A Quick Guide on Acquiring Citizenship in Iceland for Indians

The demand for relocating and travelling has been on the rise with the development of globalisation. For instance, Indians moving to Iceland for studies or work purposes might find it convenient to get citizenship for a consistent career. However, getting citizenship in a foreign country can be a complicated process. 

Are you curious to know how you can get citizenship in Iceland for Indians? Then, keep reading this article to find out all about it.

For getting citizenship in Iceland, individuals must meet certain conditions. The government of Iceland usually sets these. The eligibility criteria for getting Icelandic citizenship for Indians are listed below. 

• Applicants must have been domiciled in Iceland for at least seven years. 
• They must not have received any living assistance from the municipality during the past three years. 
• Applicants must not have any criminal offence or history of a prison sentence. 
• They must have passed the Icelandic language and citizenship examination.

Before applying for citizenship in Iceland for Indians, individuals must check if they are eligible for this process. Once you feel confident, you can apply for citizenship through the following steps. 

Step 1: Visit the official website of Iceland governance. Click on “Electronic application for Icelandic citizenship”. 

Step 2: On this page, click on "Open application". Then, start filling the application with accurate details. 

Step 3: Scan and upload the required documents. Pay the application fees through online transactions. 

Step 4: Once the board approves your application, you will receive a citizenship certificate through mail. After this, apply for Icelandic citizenship.

It is mandatory to upload or submit certain documents while applying for Icelandic citizenship. The application might be rejected if you fail to submit these documents. These are listed below. 

• Copy of passport
• Certificate of legal registration history
• Evidence to prove that you have passed the Icelandic language test (certificate from Directorate of Education)
• Certificate from the municipality to prove that no financial assistance has been taken in the last three months 
• Foreign criminal record certificate (if any)
• Documents confirming your financial stability (payslips and tax statements)

The Icelandic government charges individuals who are applying to become Icelandic citizens. In general, one needs to pay a basic application fee of  kr1902.75. It is applicable for both adult and minor applicants of Icelandic citizenship.

Fortunately, Iceland allows dual citizenship. A recent amendment to the Act on Icelandic Citizenship stated that Icelandic citizens could retain their citizenship while applying for citizenship in other countries. Thus, Indians are not required to renounce their Indian citizenship to become Icelandic citizens.

If you are a permanent resident or citizen of Iceland, you can bring your entire family to Iceland. First, you must obtain a residence permit from the Directorate of Immigration. However, there is no specific law regarding the citizenship of the whole family.

In the case of married couples, getting citizenship becomes easier with one Icelandic spouse. However, you must live together with your spouse in Iceland for at least three years to get citizenship. Children can apply for formal citizenship through naturalisation after turning 18 years. If they are not 18, their legal guardians can apply on their behalf.

Children born to Icelandic parents after July 2018 become Icelandic citizens by birth. In other cases, at least one of the parents must be an Icelandic citizen for the child to get Icelandic citizenship by birth. In addition, the parents must register the child's birth record under Registers Iceland to notify the authorities regarding his/her citizenship.

Now that you know how to get Icelandic citizenship for Indians, you must try to get approval for your application. Unfortunately, various grounds can end up rejecting a citizenship application. These are listed below.

1. Past criminal history

The Icelandic government prefers applicants with no criminal history. The immigration experts investigate your past to find such cases. They will also verify your document of criminal records from the past. Often, demonstrating a severe criminal offence can reject your citizenship application.

2. Receipt of municipality living assistance

The applicants have a stringent requirement to avoid taking any living assistance from the municipality in the past three months. They must demonstrate proof that they have not taken this assistance. However, if they have already taken it, their citizenship application might be rejected.

3. Failure to present documents

If the applicants fail to produce all the required documents, their application will likely get rejected. They must pass the citizenship and language test and attach the certificates. Furthermore, they should avoid doing fraudulent activities with the documents, which can reject their application.