,000 coverage.
  • Official designation or accreditation by a State or organisationThe Directorate performs an overall assessment of these personal and comparative ties.
  • Who qualifiesThe rare no-prior-residence branch requires an adult child or parent with Icelandic citizenship, permanent residence or a permit leading to permanent residence.
Also stated by the source
  • Eligibility summaryResidence permits on the basis of special ties to Iceland are only granted in exceptional cases.
  • Family membersThe route cannot substitute for an available family-reunification permit.
  • How and where to applyTies formed solely under these temporary categories cannot establish this route.
  • Monthly Support Individual Isk MinThe current individual monthly support amount is ISK 259,951.
  • Official source basisResidence permits on the basis of special ties to Iceland are only granted in exceptional cases.
  • Permit Years MaxA special-ties permit may be granted and renewed for up to one year at a time.
  • Report summaryResidence permits on the basis of special ties to Iceland are only granted in exceptional cases.
  • Residual or unspecified purposeThe applicant must demonstrate special ties that justify an exceptional grant.
  • What the route grantsThe permit can count as a basis for permanent residence.
  • Work and study rightsThe permit entails the right to work without a separate work permit.
  • Monthly Support Married Couple Isk MinThe current married-couple monthly support amount is ISK 415,922.
  • Never Resided Support By Relative Years MinThe Icelandic relative must have provided for the applicant for at least one year in the rare no-prior-residence branch.
Family

Who you can bring

childrenparents
  • Family membersThe route cannot substitute for an available family-reunification permit.
Costs & timelines

What the source prices

Fees
1 proven from the official source.
  • Application Fee IskThe current application fee is ISK 40,000.checked 2026-07-26
Validity
1 proven from the official source.
  • Usual Prior Legal Stay YearsPrior legal stay of at least two years is generally needed before length of stay receives weight, unless other ties are very strong.
How it works

From here to a yes

See if you qualify — freeThe 3-minute check scores your profile against every Iceland route at once, this one included. No signup, no card.
Get your full report — €10One personalised report ranks every route you can actually get, with the full requirement set for your profile — so you apply for the right one.
Apply with the official sourceThe application itself always happens with the government — the enacting authority linked below. The report points you straight at it.
FAQ

Straight answers

01Who qualifies for this route to Iceland?
The official source states: For an adult who does not qualify under another residence category and, exceptionally, has sufficiently strong personal, social, cultural or caregiving ties to Iceland.
02Can I bring my family?
The official record lists: children, parents.

Every answer is quoted from the official island.is page for this route, last read 2026-07-26.

We checked 18 points against the official source; 18 are quoted on this page. The other 0 are either not addressed by the source or not yet backed by a quote — we would rather show you the edge of the record than fill it with a plausible guess.

See the 0 open points

Processing time is not published in the official source for this route. We publish a number only when the official text states that number.

Not stated in the official source — the official source names no exclusion for this route.

The source

Where every quote comes from

Official government source island.isLast read 2026-07-26 Every quote on this page is from this Iceland government page.
Compiled from official sources · pending independent re-check · Last checked 2026-07-26 · Our methodology
 · Compiled by António Mira · How we verify · Not legal advice — rules change; confirm with the official source before deciding.
Same category, elsewhere

Other & special routes in other countries

109 other countries publish at least one other & special route. Nearest first.

Norway6 other & special routes United Kingdom4 other & special routes Ireland3 other & special routes Jersey3 other & special routes Svalbard and Jan Mayen2 other & special routes Denmark1 other & special route

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